The Legal 500 - Pereira Neto Macedo Advogados

Braz il
·
Brazil
Competition and antitrust
leading lawyers
José Del Chiaro Advocacia José Del Chiaro
José Inácio Gonzaga Franceschini
Franceschini e Miranda, Advogados
Mauro Grinberg Grinberg e Cordovil
Advogados
Carlos Francisco de Magalhães Magalhães e
Dias - Advocacia
Barbara Rosenberg Barbosa, Müssnkh Et
Aragão
Tercio Sampaio Ferraz Sampaio Ferraz
Advogados
Competition and antitrust
Barbosa, MOssnich a Araglo 0
J~ Del Chiaro, Advoc:ada
Magalhks e Dias - AdWcada
0
Mattos ftlho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Qufroga Advogados
0
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
0
To~
os
1
2
Franc:eschini e Mflanda, Advogados
Grinberg e CGidovn Advogados
Levy a Salomlo
0
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Oplce - Advogados
Pereha Neto I Macedo
Sampaio Pmaz Advogados
Souza, Cescon, Barrieu a Flesch Advogados O
0
Trench, 'Rossi e Watanabe Advogados, assodated with Baker Et McKenzie
Veiral8lAtvogados 0
Cascione, Pulino, Boulos a Santos Adwgados o
0
Demarest Adwgados
Uno, Bmldi, Belluzzo e Caminati Advogados
Mattos Muriel Kestener Adwgados
0
Stocche Fotbes
he competition team at Barbosa,
Müssnlch & Aragão is 'e.rcellent
in ali respects' and clients award it
the ultimate accolade when they say
' it is simply the best, I would not recommend
any other law firnl'. Lawyers are commended as
their clients', with 'market leader' Barbara
Rosenberg highlighted for her ·ability to
'impressively intelligent, e.rtremely practical,
shines across the full spectrum of competition
and antitrust issues from merger notifications.
T
unfailingly reliable and dedicated to serving
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visualise the necessity for co"ective action
very quickly: José Carlos da Matta Berardo is
the other key contact and is a 'practicallawyer
with a bright .future: The firm's diverse practice
through to invcstigations and administrative
proceedings before CADE. Among its highlight
cases. the firm advised Kroton on the
competition issues arising from its proposed
merger with Anhanguera, which would create
one of the largest education groups in the
world. lt also successfully advised ltaú Unibanco
on the competition aspects of its acquisition
of Citigroup's Brazilian consumer finance
unit, which was cleared by CADE in 2013. On
the contentious side, the firm is representing
Peróxidos do Brasil in litigation against CADE's
decision to impose fines for operating a cartel in
the Brazilian hydrogen peroxide market.
'Antitrust specialist', Advocadalosé Del
Chiaro 'has a deserved reputationfor knowing
how CADE works and for getting results'. The
'quick and efficient' team is 'particularly strong
in understanding the clieru's business' and is
'patient in talking through wifami/iar issues:
Founding partner José Del Chiaro is 'h ighly
strategic and erperienced' and heads a team
that also includes 'creative problem solver'
Ademir Antonio Pereira and new arrival Ari
Marcelo Solon, a former partner at Sampaio
Ferraz Advogados who recently joined as
a consultant. In 2013, the firm successfully
represented Coca-Cola FEMSA in an unfair
competition case brought by Ragi alleging that
Coca-Cola and Brazilian bottler Spal Indústria
de Bebidas, part of the Mexico-based FEMSA
group, were using their economic power to
persuade suppliers to boycott Ragi, among
other complaints; CADE r~ected ali claims. In
addition to its strong record in behavioural work,
the firm also acts in high-profile notification
cases and successfully advised Ericsson on the
merger clearance aspects of its acquisition of
Microsoft's internet protocol television division,
Mediaroom.
Competition boutique Magalhães e Dias
-Advocacia is considered a 'pioneer in the
competition area: The firm occupies a leading
position in the market for complex matters and
is highlighted as a 'top choicefor importam and
strategic cases·. Clients commend the team's
'amazing leveis ofservice' and roundly praise its
'shon response times', ·great business vision'
Competition and antitrust continued
Ayres 'Ribeiro Adwgados 0
Aze\<edo Sette Adwgados
Barretto Ferreira e Br.mcher (BKBG) 0
LO. Baptista, Schmidt, Valois, Minmda, Ferreira, Agel 0
Lefosse Adwgados 0
Lobo a de 'Rizzo ~dos o
Mundie e Advogados
Taun Et Chequer Advogados in assodation with Mayer Brown LLP 0
Vena Puglfese Buosi e Guldoni Advogados 0
Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa e Guerreiro ~dos
4
Araqjo e PoHcastro Advogados 0
Blchara, Barata, Costa a 'Rocha Adwgados
Campos, Fialho, Canabrava, Borja, Andrade, Salles Adwgados
Castro, Barros, Sobral, Gomes Advogados 0
De Vivo, Whltaker e Castro Advogados
Felsberg Advogados 0
KoUJY Lopes Advogados (KlA) 0
Pedro Dutra Advogados
Rollm, Viottl a Leite Ca~ Advogados O
Siqueira Castro Advogados 0
Zingales a Pagotto - Sociedade de Adw ados - ZISP Law
5
Fltms ant listwl A-Z wltflin 11m
O kdcom firm cfJPays contoct ckrolls ar tfw end of rhis chapr.r
and 'ability to provide advice .from a legal and
business perspective: Gabriel Nogueira Dias is
a 'renowned e.rpen in Brazilian antitrost /aw'
and has a 'unique ability to understand tlle
clienr's business enviromnent', while 'senior
statesman' Carlos Francisco de Magalhães is
'an invaluable resource: The firm has been
involved in some of the market's most highprofile merger notification cases and its client
list in this arca includes major multinationals
such as AmBev, Nestlé and Bunge. Among its
highlights, the team was instructed to defend
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Epson lmaging Devices in a cartel investigation
initiated in Brazil relating to an alleged
intemational cartel in the thin-film-transistor
liquid-crystal display (TFT LCD) market. lt is also
representing Nestlé Brasil in an administrative
procedure investigating whether exclusivity
agreements between Nestlé and its retailers on
the sale and merchandising of ice cream are
anticompetitive.
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr.
e Quiroga Advogados is a ·go-to finn' for
competition issues and is held up by clients as
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'best-in-c/ass in every dimension: Lawyers are
'very responsive' and 'clearly have unparalleled
erperience in the jield of Brazilian merger
conrror; particular attention is drawn to
the group's 'impressive ability to anticipate
CADE's potential courses of action: New York
managing partner Amadeu Carvalhaes Ribeiro
is considered a '/eading competition erpert'
due to his 'solution-oriented approach and
deep knowledge of CADF. ln São Paulo, Lauro
Celidonio Gomes dos Reis Neto is highlighted
for his 'deep and broad erperience in the area',
while newly made-up partner Mareio Dias
Soares is 'highly knowledgeable and responsive'
and senior associate Ana Bátia Glenk Ferreira
is 'very talented and ejJicient'. Soares recently
acted alongside Ribeiro to advise both parties
in Syniverse's €550m acquisition o f rival MACH,
which represented the first time that CADE has
requested a waiver to exchange inforrnation
and coordinate a review with the European
Commission (EC). In another global headline
case, Ribeiro acted for Munksjõ and Ahlstrom
on the Brazilian competition aspects of their
proposed merger, which also involved CADE
coordinating both the review and negotiation
of remedies with the EC.
