Solicitors

The term for a solicitor in Portugal is Advogado. Partnerships and Law Firms are permitted. The term for a Law Firm in Portugal is Sociedade de Advogados, and the rules of formation are established in Decreto-Lei n.° 229/2004, de 10 de Dezembro. The requirements for admission to practice are a law degree from any officially recognized university in Portugal, followed by a two-part practical professional training period (estágio) for a minimum period of two years, supervised by a Patrono (trainer lawyer) with at least five years experience.

The first training period for a future solicitor is six months and the second training period is eighteen months; satisfactory performance during the first period is required for entrance to the second period. At the end of the second period, the Advogado Estagiário (trainee advocate) is required to pass the written and oral Bar Exam in order to be admitted as a Solicitor (Advogado) During the training period, the trainee Solicitor (Advogado Estagiário) may practice as a privately instructed court lawyer or as appointed under a legal aid scheme and may appear in criminal proceedings except serious indictment cases and in civil proceedings where the value of the subject matter is within the jurisdiction of the first instance court.

Trainee solicitors may also appear in any other proceedings provided they are under supervision of the Patrono. Registration in the Ordem dos Advogados (Portuguese Bar Association) is required to act as a Solicitor (Advogado) in the national territory. After admission to practice, a Solicitor (Advogado) may appear before any court in Portugal.