Ricardo has practised as a lawyer since 1999, and is a founding partner of Pragma Advogados.

He runs the labour law team and mainly provides consultancy in labour and social security matters, sports law and civil law, and handles all litigation in these areas, representing both private clients and national and foreign companies.

It also works with various companies to create policies and programmes in the field of personal data protection (GDPR).

He has specialised in labour law (expertise recognised by the Bar Association) since 2008. His master’s degree and PhD focused on this area.

Ricardo has worked on numerous cases of corporate restructuring, collective dismissal or compulsory redundancy. He has acquired extensive experience in conducting and/or the defence of disciplinary proceedings and their judicial support/challenge, as well as in labour litigation spanning several employment relationship areas: training, development, and the respective termination.

He was President of the Joint Arbitration Panel of the Professional Football Players Union and the Portuguese League of Clubs. He currently also provides legal assistance on numerous sports law matters.

Ricardo is a university lecturer in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in subjects related to labour and sports law. He has published work in Portuguese and foreign books and magazines on these topics, and also speaks at numerous seminars, congresses, and conferences.

• PhD in Legal-Civil Sciences from the Catholic University Law School with his thesis on: “Occasional Assignment of Workers” in 2021.
• Master’s Degree in Legal-Civil Sciences from the Catholic University Law School, having publicly defended his thesis “On the Termination of the Employment Contract” in 2007.
• Graduated from the Lusíada University of Porto Law School, with a degree in Legal and Economic Sciences in 1997.
• Postgraduate Studies in EU Labour Law – 2nd Edition, from the Catholic University Law School, completed in 2002.
• Postgraduate Studies in Banking, Securities and Insurance Law from the University of Coimbra Law School completed in 2012.
• Training Course in Occupational Health and Safety in 1998.
• XI Course for Admission to the Centre for Judicial Studies, run by the Portucalense Infante D. Henrique University Legal Institute in 1999.

Publications

PUBLISHED BOOKS:

• “Occasional Assignment of Workers — General Configuration and Current Problems”, Almedina, 2021, 506 pages.
• “On the Termination of the Employment Contract”, Coimbra Editora, 2008, 447 pages.

ARTICLES:

