Bridging Worlds. Fostering Business. Build Around People
RV Lawyers provides clients with local expertise and a strong grasp of the regional legal environments, complemented by our global network. With many years of experience in Macau, mainland China and beyond, our firm’s goal is to help companies and investors bring their projects to life, and seize the full potential offered by the rise of China’s Greater Bay Area.
INTRODUCTION
EXPERTISE. EXPERIENCE. PERSEVERANCE.
RV Lawyers, founded by partners Pedro Redinha and João Varela, is a Macau-based law firm that provides the highest-quality legal advice and representation to clients around the world.
The original law firm was founded in 1991 by Pedro Redinha, with the purpose to uphold justice and freedom and help promote the respect for the rights of every member of our society, having adopted its current designation in 2020.
This coincided with the entrance of João Varela as a named partner, with three specific objectives: 1) add value, by providing an interdisciplinary and cost-effective solution to the rising demand of clients, range of issues and to the associated complexity of the Macau legal system; 2) expand the range of available services, with the creation of specialized teams, in particular in the areas of civil law, banking law, insurance law, commercial and company law; and, 3) enhance the legal advice provided to our clients, not only in Macau, but also in the Greater China Region and in Portuguese-speaking countries.
We possess a profound knowledge of Macau’s judicial system, and deep understanding of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, which will play a remarkable role in China’s economic integration with the world now, and in years to come.
Our network covering Portugal, several Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa, Brazil, and the Greater Bay Area, ensures we have a deep knowledge of the legal framework of each of these jurisdictions, and vast experience in advocating before local authorities, on behalf of our clients.
Our firm has grown to become a leader in each of its core practice areas, focusing on assisting companies and helping people with the legal insight and practical advice they need, to achieve their strategic objectives, and protect their interests.
OUR VISION. OUR COMMITMENT. YOUR BENEFIT.
Our values and beliefs have been the driving force behind our actions: the constant and active defense of our client´s legitimate and legal interests. It is with these principles at heart, that we began our work in Macau. With those same values in mind, we provide the best-in-class legal counsel and representation, day-by-day, proactively, looking for the best legal solutions, and providing an efficient and specialized service.
From the start, we have been committed to giving back to the community in which we are based, making positive contributions in fields such as education, professional training on legal matters, and legal counselling to various local associations. We also work with long-term partnerships, as we pride ourselves on making a difference in our community.
EXPERIENCE
BRIDGING WORLDS. FOSTERING BUSINESS. BUILT AROUND PEOPLE.
RV Lawyers provides clients with local expertise and a strong grasp of the regional legal environments, complemented by our global network.
With many years of experience in Macau, mainland China and beyond, our firm’s goal is to help companies and investors bring their projects to life, and seize the full potential offered by the rise of China’s Greater Bay Area.
We have expanded our legal practice and created a strong network of partnerships, so that our clients may reap the benefits of our expertise in the legal environment of Macau and across the region.
As we evolve and expand, we make sure that people are at the core of our practice, not just within our team, but also on behalf of the individuals and entities we represent. We value regular communication, clarity, and honesty, as we aim to build strong, trusting, and lasting relationships with each of our clients.
PRACTICE AREAS
We provide legal advice in different areas to individuals and companies from different sectors in a cost-effective way.
BUSINESS AND CORPORATE
RV Lawyers is prepared to provide legal advice in all areas of Commercial and Corporate Law, including strategic and continuous assistance to local and foreign companies, and to its shareholders, as well as to its corporate bodies, namely on the following areas:
Business
- Incorporation and registration of companies
- Representation at general meetings
- Drawing up of minutes and other documentation related to general meetings and the coordination of all the subsequent legal obligations
- Legal advice in the aspects of the operation of its clients’ commercial activities
- Exercise of the function of secretary in companies
- Company share transfers
- Regular assistance regarding capital increases and reductions, as well as assistance in the approval of accounting processes and distribution of dividends and reserves
- Drafting and updating of by-laws and internal regulations
Corporate
- Drawing up and negotiation of all kinds of contracts
- Competition clauses
- Litigation
CRIMINAL LAW
Our firm is experienced in representing clients at all stages of criminal procedures, from the investigation stage, all the way through to the conclusion of a trial or appeal.
In this area, our team has handled some of the most complex cases in the Macau justice system, in particular the ones related with corruption and financial crimes.
We also provide legal advice focused on each sector regulatory specificities, helping our clients to prevent the practice of any kind of illegal conduct and we assist them on the several stages of the sanctioning procedure.
PRIVACY, DATA PROTECTION, GDPR, TRANSFER OF DATA TO FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS
Our team is headed by a lawyer trained on specialized legal advice on this area, having large expertise on issues regarding the Macau Data Protection Law and the European General Data Protection Regulation.
