A BIT OF OUR HISTORY: NEARLY 100 YEARS
The law firm of Azeredo Perdigão & Associados was founded in 1919 by Dr José de Azeredo Perdigão in downtown Lisbon ("a Baixa"), where its main offices are still located. In 1955, José de Azeredo Perdigão was contacted by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (better known as Mr 5% of the oil companies) to be his private attorney and to give him legal assistance in setting up a foundation in Portugal.
It was in this office that the current statutes were drawn up, and here is where the first registered offices of the Foundation were located. So it was that in 1957, the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, the second largest private foundation in Europe, came into being in Portugal, and the founding member of this law firm - Dr José de Azeredo Perdigão - was asked to be the first Chairman of the Board of Directors, an office he held for 37 Years.
The work of this law firm continues on to the present day, thanks to the founder's son, Dantas de Azeredo Perdigão, and grandson, Miguel de Azeredo Perdigão, and their colleagues, honouring one of the greatest and most prestigious names among Portuguese lawyers by a period of service that has been uninterrupted since 1919. This is a heritage we are proud to bear, and one we seek to honour in our work every day. In this spirit, we move forward, looking towards the celebration of 100 years of service in Portugal.