'Fw jirms can match rhe deep resources
and cutting-edge erperience' of Pi. eiro
Neto Advogados. The five-partner team is
among the largest in the market and calls on
'some ofthe market's most we/1-known leaders
in competition law: The 'utterly fantastic'
Cristianne Saccab Zarzur is a 'go-to lawyer in
Brazi! for antitrust' due to her 'superb market
knowledge: Zarzur recently advised Delphi
Holding Luxembourg on the successful clearance
of its €165m acquisition of FCI's motorised
vehicles business. and is also representing the
buyers and sellers on the Brazilian notification
aspects of the proposed $24.4bn acquisition
of Dell by Michael S Dell in partnership with
Silver Lake Partners lll and Silver Lake Partners
IV. José Alexandre Buaiz Neto is highly regarded
for behavioural work and led the firrn's advice to
Philip Morris on the investigation of exclusivity
practices in Brazil. In another high profile
investigation, Leonardo Peres da Rocha e Silva
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successfully defended Microsoft in CADE's
five-year investigation into the technology
giant's alleged tie-in arrangements and its
effects on the Brazilian market ; the case was
finally dismissed in June 2013. Renê Guilherme
Medrado and Rodrigo Carneiro de Oliveira are
also recommended.
TozzlniFrelre Advogados' four partner
team 'stands out in rhe market for its depth of
knowledge: 'Sharp legal mind', José Augusto
Caleiro Regazzini co-heads the practice alongside
the 'highly strategic' Marcelo Calliari who
'always looks two steps ahead'. Daniel Andreoli
is also a key name and is recommended for his
prolific merger filing practice. lndeed, the firrn
has a prominent position generally in merger
filings and recently obtained merger clearances
for Schlumberger in its $600m joint venture
with Cameron to create OneSubsea and for BW
Gas regaarding a significant asset acquisition
from Maersk. Leniency negotiations are also a
key area for the group and it is representing a
series of clients in leniency proceedings relating
to alleged cartels in several market sectors.
Other representative clients include Mastercard,
Colgate-Palmolive and Samsung.
Franceschlnl e Miranda, Advogados
is 'one of the premier competition boutiques
in Brazir ánd wins wide acclaim for its 'strong
and established history in the area·. The firrn
maintains its position at the top of the market
on the back of its involvement in some of
Brazil's most significant cases. For example, in
2013 it continued to advise Pfizer on Brazilian
antitrust issues relating to Nestlé's $ 11.8bn
acquisition of Pfizer Nutrition. José Inácio
Gonzaga Franceschini is an ·amazing srraregist'.
Put simply, Grinberg e Cordovil
Advogados is 'outstanding: Particular praise
is heaped on its ·round-the-c/ock availability'
and 'deep knowledge of the law', which has
positioned it ·among a hand.ful of Brazilian
jirms rhat have distinguished themselves
from the local competition in their ability to
service foreign clients'. Clients are unanimous
in their praise of firrn founders Mauro Grinberg,
who has ·errraordinary judgment based on
his years of erperience', and Leonor Cordovil,
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who is 'ertremely responsive, reliable and
knowledgeable and very well connected:
Although the firrn was hit by the departure
of third name partner Carlos Amadeu Bueno
Pereira de Barros in 2013, it immediately hired
Patricia Avigni (forrnerly of Mattos Filho,
Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Qulroga
Advogados) to plug the gap at top levei. The
team is currently advising on a series of major
cartel investigations. including representing
Siemens in a high-profile rail transportation case
and Merck in a generic-drugs case.
Levy & Salomão provides 'an ertremely
high levei of service' under the guidance of
group head Bolfvar Moura Rocha. The fourpartner team also includes Mariana Tavares
de Araujo, whose 'prior erperience ar the
Brazilian competition authority helps us to
understand its erpectations'. Araujo recently
acted alongside the 'lrigllly strategic' Ana Paula
Martinez to advise Usiminas on CADE's granting
of an injunction against steelmaker CSN's $2bn
acquisition of minority stakes in Usiminas. its
major competitor in the steel market. In another
key case, Rocha and Araujo are leading the firrn's
defence of Supergasbrás in various administra tive
proceedings involving alleged cartels among
distributors of liquefied petroleum gas.
In 2013, Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e
Oplce - Advogados' practice was boosted
through the partner promotion of 'jirst rate
competition lawyer' Maria Eugênia Novis and
the hire of infrastructure and antitrust specialist
Marcos Paulo Verissimo, who returns after a
five-year stint in various public administration
agencies including CADE. Tito Amaral de
Andrade is praised for his 'technical ercellence
and high leve/ of responsiveness' and heads a
group that is considered a 'top choice for lrighvalue merger contrai issues: Most notably,
Novis advised US-headquartered healthcare
company Baxter on the Brazilian merger filing
of its acquisition by Gambro. The firrn also has
a good reputation for behavioural work and
Andrade is representing Aperam lnox América
do Sul in CADE's investigation into alleged
abuse of dominance practices in the stainless
steel market.
Pereira Neto I Macedo maintains its
strong record of involvement in some of Brazil's
most sophisticated competition cases. In a
clear highlight, the firrn secured an instruction
from Energisa to represent it before CADE in
clearing its headline acquisition of struggling
conglomerate Rede. The firrn is also called on
to advise on high-stakes litigation and CADE
market investigations. Group head Caio Mario
da Silva Pereira Neto is an ·acknowledged
competition erpert' and Paulo Leonardo
Casagrande is also recommended.
Sampaio Ferraz Advogados enjoys a
strong reputation for antitrust matters under
the leadership of senior partner and 'leading
light' Tercio Sampaio Ferraz. Other key names in
the team include Juliano Souza de Albuquerque
Maranhão, who is a ·reassuring presence on
comple.r cases', and Thiago Francisco da Silva
Brito. In a recent merger clearance case, the firrn
advised CSN in CADE's granting of an injunction
to stop CSN from acquiring a minority stake in
Usiminas. Other representative clients include
Cosan, Saraiva and Casas Bahia.
Souza, Cescon, Barrieu & Flesch
Advogados' competition practice is comprised
of'high qua/ity and committed lawyers', which
ensures it 'provides good value for money:
Fablola Cammarota de Abreu hcads a twopartner team that includes lhe newly promoted
Joyce Honda, who clients recommend for
'conducting deals very care.fully and sraying
close to the client'. In a merger clearance
highlight, it successfully advised Shell on the
antitrust aspects of its $1.6bn joint acquisition
with ONGC of Petrobras' stake in an offshore
oil block in Brazil. lt also represented Portugal
Telecom in the successful merger filing that
deared lhe way for its $ 17bn merger with
· Brazilian phone giant, Oi. The firrn also has an
increasingly active behavioural practice and is
currently representing clients in severa! highprofile cartel investigations.