We seek to present our clients solutions that are not an obstacle to the development of their business, but that respect the data protection norms.
According to our experience, we specially prepared to advice our clients on the following matters:
- In the preparation and implementation of compliance programs with the Macau Data Protection Law and the European General Data Protection Regulation and other applicable legislation within the scope of data protection
- In the preparation and review of contractual conditions applicable to the processing of personal data
- In the response to personal data breaches
- In advising and providing representation in criminal proceedings, regulatory offence proceedings and civil proceedings relating to personal data privacy and protection
- In the conduct of specific audits relating to personal data privacy and protection;
- In the conduct of privacy impact assessments of specific projects
- Counselling on issues pertaining to the transfer of personal data between Macau SAR, Hong Kong SAR, Portugal, USA and PRC
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW, LAND LAW AND PUBLIC LAW
RV Lawyers provides specialized counsel, having in-depth knowledge of the procedures and provisions of the law, backed by many years of experience.
At RV Lawyers we are particularly well prepared to face the proceedings on administrative courts that are related with:
- Rejection of Admnistrative Acts
- Injunctions for the performance of acts by the administration
- Actions regarding agreements
- Injunctions for the access of documents held by the administration
- Civil liability actions
We also have a solid experience in litigation related with public works contracts, concessions and public service law.
In addition, we also provide assistance with applications and requests pertaining to concessions, licensing and issues related with the Land Law, namely the grant, exercise, modification, transmission and termination of the land use and exploration rights.
CIVIL LAW
Our lawyers are specifically oriented to provide legal advice and assistance in civil law, in particular:
- Drafting and reviewing all types of contracts and parties negotiation advice
- Drafting and reviewing specific civil contracts (lease, sale and purchase, free-lease agreement, loans, etc)
- Counselling on all matters related with Real Estate and Lease Law
- Civil Liability matters
- Litigation
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
Our team has unique experience in this area, advising foreign investors in Macau, and in the various jurisdictions where we have partnerships. Through our network covering Portugal, Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa (Mozambique, Angola and Cape Verde), Brazil and China’s Greater Bay Area, we assist our clients:
- Implement and monitor of all stages of the investment process
- Advocate investors´ interests before local authorities.
Our clients have invested in businesses such as natural gas, diamonds, road infrastructure, and construction projects. We also work closely with our sister company, The Redinha Business Consultancy, to offer one-stop business and legal advice to investors.
BANKING, FINANCE AND INSURANCE
At RV Lawyers we have a long experience in the banking sector, with a dedicated team we ensure an efficient service to Macau financial institutions.
Our activity also includes legal advice to local and foreign companies, management companies and insurance companies.
In this area we provide the following services:
- Drafting of legal opinions;
- Preparation and negotiation of financing operations, including commercial loans
- Financial garantee contracts
- Claims management
- Civil liability arising from traffic accidents
- Litigation
LABOR
We assure the protection of our client´s interests in Court, by following the best procedure strategies.
We provide advice to our clients in all legal matters related to labor relations, such as:
- Drafting of contracts, with case-by-case advice on the most advantageous solutions
- Drafting of internal company by-laws
- Legal advice on Macau applicable ILO and other international conventions
- Clarification and resolution of working condition issues
- Comprehensive representation and counsel concerning labor and employment disputes
- Organization of procedures to formally declare the termination of a work relationship
- Work accidents
- Labor litigation
LITIGATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Our litigation and arbitration team focuses on complex value-added cases, in particular in Hong Kong. We support our clients in the settlement of their disputes in a preventive manner, by negotiations or through the courts. The members of our team are fluent in several languages, including English, Portuguese, Cantonese and Putonghua.
In this area, we provide, in particular, the following services:
- Strategic legal counseling: we seek innovative solutions to resolve disputes promptly and efficiently
- Advice and representation in negotiations, in litigation and arbitration cases
- Drafting and submission of Court applications
- Court proceedings
GAMING
Our team provides specialized-sector advice to gaming clients, in particular regarding licensing and contracts.
We also provide counsel to gaming operators regarding the following areas:
- Contractual obligations
- Compliance
- Regulatory issues
- Day-to-day legal counseling
- Litigation
INTELECTUAL PROPERTY
On the intellectual property field, we offer a wide range of legal services, namely in matters related with:
- Innovation process from conception until commercialization
- Patents
- Copyrights
- Industrial Designs
- Trademark protection
- Dispute Resolution
- Litigation
REAL ESTATE AND LAND
Our experience covers drafting and negotiation of finance agreements with mortgages and other types of colateral, assisting local and foreign clients on this area, as well as due diligence regarding the property object of financing.
