Maria Luísa Verdelho Alves holds a law degree from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, a postgraduate degree in European Studies (legal dominant) from the College of Europe (Brugge), a master’s degree in Law (specialization in European Integration) from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra, and a PhD in Law from the University of Santiago de Compostela.

She is an adjunct professor at the Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto.

Her main research interests are in the areas of European Union Law and International Law.