The two-partner practice at Trench, Rossi
e Watanabe Advogados, associated
Wlth Baker & McKenzie is led by Francisco
Ribeiro Todorov from Brasília and is ·a respected
name for antitrust matrers in Brazil'. The firrn
packs a punch in merger control and cartel
cases and it particularly excels in complex
cross-border work. As a case in point, Todorov
recently advised GE Brasil in the merger control
fi ling related to its $16.7bn divestiture o f shares
in NBC Universal to Comcast, lhe deal was
approved only seven days after notification.
Also based in Brasília, Tulio Freitas do Egito
Coelho is a 'pragmatic and technical partner'
and represented Liquigás Distribuidora in the
successful negotiation o f a settlement in CADE's
high profile investigation into cartels in the LNG
market.
Veirano
Advogados'
four-partner
practice is jointly led by Mariana Villela and
Olavo Chinaglia and has a diverse focus that
encampasses merger reviews, anticompetitive
conduct and compliance issues. On the
transactional side, the firrn obtained
merger clearance for Rede Internacional de
Universidades Laureate on its acquisition
of Complexo Educacional FMU. Among its
recent behavioural-side highlights, the firrn
successfully represented a dredging company in
a CADE investigation into suspected collusion
in biddings for port-dredging contracts. Other
representative clients include ONGC Campos,
Uralkali Capital and Malwee Group.
The 'responsive and solution-oriellted team'
at cascione, Pulino, Boulos & Santos
Advogados impresses with its 'wealtlr of
erperience: Aurélio Santos is an ·astu te lawyer'
and advised Pirelli Pneus on the successful
merger review o f its consolidation of activities in
the tyre sector. Ricardo Botelho is ·very precise
and accurate' and acted alongside Santos and
Daniel Costa Caselta to represent White Martins
Gases Industriais in a lawsuit seeking to annul
a $I bn fine imposed by CADE following alleged
collusion in the industrial gases market.
Scoring points for its 'agility and good
market knowledge', Demarest Advogados
is an 'esrablished player in competition issues
in Brazil'. Mário Nogueira heads a team that
was strengthened in October 2013 through
lhe hires of senior partner Paola Pugliese and
junior partner Milena Mundim from Lefosse
Advogados. Merger control is a key source
109
Brélzil
of instructions and among the group's recent
highlights Bruno Drago successfully advised
both companies on Atlas Copco's cross-border
acquisition of Edwards Group. The firrn is also
representing parties in CADE's investigation into
possible cartels in the air cargo market.
Since its establishment in 2005, Lino,
Beraldi, Belluzzo e caminati Advogados
has positioned itself among the market's leading
competition boutiques and sources highlight its
·srrong market knowledge' and 'good record in
r:artel cases: In addition to cartel matters, the
firrn regularly advises on merger notifications,
leniency
applications
and
compliance
programmes. Eduardo Caminati Anders and
Fábio Francisco Beraldi are respected names for
competition and antitrust issues.
Corporate law boutique Mattos Muriel
Kestener Advogados advises on merger
clearance, antitrust investigations, compliance
programmes and related administrative and
judicial proceedings. Among the names to note,
Ubiratan Mattos and Maria Cecilia Andrade are
both highly regarded in the market. In January
2014, Andrade successfully advised Odcbrecht
Ambiental on the antitrust aspects of Brazilian
pension fund FUNCEF's $127m investment in
Odebrecht Utilities.
Stocche Forbes launched a competition
practice in February 2013 through the hire of
Camila Castanho Girardi, forrnerly a partner with
Franceschini e Miranda, Advogados.
Girardi acted alongside André Mestriner Stocche
to successfully advise Pátria Investimentos and
Blackstone Group on the merger fi ling issues
related to its acquisition of 70% of Alphaville
Urbanismo 's capital stock from Gafisa.
At Ayres Ribeiro Advogados, Elisa
Silva de Assis Ribeiro heads a growing practice
that regularly deals with merger clearance and
cartel investigations. Among its recent mandates,
it advised two multinational companies on
obtaining merger clearance for a deal in
the metais market and it is also advising on
administrative proceedings related to price fixing.
Mareei Medon Santos heads Azevedo
Sette Advogados· economic law, antitrust
and regulatory department. The group has
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established a strong reputation for merger
filings and in 2013 it represented Aethra
Sistemas Automotivos in successfully obtaining
clearance for its R$210m acquisition of
Usiminas' automotive branch. The firm also has
considerable experience in investigations and is
continuing to advise Embelleze Cosméticos on
bringing Niely do Brasil before CADE to respond
to allegations of sham litigation and abuse of
patent rights.
Barretto Ferreira e Brancher (BKBG)
boosted its 'unifonnly e.rcellrot' team in 2013
with the promotion of antitrust and trade
specialist Luiz Eduardo Salles to partner. The
firm is highlighted for its 'top-notch technical
skills combined with pragmaric business sense'
and recently represented ABIPLAST in its thirdparty intervention during the merger review
process conceming Braskem's acquisition of
Solvay in Brazil and Argentina.
LO. Baptista, Schmidt, Valois,
Miranda, Ferreira, Agel handles merger
review cases, govemment investigations
and consultancy matters for domestic and
multinational companies. Senior associate Cyro
Goldstein Troper is a key contact and recently
acted in conjunction with regulatory and
corporate specialist Sueli de Freitas Verissimo
Vieira to represent Laboratoire Frarfllis du
Fractionnement et Des Biotechnologies in
administrative proceedings relating to alleged
cartel activities. On the merger-clearance side,
the firm advised São Martinho on its R$199.6m
acquisition of Usina São Carlos' sugarcane
plantation and agricultura! assets.
In October 2013, Lefosse Advogados·
practice was rocked by the departure of
group head Paola Pugliese and associate
Milena Mundim to Demarest Advogados.
Associa te Paulo Lilia now heads the department.
Transactional work is the mainstay of the
practice and it advised marketing company,
ABC group, on the antitrust filing relating to
its acquisition of 51 <lb of communications
company, CDN Group.
Lobo & de Rizzo Advogados' 'hígllly
responsíve a11d very busíness-focused team' has
a broad competition practice that is particularly
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well-versed in merger control issues. Among its
recent cases, it advised KPMG on the mergercontrol filing arising from its acquisition ofBDOTrevisan. lt is also representing multinational
companies in severa! CADE investigations into
alleged anticompetitive conduct. Sérgio Varella
Bruna is recommended.
Mundie e Advogados' competition team
leverages its strong experience in administrative
law and regulated industries to specialise in
advising clients in the aviation, energy, health,
pharmaceutical and TMT sectors, among others.
In a highlight case, the firm acted as co-counsel
alongside Trench, Rossi e Watanabe
Advogados, associated with Baker &
McKenzie to advise American Airlines on
CADE's investigation into an intemational air
cargo cartel. Guilherme Favaro Corvo Ribas is
highly recommended.
