Inês Almeida Costa

As a lawyer (some examples):

• Representing public officials and civil servants in legal proceedings related to the performance of their duties; private managers and national and multinational companies (often part of corporate groups) in legal proceedings concerning economic criminal law; venture capital fund management companies and their directors in proceedings related to corporate law offences; individual clients and companies concerning cybercrime; as well as in legal proceedings brought in defence of honour.
• Representation of individual clients and/or companies operating in the health, sports, gambling, energy, telecommunications and private security sectors, in proceedings relating to offences committed in the course of their business.
• Participation as an expert on prison conditions in Portugal, in the context of extradition proceedings abroad
• Supporting the board of directors of one of the largest entities in the Portuguese banking sector in analysing its credit portfolio and the criminal and other liabilities involved
• Ongoing legal advice on sanctions law for one of the largest groups in the energy sector

As a member of the Ombudsman's office (some examples):

• Evaluation of the constitutionality of legislation in a wide range of areas (justice; social security; careers, including those of police forces; taxes, fees and financial contributions), for the purposes of reviewing rules before the Constitutional Court and/or for the purposes of issuing Recommendations to public authorities.
• Collaboration with the Portuguese National Preventive Mechanism (national body with responsibilities under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment), in visits to prisons in Portugal and in a Thematic Report on detention conditions addressed to the Public Security Police.

Inês took part, as a guest lawyer, in classes for the Interdisciplinary Legal Practice course at the Nova University Law School, in Lisbon, in May 2021 and April 2022.

Inês is the author and co-author of monographs and published legal and opinion articles:

• «As condições das prisões portuguesas, a jurisprudência do TEDH e o seu reflexo prático», article published in Vida Judiciária, n.º 235, March/April 2024
• «Sobre o relatório do Comité Europeu para a Prevenção da Tortura e das Penas ou Tratamento Desumanos ou Degradantes e sobre a resposta do Governo Português», article published in Advogar – Direto & Advocacia magazine, 2 January 2019
• «Senhora testemunha, “mais vale prevenir do que remediar”», article published in Observador, 29 June 2017
• «Children and Young People, the Internet and Cibercrime – The example of Copyright», in Youth, Offense and Well-Being – Can Science Enlighten Policy?, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa, 2015 (co-author)
• Comment to Judgment T-541/11, of 26 June 2014 of the General Court of the European Union (Sixth Chamber) – Crónica de Jurisprudência, in Propriedades Intelectuais, No. 2, November 2014, Universidade Católica Editora
• A chamada tentativa inidónea por inaptidão do sujeito no contexto global do problema da tentativa em direito de penal, Almedina, Coimbra, 2014
• «The “In-House Lawyer” and the Statute of the Bar of Association», in Company Lawyers: Independent by Design – an ECLA White Paper, co-editado por Lexis Nexis, ECLA – European Company Lawyers Association e EDHEC Business School – Centre de Recherche LegalEdhee, 2014 (coautoria)
• «O incumprimento e a questão da resolução do contrato administrativo: notas, comentários e problematização de algumas questões», Advocatus magazine, 1 April 2013
• «O nexo de causalidade e o problema da causa virtual à luz do actual código civil português», in Boletim da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra, vol. 87, 2011, Coimbra
• «Poderá a “reparação penal” ter lugar como autónoma reacção criminal?», in Revista Portuguesa de Ciência Criminal, No. 4, 2011

Recognised as a Rising Star and Key Lawyer by "The Legal 500 (Legalease)" directory in the "fraud and white-collar crime" category (2022, 2023, 2024).

• Law Degree, University of Coimbra Law School (2006 to 2010)
• Master's Degree in Criminal Law from the Law School of the University of Coimbra (2010 to 2012)

• Admitted to the Portuguese Bar Association
• Member of the National Association of Young Portuguese Lawyers
• Member of the Criminal Forum - Association of Criminal Lawyers
• Member of Fair Trials International - Legal Experts Advisory Panel

• Member of the Board of Forum Penal - Association of Criminal Lawyers (from April 2022 to September 2022; and since March 2024)
• Participation in the EU Strategic Litigation Project, developed by Fair Trials International - Legal Experts Advisory Panel, which aimed to encourage the use of European Union law in the daily practice of criminal lawyers, namely by creating practical tools that lawyers can use for this purpose (from November 2020 to October 2022).
• Member of the Lisbon Regional Board of the National Association of Young Portuguese Lawyers (from January 2019 to December 2021)