Guiomar Lopes is a founding Partner of FBL Advogados, with a practice focused on Financial Law, Natural Resources Law, and Corporate, M&A, and Private Equity. She has extensive experience in the Angolan oil and gas sector, having worked for Concessionária Nacional (then Sonangol) and ELF Exploration Angola (later Total E&P Angola). Guiomar also advises international banks, financial institutions, and the Angolan government on complex financing transactions, including debt restructuring, lending, and energy project financing. She has participated in key legislative review and reform processes, including oil sector laws, commercial law, and business recovery and insolvency law. Guiomar has taught Public International Law and the Law of the Sea at Universidade Agostinho Neto.

Practice Areas

• Banking and Finance Law
• Corporate, M&A, and Private Equity
• Natural Resources Law, Oil & Gas, Energy, and Mining
• Debt Restructuring and Government Finance
• Legislative Review and Reform Advisory

Professional Experience

• Founding Partner, FBL Advogados.
• Extensive advisory experience in the Angolan oil sector, including farm-in/farm-out operations and general legal support to key operators.
• Provided legal assistance to the Angolan Government’s largest creditor in China in debt restructuring agreements exceeding USD 15 billion.
• Advises international banks on amendments to financing contracts following the discontinuation of LIBOR.
• Provided Angolan law advice in ICC arbitration proceedings valued over USD 100 million.
• Coordinated a team of advisors for a public company in structuring and launching a USD 150 million debenture loan.

Education & Qualifications

• Law Degree, Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Agostinho Neto (1987)
• Masters in Law, Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Lisboa (1998)

Notable Matters / Representative Work

• Advised on numerous oil block operations, including negotiations for key blocks still in operation.
• Assisted international banks and financial institutions in lending and energy project financing in Angola.
• Structured and launched a USD 150 million debenture loan for a public company.
• Supported the Angolan Government’s largest creditor in negotiating debt restructuring agreements over USD 15 billion.
• Advised in ICC arbitration proceedings exceeding USD 100 million.