Tauil & Chequer Advogados in
association with Mayer Brown LLP
received a significant boost to its practice
in 2013 with the arrival of Eduardo Gaban
from Machado Associados. Among its
recent highlights, the fi rm advised Beraca
Sabará Químicos e Ingredientes on a CADE
investigation into the chlorine industry. 1t
also successfully advised Tractebel Energia on
obtaining'Tnerger clearance for its acquisition of
Ferrari Termoelétrica.
Over the past year, Vella Pugliese Buosi
e Guidoni Advogados has acted on a
diverse range of competition cases including
matters relating to merger notifications, cartel
investigations and sham litigation. Priscila
Brolio Gonçalves heads the team and recently
led the firm's representation o f Vigor Alimentos
in its antitrust complaint alleging exclusionary
behaviour on the part o f Kellogg's and Danone.
In 2013, Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa
e Guerreiro Advogados advised road
equipment manufacturer Randon in the
antitrust issues relating to its acquisition of
a 49% stake in Suspensys from US-based
automobile component manufacturer Meritor
and its Brazilian subsidiary. Mareio de Carvalho
Silveira Bueno enjoys a good reputation in the
market for competition work.
110
Araújo e Policastro Advogados
recently advised Meritor on the antitrust aspects
o f its sale of a 49% stake in a joint venture to
Randon. Bruno Lanna Peixoto is the name to
note fo r antitrust and competition matters.
Bichara, Barata, Costa & Rocha
Advogados has a strong presence in
antitrust litigation but it also advises on
merger notifications and regulatory compliance
programmes. lntemational trade specialists
Carol Monteiro de Carvalho and Andrea Weiss
Balassiano are the key contacts.
campos, Fialho, canabrava, Borja,
Andrade, Salles Advogados receives a
steady stream of merger-control instructions
and it is also currently advising on three highprofile cartel investigations. Senior partner
Leonardo Canabrava heads the team.
According to clients, castro, Barros,
Sobral, Gomes Advogados is a 'solíd and
recommendable mid-síze jinn'. Led by Renato
Parreira Stetner, the 'responsíve and analyrica/'
competition team also calls on the services of
'good negoriator' Tiago Gomes. The firm advised
severa) companies on merger clearance issues
over the past year.
De Vivo, Whitaker e castro
Advogados is particularly active in cartel
and abuse of dominant position cases and
group head Ricardo lnglez de Souza is highly
recommended for this type of work. The firm
is representing Mitsui in a cartel investigation
conceming alleged bid-rigging in the
transportation market.
Felsberg Advogados is growing its
competition practice under the leadership of
corporate specialist Evy Cynthia Marques, who
re-joined the practice in 2013 following a year at
spin-off firm Montgomery & Associados.
Recent work includes representing a client in
an investigation in to the alleged formation o f a
cartel in the power market.
In 2013, Koury Lopes Advogados
(KLA) ramped up its competition practice
through its bolt-on of antitrust boutique Gianni
Nunes de Araújo Sociedade de Advogados,
which saw the arrival of new partner Gianni
Nunes. Tiago Cortez is the other key contact.
Brazi l
Oients include Hemisfério Sul Investimentos
and WTorre Group.
Pedro
Dutra
Advogados
is
recommended due to the strong reputation of
'comperirioll visíonary' Pedro Dutra. The firm is
well-known for its experience in administrative
procedures.
Rolim, Viotti & Leite campos
Advogados has a strong merger-control
practice that is highly active in the energy,
mining and engineering sectors. lt also has
a good track record in representing clients in
CADE investigations. Maria João Rolim heads
the team.
Recommended for its ·eiCellent service
and deep techníca/ k11owledge', Siqueira
castro Advogados is a 'valuable partner
fo r comperirion issues: The firm is representing
dients in numerous cartel investigations and
it has also recently won instructions relating
to merger clearance and internai compliance
programmes. Antônio Garbelini heads up the
department.
Boutique firm Zingales & Pagotto Sociedade de Advogados - ZISP Law
~tcently advised Brazilian pension fund FUNCEF
and Odebrecht Ambiental on the CADE filing
of FUNCEF's $127m investment in Odebrecht
Utilities. Rodrigo Zingales is recommended.
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www.legaiSOO.com
Brazil
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Corporate and M8:A
Leading lawyers
Paulo Cezar Aragão Barbosa, Müssnich Et
Aragão
João Ricardo de Azevedo Ribeiro Mattos
Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Qui roga
Advogados
Alexandre Bertoldi Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Maria Cristina Cescon Souza, Cescon, Barrieu
Et Flesch Advogados
Marcos Rafael Flesch Souza, Cescon, Barrieu
Et Flesch Advogados
Francisco Müssnich Barbosa, Müssnich Et
Aragão
José Roberto Opice Machado, Meyer, Sendacz
e Opice - Advogados
José Luis de Salles Freire TozziniFreire
Advogados
Syllas Tozzini Tozzin1Fre1re Advogados
Moacir Zilbovicius Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho,
Marrey Jr. e Qui roga Advogados
Corporate and MaA
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Barbosa, Müssnlch Et Araglo
0
Lefosse Advogados
0
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Oplce - Advogados
0
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Qulroga Advogados
0
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Souza, Cescon, Barrieu Et Flesch Advogados 0
0
TozzlniFreire Advogados
Demarest Advogados
1
2
0
0
lobo Et de Rlzzo Advogados
0
Pinheiro Gulmarles - Advogados
o
Stocche Forbes
0
Trench, Rossi e Watanabe Advogados, assodated with Baker Et McKenzte
Velrano Advogados 0
3
AzeveeQtte Advogados
koUI)' Lopes Advogados (KlA) 0
~EtSalomlo
Motta, Fernandes Rocha, Advogados
0
Taull Et Chequer Advogados in assodation with M~ Brown UP
Ulhôa Canto, Rezende e Guerra Advogados 0
0
VeDa Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados
idely regarded as an 'MftA
powerhouse',
Barbosa,
Müssnlch & Aragão has
·a leve/ of dedicarion and
an ur1derstandirrg of busirress rea/iries thar
few .firms carr equa/' and is the ·rop choice for
Iarge sophisricated deals'. Clients particularly
appreciate the ·hands-orr irrvolvement of serrior
W
www.legaiSOO.com
11 2
parmers' and assert that '1/Jey trear every client
as ifthey are the only one they lwve: The power
base of the 13-partner team is split between its
Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo offices. Lauded as
'the best MftA Iawyer in Brazil', Paulo Cezar
Aragão operates from São Paulo and recently
acted alongside Roberto Romero Dias Carneiro
to advise Kroton Educacional in its $6bn
dollar merger with Anhanguera Educacional
Participações; notably the combination will
create the third-largest private university in
the world. The same team also acted for Mylan
on the Brazilian aspects of its $1. 7bn crossborder acquisition of the Agila injectables
businesses from Arcolab. In Rio de Janeiro,
Francisco Müssnich is a formidable legal
mlnd' and an ·enreme/y prepared lawyer'; he
worked alongside Monique Mavignier to advise
marketing giant ABC Group on its acquisition
of a 51 'lb stake in communications and public
relations company CND Group. The 'highly
strategic' Luiz Antonio de Sampaio Campos and
the ·highly responsive and dedicared' Plínio
Simões Barbosa are also based in Rio de Janeiro.
