Recognition of Academic Merit: Award-Winning Students of NOVA School of Law

At NOVA School of Law, we believe that academic excellence is founded on rigour, dedication and impact —principles that inform our teaching, research and engagement with the world. We educate jurists prepared to face today’s challenges, anticipate those of the future, and contribute knowledgeably and responsibly to building a fairer, more sustainable, and more innovative society. To this end, each year we honour the students whose exceptional performance elevates our School and strengthens our shared commitment to building a better future.

On NOVA School of Law Day, we once again celebrated this journey of achievement by presenting awards to the students who distinguished themselves as the best of the best.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos Awards

We would like to congratulate once again Sónia Sousa Paulo and Maria Teresa Nogueira Pinto Villa de Brito, recipients of the Caixa Geral de Depósitos Awards, which recognise the academic merit of our first-year students in the Bachelor’s in Law and the Master’s in Law and Financial Markets.

These awards are the result of a partnership between NOVA School of Law and Caixa Geral de Depósitos, enabling us to fulfil one of our missions by further developing our activities and translating the quality of our teaching and research into concrete, impactful societal outcomes.

Professor Carlos Ferreira de Almeida Award

Another major distinction was awarded to doctoral student Maria Miguel Oliveira da Silva, who received the Professor Carlos Ferreira de Almeida Prize, established by Professor Maria Helena Brito and NOVA School of Law.

In line with the legacy of the late Professor, whose teaching inspired generations of students and decisively advanced legal research — particularly in Private Law — this prize recognises the best student in the taught phase of the PhD in Law specialising in Private Law at NOVA School of Law.

With particular pride, this year the distinction was also extended to the Bachelor’s degree level, with Maria Leonor de Figueiredo Simão being awarded the prize for graduating with the highest grade in her cohort — thus reinforcing our encouragement of merit and excellence from the very first cycle of studies.

Abreu Advogados / Instituto de Conhecimento Award

We were pleased to introduce new prizes this year, including the Abreu Advogados/Instituto de Conhecimento Award. Created in partnership with NOVA School of Law, this award strengthens our shared commitment to research, innovation and academic excellence.

The award recognises the academic merit of the best third-year Bachelors in Laws students, and in its inaugural year it was awarded to Sara Leal Pintado de Carvalho Pinto. Once again, we would like to congratulate the award-winning student.

WhatNext.Law | Best Thesis Award 2025

We would also like to congratulate Mariana Amaro Lourenço Ferreira Santos, the winner of the inaugural WhatNext.Law Best Thesis Award 2025, which recognises Master’s theses of exceptional scientific quality and innovation. This award is part of the work carried out by WhatNext.Law, a centre established through a partnership between NOVA School of Law, via its research activities at CEDIS, and Vieira de Almeida.

The winning thesis receives a monetary prize and may also be considered for publication, conferring official recognition and encouraging the production of outstanding scientific research.

Mariana’s thesis, entitled “The Non-Consensual Sharing of Real and Manipulated Sexual Images: Legal Analysis and Proposal for Legislative Reform”, stood out for the depth of its research, its social relevance, and the quality of its legislative reform proposal.

We would also like to highlight two honourable mentions awarded to outstanding works:

  • Maria Catarina Caridade Batista, with the thesis “Synthetic Data and GDPR Compliance: Navigating the Legal and Ethical Landscape”
  • Michaël Valère Thomas, with the thesis “Human Oversight in EU Data Protection Law: A Study of the GDPR and the AI Act”

Microsoft Portugal AI & Law Challenge Awards at NOVA School of Law, powered by Caixa Geral de Depósitos

Finally, we would like to congratulate the winners of the Microsoft Portugal AI & Law Challenge Awards at NOVA School of Law, powered by Caixa Geral de Depósitos. This initiative challenged our students to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in law, promoting innovation, critical thinking, and the practical application of legal knowledge.

The winners are: Ana Lemos, André Teixeira, Beatriz Pegado, Beatriz Rei, Carlota Ramalho Baptista, Catarina Campos, Francisco Batista Luz, Francisco de Jesus, Leonor Salgado Baptista, Madalena Rosa, Maria Reis, Mariana Melo Santos, Miguel Silva, Miriam Marques, Rui Rosa e Sabrina Carvalho.

Francisco de Jesus and Mariana Santos, representing the group, received the awards on NOVA School of Law Day.