We also assist our clients by drafting and negotiate contracts, including lease agreements, as well as with the property management issues, such as drafting the condominium regulation.
We provide services concerning:
- Review of real estate documentation
- Review of the leased property legal situation
- Drafting of lease agreements
- Drafting of promissory sale and purchase agreement
- Licensing and construction
- Protection of property rights
- Preparing all the necessary documentation
REGISTRY AND NOTARY SERVICES
Our team assists our clients in the following matters:
- Preparation and certification of official documents, so that they can be used either locally or abroad
- Arrangement and authentication of official documents.
- Certification of signatures, translation of documents and translation certification, preparation of public deeds
- Representation of clients before all public registry services – Land, Commercial, Moveable Assets
MACAU RESIDENCE
We provide legal support across all areas of Macau immigration law, both to companies and individuals, namely regarding:
- Visa applications and extensions
- Permanent residency and Macau citizenship
- Administrative Litigation – Appeal of Government decisions
CITIZENSHIP
We provide legal support for our clients that want to obtain the Portuguese citizenship, namely through our partner office in Portugal, and we ensure that all the proper documentation is taken care off and that all the necessary requisites are fulfilled.
GOLDEN VISA
We advice our clients in order for them to be able to obtain the Golden Visa and Residency permit in Portugal, namely providing the following services
- Assistance, preparation and tracking of the application status
- Fiscal representation
- Residency permit renovation
CREDIT RECOVERY AND BANKRUPCY
Our credit recovery and bankruptcy team integrates lawyers with in-depth knowledge on this area, headed by a lawyer with solid experience, namely regarding the recovery of banking loan debts.
On this field we are prepared to advise and assist you on these matters:
- Extrajudicial debt negotiations
- Civil Proceedings to obtain an enforceable title
- Enforcement Proceedings
- Attachments and garnishings
- Mortgages
- Credit Claims
- Debtor Oppositions
- Credit Claim Opposition
- Debt restructuring
- Bankruptcy
TEAM
PEDRO REDINHA
Partner, Lawyer and Private Notary
Pedro Redinha is founder and partner of RV Lawyers and Notary, and head of the firm’s litigation and dispute-resolution practice. He has represented a wide range of Macau-based clients, covering areas including high-profile disputes about administrative and public law. His speciality is complex civil and criminal litigation, and he is a recognised expert in criminal, administrative and corporate law, and notarial services. Apart from being a lawyer registered with the Macau Bar Association, Redinha is also registered with the Portuguese Bar Association as a lawyer. He has previously served as a prosecutor in Angola, working in that country’s Public Prosecutor’s office from 1977 to 1984. He also sat as a judge in the Appeal´s Court of Luanda, and afterwards as a legal advisor to the Angola and Macau governments, respectively. In 1991, before founding his practice, he was director of Macau Prison. He is a regular speaker at seminars and conferences organised by local higher education institutions and associations.
Education
Bachelor of Law, University of Lisbon School of Law, Portugal
JOÃO VARELA
Partner
João Varela is a founder and partner of RV Lawyers and Notary, where he focuses on corporate governance, commercial disputes, and civil matters. He has worked on a wide range of legal matters, including domestic and cross-border transactions. He has gained valuable experience as legal counsel and as a general manager for Macau-based companies, acquiring a wealth of knowledge regarding the business and political environment of the city, and the wider region. Varela is a lawyer registered with the Macau Bar Association, and a registered mediator, with experience in handling complex legal disputes. He also possesses deep knowledge of the city’s political environment. He served for more than 10 years as a political advisor to local legislators and members of the Executive Council, a body that advises chief executives of the Macau SAR on political and legal matters.
Education
- Bachelor of Law, University of Macau, Macau SAR
- Bachelor in Corporate Communication, Higher Institute of Business Communication, Lisbon, Portugal
FILIPE RENDINHA
Associate
Filipe Redinha joined our firm in 2015, after having successfully graduated as a Bachelor of Law with Academic Honours at the University of Macau. He practiced as trainee lawyer and finished his traineeship in 2018, becoming then one of our associates. He specialises in defending and acting as legal counsel for clients in civil and criminal lawsuits. His experience also includes representing clients in labour and employment disputes, and he regularly acts in administrative proceedings. He is also a mediator registered with the Macau Bar Association.
Education
Bachelor of Law with Academic Honours, University of Macau, Macau SAR
LUÍS ALMEIDA PINTO
Associate
Luís Almeida Pinto has extensive experience with the complexities of administrative law and public procurement, assisting local and overseas companies. He has been registered with the Portuguese Bar Association as a lawyer since 1988. He has been a member of the Macau Bar Association since 2007. He also has experience advising local and international financial entities regarding the process of incorporation, and other contractual and regulatory matters related to financial entities.