Campos acted with Rafael Padilha Calábria to
advise Oi on its headline transatlantic merger
with Portugal Telecom, which will create a
combined business with around $17bn in
annual sales. Barbosa's recent mandates include
advising the shareholders of lnambari Geração
de Energia, namely Construtora OAS, Eletrobrás
- Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras and Fumas
Centrais Elétricas, on the incorporation of the
new company and other corporate matters
related to the construction and operation of a
$4bn hydroelectric system in Peru.
ln October 2013, Lefosse Advogados
was dealt a blow by the departure of highlyrated partner Thiago Sandim to Demarest
Advogados. However, sources testify that it
'mnains one ofthe marketleadersfor high-end
MftA: lndeed, its ability to gamer roles on the
market's most high-profile deals and resource
them effectively impresses peers who say, 'when
you see this.firm on the orher side, you know the
deal will be professionally managed.' Corporate
finance head Carlos Barbosa Mello is a 'market
Ieader for corporate and capital markrts
transactions' and represented Marfrig Alimentos
on the R$5.8bn sale o f its poultry and pork and
leather businesses to JBS. The 'commirted and
high/y responsive' Christian Roschmann advised
Temasek Holdings on its $300m investment
in Klabin via the subscription of mandatorily
convertible debentures privately issued by
Klabin. Rafael Ribeiro is establishing a name
Corporate and MaA
Brazil
continued
Araqjo e Policastro Advogados 0
Campos Mello Advogados 0
Casdone, Pulino, Boulos Et Santos Advogados 0
0
Lobo Et lbeas
Soam Bumachar Chagas Barros Advogados
Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa e Guerreiro Advogados
4
Andrade, Pannunzto, Ricardo, Foz, ~lito e Gabbai Advogados 0
BaTmto Ferreira e Brandter (BXBG)
Candfdo, Martins e GaHzzl Advogados 0
5
Carvalho, Machado, Thnm Et Deffenti ~dos
Castro, Barros, Sobral, Gomes Advogados 0
D~ - De Luca, Derenusson, Schuttoff, Azevedo Advogados 0
Dias Carneiro, Al)lstóbulo, Flores. Sanches e Thomaz Bastos Advogados
Fe1sberg Advogados O
1...0. Baptista, Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreila, Agel 0
Landl, Rodrigues, Nakano e Giovannetti Ac!wgados
una, Muck, Otranto, Camargo Advogados O
Machado Associados 0
Pemta Neto I Macedo
Perlman Vidigal Godoy Advogados
for himself as a 'future force in the corporare
area' and in 2013 he advised lmifarrna Produtos
Farmacêuticos e Cosméticos, a drugstore chain
which operates under the brand Extrafarma, on
its R$1bn association agreement with Ultrapar.
In another set of highlight transactions, Mello
acted together with Rodrigo Junqueira to advise
Germany energy company E.ON on upping its
stake in MPX through two investments worth
R$ l.Sbn and R$2.2bn respectively. The group
has also recently undertaken work for Ji Group,
Prosperitas Investimentos and Videolar.
Lawyers at 'top performer' Machado,
Meyer, Sendacz e Opice - Advogados
113
are 'skillrd professionals' who provide 'e.rcrl/enr
leveis of service: Clients applaud the firm's
'ability to think creatively to solve problrms'
and the 'broad scope of supplementary pracrice
supporr on offer: Key names include ·marker
doyen' José Roberto Opice, who has a less
active role in the team but remains on call to
assist with complex deals. Carlos José Rolim
De Mello is a 'top-qualiry lawyrr w/10 júlly
deserves his reputation as one of riJr best in
thr market'; he advised Ápia SP Participações
and José Francisco de Fatima Santos and family
in a joint venture between Ápia and lndoAgri
Participações. José Samurai Saiani is a 'trur
www.legaiSOO.com
Brazil
·
':
Sergio Spinelli Silva to advise Anhanguera
Corporate and MaA continued
.ocbhts Rrm ~
dealmaker, a professional who fu!fils both the
clier1t's legal and commercial needs'; he advised
De Heus Animal Nutrition and its Brazilian
subsidial)', De Heus Brazil Participações, on the
latter's acquisition of loo<lb of the shares of
Romagnoli Alimentos. Mauro Cesar Leschziner
is commended for his ·deep knowledge of
MEtA· and his ·ability to meet specific needs
ar any given time, independent of s ubject or
time restraints'; he advised Terex on selling
its roadbuilding-equipment manufacturing
operations to the Fayat Group. Guilherme Bueno
Malouf is a 'quick thinking lawyer' and acted
with Ricardo de Lima Assaf to advise Renova
on CEMIG Geração e Transmissão's R$1.4bn
investment into Renova. Adriana Pallis Romano
is also recommended and led the firm's advice
www.legaiSOO.com
Rrms cnllstwd A·Z wlr'*' lfers
drll:lls ot tlw fltld ofthls c#JGpm'
to Rio de Janeiro Refrescos on its R$ I .2bn
acquisition of loo<lb of the shares in Companhia
de Bebidas lpiranga. Other representa tive clients
include Telefónica, Diageo and Morgan Stanley.
Satisfied clients place Mattos Filho,
Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga
Advogados ·ar the top of the bunch' for
corporate and MEtA. The team scores points for
its 'very qualified and commiNed service', for
its 'ability to come up with solutions for any
problem' and for its ·ejJicient handling of ali
kinds of comple.r and high-stake transactions'.
lts position as a preferred choice for top-end
deals was illustrated in 2013 when it won a
lead role in one of the market's largest mergers:
corporate specialist Hiram Bandeira Pagano Filho
acted together with capital markets heavyweight
114
Educacional Participações on its $6bn merger
with Kroton Educacional. Certainly resources
are not a problem for this team: the recent
promotions of Fernando Antonio de Almeida
Amendola and Maria Fernanda de Almeida
Prado e Silva bring the number of partners in
the large group up to 18. Key figures among
its 'deep and e.rperienced bench' include João
Ricardo de Azevedo Ribeiro, who is 'simply a
stand-out /awyer for MEtA: Ribeiro represented
Group 1 Automotive on its acquisition of 1oo<lb
of Social UAB Motors Participações; the complex
deal involved Group 1 paying $47m in cash,
selling around $100m of its common stock and
assuming $62m of UAB's debt to gain control.
Moacir Zilbovicius 'stands among the market's
best' and was part of the corporate trio, along
with 'very ejJicient organiser' Rodrigo Ferreira
Figueiredo and Amendola, which advised GDF
Suez Energy Latin America "Participações on its
€2.2bn sale of the corporate capital of Energia
Sustentável do Brasil to Mitsui a Co. Pedro
Whitaker de Souza Dias is a 'highly technical
and ejJicient lawyer and a creative problem
solver' and acted with Daniel Calhman de
Miranda to advise Drogaria Onofre on the sale
of 100% of its corporate capital to CVS Beauty
Participações.
