Martim Krupenski highlights Morais Leitão’s growth in a challenging year for the legal profession

Martim Krupenski, Managing Partner of Morais Leitão, gives a positive assessment of his first full year at the helm of the firm, against a backdrop of geopolitical instability and investor caution. In an interview with Jornal Económico, as part of JE Advisory, he highlights growth of around 15% in terms of profitability, supported by the resilience of the Portuguese economy, which outperformed the European Union average.

Litigation, tax and M&A underpin performance

Growth was driven by several practice areas. Litigation — civil, arbitration, criminal and administrative offences — consolidated its position as one of the firm’s main pillars. The tax practice also delivered a strong performance, while areas such as technology, fintech and startups recorded notable growth. In M&A, despite the absence of major transformational transactions, there was steady activity in mid-sized and upper mid-market deals.

A more competitive and open legal market

Martim Krupenski underlines the increasing competition in the Portuguese legal market, with the strengthening presence of international law firms, the entry of the Big Four through multidisciplinary models, and the growth of specialised boutiques. In a market growing at around 2% per year, this environment requires leading firms to continuously raise their standards of quality and differentiation.

Technological innovation serving clients

Technological innovation is a strategic priority for Morais Leitão, with a clear focus on integrating technology into legal expertise. The firm was a pioneer in Portugal in adopting a multidisciplinary model with a non-lawyer partner dedicated exclusively to innovation, developing technological solutions aimed at addressing concrete legal challenges and improving client efficiency.

Talent and internationalisation as strategic priorities

Attracting and retaining talent remains the main structural challenge in a highly competitive global market. At the same time, internationalisation plays a central role in the firm’s growth strategy: international work currently represents around 30% of Morais Leitão’s turnover, with a focus on the PALOP countries in Africa and on Asia, through its representative office in Singapore.

Outlook for the future

Looking ahead, Martim Krupenski identifies clear strategic priorities in private equity, life sciences, artificial intelligence, data technology, compliance with a preventive focus, and regulatory software. He also argues that political stability, legislative predictability and greater administrative and judicial efficiency are decisive factors in positioning Portugal as an attractive destination for foreign investment.

Watch the full interview here.