Maria Almeida Fernandes is a Partner in the firm’s Banking, Derivatives and Capital Markets group as well as in the Litigation and Arbitration group.
Maria’s practice focuses on banking and capital markets' regulatory matters and has been involved in several transactions, mainly focused on the issue and placement of debt and equity instruments, international structured finance, negotiation of derivatives master agreements, debt issue transactions and banking debt restructure.
Maria has advised various national clients in numerous legal suits, namely in the area of banking and financial litigation. She also has extensive experience in arbitration proceedings.

• Partner of FERREIRA PINTO CARDIGOS, since 2023
• Partner of Cardigos e Associados, 2019-2022
• Associate at Cardigos e Associados, 2013-2018
• Junior Associate Cardigos e Associados, 2009-2012

• Lisbon Centre for Research in Private Law – CIDP, University of Lisbon School of Law, Postgraduate studies on Fintech, 2022
• Securities Law Institute, University of Lisbon School of Law, Postgraduate studies on Securities Law, 2014
• Institute for Economic, Fiscal and Tax Law, University of Lisbon School of Law (IDEFF), Postgraduate studies on Public Debt and Public Debt Markets, 2012
• Catholic University School of Law, Lisbon, Bologna Master of Laws Program, Law and Business, 2010
• Nova Lisbon University School of Law, Law Degree, Lisbon, 2008

Portuguese, English and French