'Front-runner',
Pinheiro
Neto
Advogados is a 'jirm yo u go to again and
again due to its strength-in-depth and fast
response times: The consensus is that 'this
group's involvement in a deal gives clients
confidence' and its 'top-class professionalism,
e.rperience and service leveis distinguish
it .from other firms in the market'. Carlos
Alberto Moreira Lima is a 'recognised specialist
in MEtA' and heads a 'commercial and
creative team' that can call on 31 partners
with corporate expertise following the recent
promotion of equity capital markets specialist
Fernando Zorzo. Firm managing partner
Alexandre Bertoldi is another senior member of
the practice and has a 'fantastic track record
in the area: Among the group's key highlights,
Lima continued to advise UnitedHealth Group
on its $5.5bn acquisition of Amil Participações
and ali of its subsidiaries, the deal represented
one of the largest-ever overseas acquisitions
by a US-managed healthcare company. José
Luiz Homem de Mello has a strong reputation
and represented Banco Santander (Brasil) in its
partnership with Warburg Pincus and General
Atlantic, which saw the private equity houses
acquire a jointly held 50% stake in Santander's
global asset management business - the firm
also advised Warburg Pincus and General
Atlantic on the deal. In another stand-out
transaction, Fernando Alves Meira and Andrea
Barbosa Campos advised Spaipa Indústria
Brasileira de Bebidas, one of the largest
Coca-Cola bottlers in Brazil, on the R$4.4bn
acquisition of loo<lb of Spaipa by Spallndústria
Brasileira de Bebidas, a Brazilian subsidial)' of
the Mexican group Coca-Cola FEMSA. Marcos
Chaves Ladeira also had a strong year and
advised BTG Pactuai YS Empreendimentos e
Participações in its $172m acquisition of loo<lb
of the equity interest in Brasil Telecom Cabos
Submarinos. Other recommended names include
Hemy Sztutman, Marcelo Viveiros de Moura and
the 'business-oriented and always available'
Miguel Tomovsky.
According to its clients, Souza, Cescon,
Barrieu & Flesch Advogados ·sets
itself apart .from its peers through its strong
consistency and attitude: The 'commiNed and
results-oriented team' recently swelled to ten
partners following the promotions of Marina
da Silva Prado and Darkson Galvão to the
partnership in December 2013. Maria Cristina
Cescon enjoys an eminent reputation in the
market and is highlighted as 'one of the best
MEtA lawyers in Brazi/' for her 'razor sharp
advice' and 'outstanding business judgement'.
Cescon recently acted alongside Carlos Augusto
Junqueira de Siqueira, Gyedre Palma Carneiro de
Oliveira, Fernanda Ferreira Bastos Buhatem and
capital markets 'star' Joaquim José Aceturi de
Oliveira to advise Portugal Telecom on its $17bn
merger with Oi. Managing partner Marcos
Rafael Flesch is an ·e.rtremely knowledgeable
lawyer' and in 2013 he advised Banco Industrial
e Comercial on its $716m acquisition by China
Construction Bank. Corporate finance specialist
Ronald Herscovici is 'aNentive and responsive'
and played a key role in the firm's advice to
Bain Capital on the Brazilian aspects of its
global (lbn acquisition of Telefónica's call
centre business, Atento. Tiago Bonatti Peres is
a 'very skilled senior lawyer' and was part of
a cross-practice four-partner team that advised
BTG Pactuai Oil a Gás Participações on the
$500m acquisition of a 50% stake in companies
owned by Deep Sea Supply Group in Brazil and
abroad. Fabiola Cammarota de Abreu is also a
highly-rated name for corporate work and is
acting for Grupo Pão de Açúcar in its corporate
restructuring. Oi, Bunge and General Atlantic
are also representative clients.
Praised for providing a 'true partnership'
to clients, TozziniFreire Advogados stands
out for its 'deep industry knowledge', · unrivalled
standards ofclient care' and 'very sharp advice:
Lawyers are 'consistently competent' and
demonstrate a 'high grade of commitment that
is rare in the local legal market'. The firm also
impresses with its ·good ability to bring on new
talent', as illustrated by its promotion of four
lawyers over the past year: Cláudio Coelho de
Souza Timm, João Busin, Luiz Renato Okumura
and Maria Beatriz Bueno Kowalewski ali join
the partnership. Among the senior names, José
Luis de Saltes Freire is highlighted as ·one of the
most e.rperienced MEtA lawyers in tire market'
and is an impressive figurehead for the group.
Mauro Guizeline is an 'outstandingly strategic
and business-focused counsellor' and advised
Abril Educação on both its R$887m acquisition
of Wise Up (a chain of language schools), and
its R$ 130m acquisition of Centro Educacional
Sigma. Maria Elisa Gualandi Verri is also a wellknown name and took the helm on the firm's
advice to longstanding client Coca-Cola FEMSA,
the world 's largest public bottler of Coca-Cola
products, in its R$4.4bn acquisition of Spaipa
lndustria Brasileira de Bebidas and also on
its acquisition of Companhia Fluminense de
Refrigerantes. In another high-value transaction,
Fernando Cinci Avelino Silva advised SBA
Communications on the R$1.5bn acquisition of
a company controlled by Telemar Norte Leste
and BrT Serviços de Internet. The firm is also
115
Brazil
highlighted for its increasingly prominent Asia
practice group under the leadership o f Shin Jae
Kim: notably, Japan specialist Jun Makuta had
a stand-out year, undertaking work for U-Shin
and IHI lshikawajima-Harima Heavy lndustries.
Demarest Advogados' 'fast response
times' and 'appropriate and strategic advice'
finds favour with clients, who consider it a
·valued business partner'. As one of Brazil's
most long-established firms it has a prominent
position in mid-market corporate deals and
sources attest that 'it has done a good job of
gaining ground on it nearest competitors over
recent years'. lndeed, the firm 's commitment to
growing the profile of its practice was evidenced
in 2013 with the hire of the 'business-focused'
Thiago Sandim from Lefosse Advogados.
Other key names in the group include the 'lrighly
e.rperienced' J osé Setti Diaz who recently acted
alongside Paulo Frank Coelho da Rocha to advise
Log Commercial Properties e Participações (LOG)
on Banco Bradesco BBI's R$278m acquisition of
shares in LOG. Diaz also advised com producer
Kowalski Alimentos on the sale of 100% of its
capital stock to Louis Dreyfus Commodities
Brasil. Luciana Monteiro Cossermelli Tomovsky
is singled out for her 'strong responsiveness
and business acumen' and at the beginning
of 2014 she acted alongside Diaz and Thereza
Maria Sarfert Franco Montoro to advise Ashland
on the Brazilian aspects of the $ 1.8bn disposal
o f its water technology arm to Clayton, Dubilier
a Rice. Gabriel Ricardo Kuznietz and Altamiro
Boscoli are also recommended.
