The Católica | Lisbon School of Law and the Católica Global School of Law signed with Abreu Advogados and its Instituto do Conhecimento a cooperation protocol to create the "Abreu Professorship in International Business Law", a transversal cooperation platform between the various institutions, focused on knowledge and innovation.

The "Abreu Professorship in International Business Law" provides support for the hiring of an international academic for Católica, who may also participate in courses, conferences or events promoted under this protocol. The agreement also includes the sponsorship by Abreu of the LLM Law in a Digital Economy program and a professional internship at Abreu Advogados for one of the best students of the same program.

In the research area, Abreu and Católica will collaborate in the dissemination of legal knowledge relevant to the practice and in the organization of initiatives directed to students or open to the public, such as conferences or webinars. It should be reminded that Abreu is a partner of Café IA, a discussion space on topics related to artificial intelligence.

The signing of the protocol took place at Abreu Advogados' head office in Lisbon, in a ceremony attended by Inês Sequeira Mendes, Managing Partner of Abreu Advogados; Luís Barreto Xavier, the innovation consultant at Abreu Advogados who chairs the firm's Instituto de Conhecimento. Representing Universidade Católica, were present Ana Taveira da Fonseca and Patrícia Fragoso Martins, Dean and Vice-Dean of the Católica | Lisbon School of Law, and Miguel Poiares Maduro and Tito Rendas, Dean and Vice Dean of Católica Global School of Law.

"Abreu has been associated with Católica's LL.M. programs since the beginning. Through this protocol, we extend our support to one of the most innovative European schools and contribute to deepen the collaboration between institutions, aiming to increasingly promote the training and qualification of current and future generations of lawyers, practicing their profession in an increasingly digital environment", explains Inês Sequeira Mendes, Managing Partner at Abreu Advogados.

"Abreu Advogados has long been a strategic ally of the innovative projects of the Lisbon School of the UCP Law School, having supported the foundation of the Católica Global School of Law and the launch of the first LL.M. program taught in Portugal. The renewal of this partnership will be determinant for the School's strategic projects to be developed in the near future," said Ana Taveira da Fonseca. According to Miguel Poiares Maduro, "the Abreu Professorship in International Business Law allows the Católica Global School of Law to appoint a reference specialist in this area, reinforcing our strategy of attracting the best academic talent".

Adil Abduramanov, student and president of ELSA – European Law Students’ Association – Ukraine, has received a scholarship from Católica Global School of Law (CGLS), UCP to attend the LL.M. Law in a Digital Economy.

The student, who will join UCP in the coming academic year, explains that he chose CGSL because “not many law schools are able to design the studies to be that in touch with the needs of the modern legal industry”. Thus, he expects “to enrich my own understanding of law and broaden my knowledge with the help of the world class faculty and students equally aspiring for growth”.

The scholarship is awarded annually to an ELSA member applying for the School's LLM programmes. The partnership between the institutions has been strengthened, allowing candidates the opportunity to become skilled professionals in today's global economy. 

Reflecting on this collaboration, Francisco Arga e Lima, President of the International Board of ELSA 2021/2022, stated that “this is a partnership that we hold very close to us, as the unwavering commitment of Católica to our initiatives has been making our projects better, richer and more professional for many years”. Francisco also took this opportunity “to congratulate Adil as well as thank Católica for this amazing opportunity given to ELSA members that we hope continues for many years to come".

“This is the start of a transformative year in your life”, Católica Global School of Law (CGSL) Dean Miguel Poiares Maduro remarked in the Welcome Session the school organized for its new L.L.M. students. “We want to prepare you for what is coming in terms of work, but also in terms of the necessary balance between work and social life. No hard work is successful without time to have fun and to make friends”, he added.

On September 19th, CGSL welcomed the new 2022/23 class, the most diverse in the history of the school, with students from 4 continents and 15 nationalities. The welcome session also included words by Tito Rendas, Executive Dean.

In the afternoon, the students headed to Costa da Caparica to participate in team-building activities. As part of the national coastal cleaning week, they took part on this initiative and made a contribution for a better, cleaner world. With the help of geocaching, they managed to collect a considerable amount of garbage that was scattered on the streets.

To end the Welcome Session in the best way, the students had the opportunity to take a dip in the sea.

Helena Siebenrock, a recent graduate from Católica Global School of Law, has been granted The Diana Award for her remarkable dedication in her daily life to create and sustain positive change. This prestigious award is the highest honor a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian efforts. Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana Award charity is dedicated to fostering, developing, and inspiring positive change in the lives of young people.

The student leadership in the 'Aberdeen Law Project' has garnered widespread recognition and support. Her groundbreaking initiatives, including the 'OutFit Like' scheme that provides business attire for job interviews, the 'Language Barrier Initiative' that improves accessibility of pro bono services through language support, and the 'Foodbank Partnership' addressing food insecurity, have made a significant impact in the community. Additionally, as a leader of 'Probonoskills.com' (PBS), Helena coordinates tailored training for law clinics, empowering students to bridge the justice gap and serve their communities effectively.

Expressing her gratitude upon receiving The Diana Award, Helena Siebenrock said that she was “honored to have been nominated by a fellow colleague and even more so to have received the Diana Award in recognition of my efforts towards access to justice and education through my previous work at the Aberdeen Law Project and ongoing work at Probonoskills.com”. Both initiatives, she added, “are a testament to what can be achieved when we come together to drive forward positive change, empowering students to do more, help more, and achieve more for communities"