Of Counsel Filipa Fonseca Santos

Of Counsel at Melo Alves and head of the Banking & Finance practice of the firm. She is also part of the Angola Desk, where she leads the Banking & Finance practice, and participates in teams dedicated to Corporate and M&A, as well as Foreign Exchange matters.

Filipa is qualified to practice law in Portugal and Angola. With over 20 years of experience, she combines deep technical expertise with a practical and strategic approach, focused on the Client’s business and the successful closing of transactions. 

Throughout her career, she has worked in leading law firms with a strong presence in Lusophone Africa, including Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, where shehad the opportunity to develop a solid practice in both domestic and international projects, some of which were landmark and pioneering.

Her experience includes, in particular, advising issuers, offerors and financial intermediaries on debt issuance and privatization transactions via the capital market, as well as advising financial institutions on Angolan sovereign financing of public investment projects and on domestic and international financing, with collateral governed by Portuguese or Angolan law.

She also provides ongoing legal assistance on banking and finance regulatory matters, including the insurance sector.

Practice

• Banking & Finance

Professional Experience

• Joined Melo Alves and Ammadeus Advogados in 2026 as Of Counsel, responsible for the Banking & Finance practice
• Before joining these firms, she held the position of Managing Associate at VdA – Vieira de Almeida & Associados, initially in the Corporate & M&A practice and subsequently in Banking & Finance (2015–2024)
• She also practiced at Miranda & Associados, in the areas of Banking, Insurance and Financial Markets (2005–2015 and 2024–2025)
• Earlier in her career, she was part of J.A. Pinto Ribeiro & Associados (2002–2005), where she was seconded as in-house counsel at Caixa Banco de Investimentos, and also worked at Olavo Cunha, Franqueira Dias, Barros de Figueiredo, Anselmo Vaz & Associados, focusing primarily on corporate law and international contracts

Academic Background

• Law Degree from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon (1997)

Published Works

Author of articles in specialised journals and national newspapers, including:

• “It’s time to review and complete the framework applicable to bond issuance” – published in Jornal Expansão, June 20, 2025
• “Financial Intermediation in the Capital Markets – Challenges” – published in Jornal Expansão, November 15, 2024
• Banking Regulation, 2028 and 2019 – Angola Global Legal Insights

Professional Associations 

• Member of the Portuguese Bar Association
• Member of the Angolan Bar Association

 Languages: Portuguese and English