• “Access to Employment for People with Disabilities: A Continuing Challenge” in “Jornal de Negócios” – January 18, 2024.
• “Hired, evaluated, monitored, and even promoted based on AI. Yes, that’s exactly what’s going to happen!” in “ECO” – November 22, 2023.
• “Digital Nomads: New Horizons and Legal Challenges” in “Work” by “Eco” – October 20, 2023.
• “Compensation for Expenses in Telework: Labor Balance in Debate” in “Trabalho” by “ECO” – October 4, 2023.
• “Dignified Work for All Ages” in “Jornal de Negócios” – August 29, 2023.
• “The Unexplained Enhanced Compensation for Some Fixed-Term Contracts” in “Jornal de Negócios” – July 24, 2023.
• “A Dignified Work Agenda? For Whom? (Part II)” in “Jornal de Negócios” – May 18, 2023.
• “A Dignified Work Agenda? For Whom? (Part I)” in “Jornal de Negócios” – May 11, 2023.
• “Prohibiting Waiver of Labor Credits Creates Legal Uncertainty.” in “Novo Semanário” – May 4, 2023.
• “Occasional Assignment of Workers – General Configuration and Current Problems” in “Almedina” – November 5, 2021.
• “A Specific Labor Regime for Sports Coaches” in “Revista de Direito do Desporto”, No. 7, AAFDL/FPF – January 1, 2021.
• “Should Robots Pay Social Security Contributions?” in “Segurança Social – Sistema, Proteção, Solidariedade e Sustentabilidade”. AA.VV., Jorge Campino et al. (Coord.), AAFDL, Lisbon – December 1, 2020. “Non-competition Pact” in “Enciclopédia de Direito de Desporto”, AA,VV., Alexandre Miguel MEstes (Coord.), Gestegal, Coimbra – November 1, 2019.
• “The freedom of collective bargaining and the unconstitutionality of the termination of the parity arbitration committee established in the collective labor agreement concluded between the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP) and the Professional Football Players’ Union (SJPF) in the book “Negociação Coletiva: estado e desafios em Portugal e no Brasil” in “Vida Económica” and “Law Academy” (coordinators Nuno Cerejeira Namora and Nuno Barroso) – June 1, 2019.
• “The use of social networks in the workplace”, in “Maia Jurídica” – Year VI No. 2 – Maia Legal Association – September 2018.
• “Duties or non-competition agreements in football coach contracts” in “The balance between worker protection and employer powers”, Cambridge Scholars Publishing – January 1, 2018.
• “The Use of Social Networks in the Workplace – Balancing the Rights of Employers with the Personality and Privacy Rights of Workers.” in “Los Actuales Cambios Sociales y Laborales”, Vol. I, Lourdes Mella Méndez (Dir.) Peter Lang – January 1, 2017.
• “Wet Harvesting – Seasonal Work in the Vineyards” in “The Lawyer” magazine, No. 6 – October 1, 2011.
• “(Without) Crime and Punishment”, Initiatives supplement in ” Jornal Público” – September 2011.
• “Social Networks and Individual Rights of Workers” in “O Advogado” magazine, No. 3 – February 1, 2011.
• “Termination of Employment Contract by Worker’s Initiative”, in “Prontuário de Direito do Trabalho”, No. 84, “Coimbra Editora” – December 1, 2009.
• “Sexual Harassment at Work” in “Vida Judiciária” magazine, No. 135 – June 1, 2009.
• “Labor Code: The essentials of proposed changes – 2nd part”, in “Vida Judiciária” magazine, No. 126 – September 2008.
• “Labor Code: The essentials of proposed changes – 1st part”, in “Vida Judiciária” magazine, No. 126 – September 1, 2008.
• “The Use of Social Networks in the Workplace.” in “Maia Jurídica”, Legal Journal, Maia, year 6, no. 2 – June 1, 2008.
• “Termination of Employment Contract – Especially by Worker’s Initiative.” in “Coimbra Editora” – May 1, 2008.
• “Notes on Access to Law and Justice” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 38 – July 9, 2007.
• “Flexicurity or Flexibilizing Insecurity” in “O Advogado” magazine No.36 – May 14, 2007.
• “Importance of the Court of Justice of the European Communities” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 34 – March 12, 2007.
• “Conflict Mediation: a Lawyer’s Perspective” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 33 – February 12, 2007.
• “The Process of “Zé do Telhado”” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 31 – December 11, 2006.
• “Camilo Castelo Branco’s Process” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 30 – November 13, 2006.
• “Special and Experimental Civil Procedure Regime” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 29 – October 9, 2006.
• “Video Surveillance on Roads” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 28 – September 11, 2006.
• “Worse than being exploited by Capitalism… is not being exploited by Capitalism” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 27 – July 10, 2006.
• “The New Urban Lease Regime: What Changes in the Eviction Action?” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 26 – June 19, 2006.
• “The New Urban Lease Regime: How will Coercive Works be Carried Out and what is the Situation of Vacant Properties?” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 25 – May 8, 2006.
• “Revocation of the Employment Contract” in Temas Laborais Luso-Brasileiros, org. JUTRA – Luso-Brazilian Association of Labor Jurists, LTR Publisher, Lda – May 1, 2006.
• “The New Urban Lease Regime: How will Rents be Updated?” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 24 – April 17, 2006.
• “Prescription of Labor Credits” in “O Advogado” magazine No. 23 – March 13, 2006.

• President of the Arbitration Panel of the Portuguese Professional Football League in 2017-2018.
• Member and Secretary of the District Council of the Portuguese Bar Association, for the three-year period 2008-2010.
• Member of the Porto District Council of the Bar Association, for the three-year period 2011-2013.
• Founder and Vice-President of the Porto Legal Association Board for the three-year period 2005-2008.
• President of the Porto Legal Association Board for the three-year period 2008-2011.
• President of the General Assembly of the Porto Legal Association for the three-year period 2012-2015.
• Founder and Member of the General Assembly of the Young Lawyers Association
• Director of the Online Newsletter for the Porto District Council of the Bar Association, for the three-year period 2008-2010.
• Guest lecturer in training courses and post-graduate courses at the Portuguese Catholic University; New University of Lisbon; Autonomous University of Lisbon; University of the Azores; European University, Lusíada University, Santiago de Cabo Verde University and the Higher Institute of Science and Technology of Mozambique.
• Guest lecturer at the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave – Barcelos Higher School of Management, having taught Civil Procedure Law and Business and Financial Law.
• Coordinator and lecturer of the Labour Case Law Course – Fixed-Term Employment Contracts (Postgraduate Training), at the Porto Lusophone University in 2011.
• Assistant Professor at the Portucalense University since 2021.