João is a partner in the Public Law practice. With around 10 years’ professional experience, he has focused on the area of energy and natural resources, providing legal assistance with regulatory, projects, transactions and litigation, to Portuguese and international clients.

In the area of energy and public law, his main focus has been advising on the implementation and operation of projects and infrastructures, with a special focus on renewable energies. He advises Portugal’s leading energy companies, especially on regulatory and contractual issues. He also advises on dispute resolution in the fields of energy and regulatory.

João is the author of numerous papers and articles on energy law and has frequently been invited to lecture and participate as a speaker in classes and conferences in the fields of energy and regulatory law.

Before joining PLMJ he was a lawyer at CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut.

Bar Admissions
Admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association, 2012

Education
Law degree from the University of Lisbon, 2009
Guest lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon, since 2017-2019
Guest lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, 2017

Significant Accomplishments
Other Awards
2022 - João Marques Mendes, Lawyer of the Year Utilities Iberian Lawyer Energy Awards
2022 - João Marques Mendes, Lawyer of the Year Litigation Iberian Lawyer Energy Awards
Chambers Europe
2024 - João Marques Mendes Energy and Natural Resources law
2024 - João Marques Mendes Projects
2023 - João Marques Mendes Energy and Natural Resources law
2023 - João Marques Mendes Projects
2022 - João Marques Mendes Energy and Natural Resources law
2022 - João Marques Mendes, Up and Coming Projects
2021 - João Marques Mendes, Up and Coming Energy and Natural Resources law
Chambers Global
2024 - João Marques Mendes Projects
2023 - João Marques Mendes Projects
2022 - João Marques Mendes, Up and Coming Projects
The Legal 500
2023 - João Marques Mendes, Recommended Projects and Project Finance
2023 - João Marques Mendes, Next Generation Partners Energy and Natural Resources
2022 - João Marques Mendes Projects and Project Finance
2022 - João Marques Mendes, Next Generation Partners Energy and Natural Resources
2021 - João Marques Mendes Projects and Project Finance
2021 - João Marques Mendes, Next Generation Partners Energy and Natural Resources
IFLR1000
2023 - João Marques Mendes, Rising star partner Banking and Finance: Project Development
2023 - João Marques Mendes, Rising star partner Project Development


Professional Activities and Experience
Partner at PLMJ since 2020
Associate at the law firm CMS Rui Pena & Arnaut, 2012 - 2020

• Simplification of Licenses and Procedures for Companies in the Environmental Area - Public Consultation

  By Joao Marques Mendes, PLMJ |August 2022

• Mozambique New Electricity Law

  By Joao Marques Mendes, Tomás Timbane |July 2022

• Exceptional mechanism for limiting the wholesale price of electricity

  By Joao Marques Mendes, PLMJ |May 2022