Lobo & de Rizzo Advogados' 'great
business acumen, pro-business approaclr a11d
responsible advice' scores highly with clients
who reserve particular praise for its ·e.rcellent
value for money: The firm 's lawyers are ·tireless
workers and really great people' and managing
partner Valdo Cestari de Rizzo is singled out
for his 'strong commercial brain: Among de
Rizzo 's recent highlights was advice to Alstom
Grid Energia on its acquisition of Engeman
Serviços e Manutenção. José Orlando Lobo
is another of the department's heavy hitters
and recently advised Coca-Cola Indústrias on
the formation of a joint venture with seven
www.legaiSOO.com
,
Brazil
producers, bottlers and distributors of Coca-Cola
products. Commended as 'one ofthe best in his
jield', Rodrigo Delboni Teixeira is an ·e.rc:ellent
negoriator with a jirst-c/ass com mand of the
issues' and was the partner responsible for
the firm's highlight piece of work in 2013:
he advised UK-based educational publishing
giant Pearson on its $800m acquisition of
Grupo Multi. Elsewhere, In Hee Cho played a
leading role in the firm's representation of
Swedish mobile payments company iZettle in
the formation of its joint venture with Banco
Santander Brasil. Real estale specialist Cristiane
Mamprin de Castro Guerra also has a strong
presence in corporate deals and is praised for
her 'high-level knowledge:
The 'outstanding group' at Pinheiro
Guimarães - Advogados has ·very high
qualiry standards and e.rc:ellenr legal skills'
and 'never keeps you wairing for a response:
Among the senior names to note, Francisco
José Pinheiro Guimar.les and Plínio Pinheiro
Guimarães are both ·highly e.rperienced and
lead.from the.front' and continue to manage the
department's most sophisticated transactions.
Other top-level names include Marcelo Lamy
Rego, who has 'sound technical skills and a
business-orienred approach', while Lucimar
Gomes Sant'Anna has a 'ta/erre for coord'!tring
teams' and Daniela Melo Fassheber has a 'very
good mi.r of MEIA e.rperience and tar legal
skills'. Mauricio Negri Machado Paschoal is
also recommended. In 2013, the firm advised
China Construction Bank on the Brazilian law
aspects of its $116m acquisition of Banco
Industrial e Comercial. In another highlight, the
group advised Technos da Amazônia Indústria
e Comércio on its R$ 182m acquisition of an
equit:y interest in Dumont Saab do Brasil the interest represented IOO'lb of the voting
stock and 95.8% of the capital stock. Other
representa tive clients include General Motors do
Brasil, Mind Solutions and Credit Suisse Assei
Management lnternational.
Following its launch in 2012, Stocche
Forbes has 'immediately enrered the elite
of Braziliarr jirms' and that is particularly
evident in its corporate practice. The team
www.legaiSOO.com
has established a team of ·erperienced and
highly commercial lawyers' and has leveraged
the market reputation of co-firm founder
André Mestriner Stocche to create a 'genuine
alterna tive to the tradirional law jirms in this
space: The arrival of former assistant general
counsel of OSX Marcos Castro in 2014 awards
the firm further transactional firepower. In a
major coup, Pátria Investimentos and global
private equit:y giant Blackstone instructed the
firm in relation to their R$1.4bn acquisition of
a 70% equit:y interest in Alphaville Urbanismo
- Stocche led the deal. In another key example
of its capabilit:y to resource large transactions, a
team led by Henrique Bonjardim Filizzola acted
as co-counsel alongside bankruptcy specialist
Galdino, Coelho, Mendes, carneiro
Advogados (GCMC) to advise Energisa
on its acquisition of Rede, which is currently
undergoing a complex court reorganisation.
Elsewhere, a combined group of Luiz Felipe
Martins Costa, Aavio Roberto Penteado
Meyer and Paulo Padis acted for Mubadala
Development Company and Trafigura on their
R$4bn acquisition of 65% of the equit:y issued
by distressed company MMX Porto Sudeste.
Fabiano Marques Milani is also recommended.
The nine-partner team at Trench, Rossi
e Watanabe Advogados, associated
with Baker & McKenzie is jointly led by
Anna Tavares de Mello and Nazir Takieddine
and leverages off its extensive global network
to pack a punch in cross-border transactions.
In a recent example, Mello represented
Weatherford on the Brazilian aspects of its
multi-jurisdictional sale of assets and shares
of the Johnson Screens companies. In another
international deal, Takieddine acted for Oslobased Yara on its acquisition of Bunge's
Brazilian fertiliser business. Managing partner
Claudia Farkouh Prado is 'very sharp arrd
focused' and is a key figure in the team. The
agribusiness, infrastructure, natural resources
and pharmaceutical sectors are ali strong areas
of expertise.
A
'top-she/f,
intenrarionally-minded
Braziliarr jinr1' Veirano Advogados is
commended for its 'farrtasric combinariorr of
116
resporrsiveness arrd irr-depth knowledge: lt
is particularly well-regarded for its ·rop jlight
e.rperience in energy and rratural resources
MEIA· but it also shines in agribusiness,
infrastructure, retail and TMT-related deals. In
an interesting development, the firm spent the
past year concentrating on boosting its toplevel capabilit:y through a host of new hires. In
May, the firm announced the arrival of Bruno
Feria, former general counsel at Brazilian
constructor Camargo Corrêa. In October, it
gained a four-partner corporate team through
its merger with Bragança Advogados; the highly
rated Alberto de Orleans e Bragança joins
the Rio de Janeiro office along with Marcos
Medeiros Coelho da Rocha and Sergio André
Laclau Marques, while Augusto Cesar Barbosa
de Souza boosts the firm's São Paulo practice.
Among the team's longer-serving members, in
Rio de Janeiro Ricardo Veirano is an 'e.rc:ellent
lawyer and pleasure to work with', while Fábio
Figueira and Robson Goulart Barreto are singled
out for their 'jantasric pracrical arrd business
knowledge: In São Paulo, Lior Pinsky is a 'standout na me for priva te equiry'. Barreto and Lobo
recently advised LLX Logística in the R$1.3bn
sale of a controlling stake in the company to
private equit:y house EIG Global Energy Partners.
In another major deal, Barreto and Lobo worked
with a cross-departmental team to advise
Carlyle on the Brazilian aspects of its $4.9bn
global acquisition of DuPont's performance
coatings business.
Under the leadership of Fernando Azevedo
Sette, Azevedo Sette Advogados has a
strong presence in mid-market MEtA deals.
The firm is headquartered in Belo Horizonte
but also counts six other offices in its network,
including platforms in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro
and Brasília, and it has a strong experience in
the mining, energy, travei and retail sectors.
In 2013, Sette acted together with Ana Paula
Terra Caldeira to represent Água Mineral Viva
in its acquisition of Ioo<lb of the share capital
of Manacá Águas Minerais. Elsewhere, Luiz
Augusto Azevedo Sette advised Aethra Sistemas
Automotivos on its R$210 acquisition of IOO'lb
of the equit:y interest in Automotiva Usiminas.
The firm acts for an impressive portfolio of
Brazilian multinational clients and other
representa tive names include Andrade Gutierrez,
Caloi Norte and Localiza Rent a Car. Ordélio
Azevedo Sette and Luis Ricardo Miraglia are also
key names in the ten-partner group.
