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Mariana Soares David
Senior Lawyer
Mariana Soares David joined Morais Leitão in 2006. She is a member of the firm’s litigation and arbitration team.
She has a significant track record of litigation and arbitration proceedings successfully settled through highly complex multi-party negotiations.
Throughout her career, Mariana has specialized in the prevention and resolution of disputes related to the production and distribution sectors (notably arising from the negotiation and termination of commercial agreements, labelling and product safety, product liability, consumer rights, e-commerce, standard contractual terms and environmental liability/ESG). Her articles and publications on distribution agreements are cited by Portuguese case law.
Mariana was awarded as Product Liability Lawyer of the Year, at European level, in 2020 and 2021, by the Women in Business Law Awards.
She also has accrued experience in class actions, agribusiness, transport of hazardous products, insurance contracts, unfair competition, as well as in the resolution of disputes arising therefrom.
Mariana is certified as mediator and mediation master advocate by the Instituto de Certificação e Formação de Mediadores Lusófonos (ICFML) and is part of the exclusive list of mediators certified by the International Mediation Institute. She is also part of the list of mediators of the Ministry of Justice.
She is part of the “ADR and Arbitration” Task Force of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), in representation of the ICC Portuguese delegation, and she is a member of the mediation committee of the Centro de Arbitragem Comercial.
Mariana collaborates, since 2014, with Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos, being responsible for an internet portal that promotes information about citizen´s rights and obligations under Portuguese law (https://www.direitosedeveres.pt/).
Certified professional trainer by the IEFP (Portuguese employment and professional training authority).
Education
Law Degree (Nova Law School, 2006). Update Course in Portuguese Arbitration (Nova Law School, 2012). Course on Commercial Mediation & Mediation Advocacy (Nova Law School, Laboratório RAL and ACL, 2012).
Languages
Portuguese, English (CPE), French and Spanish.
Memberships
Portuguese Bar Association (admitted in 2009).