Education
Bachelor of Law, University of Lisbon School of Law, Portugal
TAYLOR GOMES
Associate
Taylor Gomes joined our firm in 2014. Prior to joining our firm, he worked as a legal consultant to Banco da Africa Ocidental, in Guinea-Bissau. He has solid experience in the areas of banking and finance, as well as in commercial law matters. He assists, and works closely with, the firm’s partners Pedro Redinha and João Varela, in areas including criminal law, civil law, commercial law, and administrative law.
Education
- Bachelor of Law, University of Macau, Macau SAR
- Post-Graduation in Legal and Forensic Science, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- Post-Graduation in Corporate Law, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- Post-Graduation in Banking, Securities and Insurance Law, University of Coimbra, Portugal
CATARINA GUERRA GONÇALVES
Associate
Catarina Guerra Gonçalves began her path in legal practice in Portugal at Miranda, Perdigão & Associados.In 2006 she embraced the challenge to practice in Macau, where she was part of the prestigious law firm of Leonel Alberto Alves until late 2021. In Macau, she was a member of the board of the General Meeting of the Macau Lawyers Association until late 2021 .In 2022, she returned to her birthplace of Covilhã, Portugal to establish her own law office. In June 2023, she returned to Macau to be part of the team at the prestigious office RV Lawyers.
Catarina Guerra Gonçalves work is primarily focused on assistance to companies on issues relating to banking law, data protection, credit recovery, bankruptcy law and contract law, and on the assistance to individuals on matters concerning family law, inheritance law and real estate. Catarina Guerra Gonçalves also holds a vast experience in the field of notary and registry law.
Education
- Law degree by the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon (Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Lisboa) in 2005;
- Master in International Business Law by the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau, in 2015, authoring the master thesis “Transborder Data Flows and Macau SAR Data Protection Framework”.
- Certified as Data Protection Officer by Maastricht University in 2022.
SANDRA PINTO
Trainee Lawyer
Sandra Pinto is a trainee lawyer at RV Lawyers and Notary. She graduated from the University of Macau as a Bachelor of Law. Her exceptional multilingual skills have helped her develop close and reliable relationships across our client base, and she advises clients on a wide range of matters. Working closely with partners Pedro Redinha and João Varela, she focuses her practice on criminal litigation and labour-related matters.
Education
Bachelor of Law, University of Macau, Macau SAR
CLARISSE CORREIA
Trainee Lawyer
Clarisse Correia joined RV Lawyers and Notary in 2020, after graduating from the University of Macau as a Bachelor of Law, and subsequently gaining a Master’s Degree at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Her areas of interest are criminal law, labour law, and family law. She assists the firm’s partners and associates in various legal capacities, and performs a broad range of substantive legal work, making use of her multilingual background.
Education
- Bachelor of Law, University of Macau, Macau SAR
- Master in Comparative Criminal Justice, Leiden University, The Netherlands
EDMOND WONG
Trainee Lawyer
Wong Chi Hang graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau in 2021. He joined RV Lawyers and Notary in 2022. He specializes in providing legal advice in the areas of commercial and civil law.
Education
Bachelor of Law, University of Macau, Macau SAR
PAU MAN KIT
Office Manager
Pau Man Kit has more than 25 years of experience in office management and coordination. He possesses strong organisational and communication skills, understands clients’ expectations and concerns, and can anticipate their needs. He is fluent in several languages and provides planning support to our practice. This ensures that our resources are available in an efficient and timely way when required, and that the firm meets the needs of our clients.
KELLY CHIU
Assistant Office Manager
Kelly Chiu has more than 12 years of experience in communicating with clients, especially regarding corporate and administrative matters. She has extensive experience of, and comprehensive skills in, administrative procedures, maintaining effective workflow in the office, and supporting the firm in delivering the highest-quality services to its clients. She is proficient in dealing with our clients in an effective way, in order to cultivate high-quality relationships with them.
OUR NETWORK
Through our network in China, Portugal, Lusophone Africa and Brazil, we offer comprehensive legal counselling in several industries and practice areas to our Macau based clients. Our team includes Portuguese and Chinese native speaking lawyers, capable of advice and communicate directly with lawyers in those jurisdictions.
RV Lawyers is able to assist our clients on Lusophone countries as well as in Brazil due to our partnership with other offices in Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique and Brasil.
We are a multidisciplinary team with international expertise and local knowledge, with experience in banking, commercial, real estate and fiscal laws.
CONTACT
Adress
Avenida da Praia Grande, N.º 409 “China Law Building”, 11.º Andar A-B, Macau
Tel
(+853) 2878 5795
Fax
(+853) 2878 5797