solicitador
Published 8 November 2026, 22:44
solicitador — legal professional who is not an advogado
A legal professional with their own professional body (Ordem dos Solicitadores e dos Agentes de Execução) who handles paperwork and enforcement matters: certifying copies and signatures, drawing up transactions and representing clients where the law does not specifically require a lawyer. They usually charge less than a lawyer, and they, along with the junta de freguesia, are where people go to get a certified copy of a document.
Where you come across it. Getting a certified copy of a residence card or passport, drawing up a power of attorney, completing a property transaction.
For a serious court case you need an advogado: a solicitador's right to represent clients is limited. A copy certified by a solicitador is legally valid wherever a document is required, whereas a photo on your phone is not.