Rufino Lopes is a Managing Partner at JULAFER & LOPESFINO Advogados Associados and SRDB’s partner in Guinea Bissau.

Rufino has over fifteen years of professional experience in the practice of law, institutional legal advisory services, and governmental assistance. His main areas of practice include public law, international law, administrative law, constitutional law, and economic regulation.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Sciences from the Faculty of Law of Bissau and has completed additional training in international law, economic management, leadership, and public administration, as well as a specialization in data protection at the University of Coimbra.

Rufino  is a member of the Guinea-Bissau Bar Association, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, and the Special Commission for Constitutional Review. He has also held senior positions within the State of Guinea-Bissau, notably as Legal Advisor to the Government and the Prime Minister, legal expert to several ministries, and member of the National Commission for the Extension of the Continental Shelf, contributing to submissions presented to the United Nations.

Rufino has been practicing law since 2007 as Managing Partner of JULAFER & LOPESFINO – Advogados Associados, where he coordinates legal advisory and litigation activities, legislative drafting, contract preparation, and the drafting of corporate statutes for commercial companies and civil society organizations. He also provides legal assistance to projects financed by international partners. In addition, he acts as a national consultant on projects funded by the European Union and international cooperation agencies, offering legal support to development, governance, public administration, and rural development programs.

Rufino Lopes also has significant academic experience as a university lecturer at the Faculty of Law of Bissau, where he has taught courses in public international law, law of the sea, urban planning law, and introduction to legal studies, and has served as a member of the institution’s Academic Council. He is the author and co-author of legal studies and legislative draft proposals, particularly in the fields of comparative constitutional law, international law, and major legislative reforms.

Fluent in Portuguese and Creole, with a strong command of French and English, Rufino Lopes combines solid legal training with extensive national and international institutional experience, positioning himself as a leading professional in strategic legal advisory services, normative development, and the strengthening of the Rule of Law.