Koury Lopes Advogados (KLA)'s
medium size is a hit with clients who say, 'ir has
the necessary depth to source deals well but
you also get the part11er-led service that you
don 't often receive i 11 la rger fi rms'. Fernando
Koury Lopes is singled out as a 'pro-business
and e.rperienced pracritioner' and heads a
13-partner team that was bolstered in 2013 by
thc: arrival of Plinio Yoshiyasu, who rejoined the
firm after a stint as in-house counsel at FedEx.
Among the group's recent deals, capital markets
and real estale specialist José Paulo Marzagão
worked with Mariana Cortez to advise WTorre
on its $1.1 bn establishment of a 50/50 joint
venture with Goodman to develop industriallogistics real estale projects in Brazil. Miriam
Machado is another key figure in the team and
advised ECOVIX on its $278m acquisition by
a Japanese consortium. Karin Alvo and Tania
Liberman are also recommended.
Levy & Salomão's group is led by
corporate and capital markets head Jorge
Eduardo Prada Levy and has an impressive
record in advising on deals in the technology,
real estale and chemical and pharmaceuticals
sectors, among others. In 2013, Daniel Tardelli
Pessoa led the firm's advice to Sky Brasil
Serviços and Galaxy Brasil on acquiring telecorns
companies in Bahia and Ceará. On the real
estale side, Ana Cecnia Manente reprc:sented
Duxxi Imobiliária in certain investments so as to
implement a new business plan. The corporate
group was also part of a cross-departmental
team that acted for Softbank in the Brazilian
aspects of its $1.3bn global acquisition of a
majorit:y stake in Brightstar. Carlos Portugal
Gouvêa is also recommended.
Over the past year, Rio de Janeiro-based
Motta, Ferna ndes Rocha, Advogados
has advised on a series of high-profile deals.
Most notably, in 2013 a team made up of
founding partner Luiz Leonardo Cantidiano,
highly-rated senior partner Maria Lucia
Cantidiano, finance specialist Henrique de
Rezende Vergara and tax and litigation partner
André Luiz de Lima Daibes acted together to
represent Bradesco Saúde, the healthcare unit
of Banco Bradesco, on its acquisition of a
further 6.5% stake in dental insurer OdontoPrev
to own a 50.1 <lb share of the company. Daniel
Kalansky has a growing reputation in the market
and acted for Ferrari Termoelétrica in the sale
of a biomass power plant to Tractebel Energia.
The firm has also recently undertaken work for
Makeni, Nextel and Tonon Bioenergia.
At Tauil & Chequer Advogados in
association with Mayer Brown LLP,
Alexandre Chequer is considered ·one of the besr
specialists in Brazi/ for oi/ and gas MEIA· and
advised trophy-client Vale on the $120m sale
of its stake in two gas exploration blocks to
GDF Suez as part of its divestment programme.
Chequer co-heads the tc:am alongside Carlos
Motta, who is a 'very crearive, commiNed and
determined lawyer'. Motta acted with ·ercellerrt
capital markets partrrer' Caio Cossermelli to
advise Grupo Multi's majorit:y shareholder,
the Martins family, on Pearson's acquisition
of Grupo Multi. Guilherme Vieira da Silva is
a 'deperrdable arrd quick-thinking counsel'
and led the firm's advice to Telefónica in the
multi-jurisdictional $1 .3bn sale o f its call centre
business to Bain Capital. The 'innovative and
commercia/' Paula Magalhães was recently
promoted to partner and is also recommended.
The ·supportive arrd hard-working' Ulhôa
canto, Re zende e Guerra Advogados
produces 'e.rc:el/errt work' and is a 'highly
recommended choice for mid-market deals:
Aloysio Meirelles de Miranda Filho is lhe key
contact and attracts strong praise for his
'strorrg busirress sense arrd deep e.rperierrce';
he recently advised Tissiano Empreendimentos
e Participações, a subsidiary of Aliansce
Shopping Centers, on its R$232m acquisition
of an additional stake in the lguatemi Salvador
shopping centre. In another shopping centrerelated mandate, Marcelo Maria Santos advised
Bazille Empreendimentos e Participações on its
$155.6m acquisition o f a 40% stake in Shopping
117
Brazil
Parangaba. Isabel Lustosa is also recommended
and acted together with Santos to advise pulp
and paper company Suzano Papel e Celulose
on the R$320m sale of its interest in Consórcio
Capim Branco Energia to CEMIG Capim
Branco and Vale. Brasbunker Participações and
Neoenergia are also on the firm's books.
Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni
Advogados 'may not be among the largest
jinns in Brazil but its work is at thl' same
leve/' and its lawyers are 'creative problem
solvers' who 'undersrand and appreciare
wllat tlle irrtemariorral client is looking fo r in
terms of work product'. In particular, Rodrigo
Velia is a ·true professional' and advised Patria
Investimentos on severa! transactions over the
past year, including the acquisition of Branco
Peres Comércio Atacadista. Frederico Buosi is
'creative arrd business-oriented lawyer who
delivers an e.rc:ellellt result'; he advised Banco
ltaú's private equit:y arm, Kinea Investimentos,
on lhe sale of its portfolio company Grupo
Multi to Pearson. In another of the department's
highlight deals, Buosi advised Santander on
the formation of its R$40m joint venture with
iZettle. Mariana Masson and Denise Salles are
the other key names in the four-partner team.
'Consistent
peiformer'
Araújo
e
Policastro Advogados attracts warm praise
from clients for its ·strorrg commitment' and
'good strerrgth-in-depth'. José Paulo Bueno
heads the group and recently advised Parmalat
Group on its $28m acquisition of IOO'lb of the
equit:y capital of Balkis Indústria e Comércio
de Latícionios. Bueno also acted alongside
administrative law specialist Camila Araújo to
advise Pearson Education on its participation
in São Paulo's $5bn education public-private
partnership (PPP) project. Among the other
names to note, José Theodoro Alves de Araújo is
a 'seasoned specialist with years of e.rperience',
while Tania Mara Ferreira continues to raise her
profile and led the firm's advice to Meritor on
the $195m sale of its participation in a joint
venture to Randon.
Lawyers at campos Mello Advogados
are highlighted for their ·right-on advice' and
for their ·aggressive approach and protecrion of
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Bnllll
:
the client's interests: The team is split between
the firm's Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo offices.
In Rio de Janeiro, Fabio Perrone Campos Mello
has ·e.rcellent business judgement' and acted
alongside real estale specialist lvandro Ristum
Trevelim to aclvise Hong Kong-based company
Chow Tai Fook on its $165m acquisition of a
stake in a major development site. In São Paulo,
Adriano Chaves is 'not only an e.rcellent /awyer
but also has the rare quality of knowing how
to manage and work with others'. Chaves
secured instructions from a host of foreign and
multinational companies over the past year and
in a highlight deal he aclvised Israel Aerospace
lndustries in its acquisition of a 40Clb equity
stake in IACIT Soluções Tecnológicas. Sergio
Brasil, René Gelman and Martim Machado are
also recommended.
cascione, Pulino, Boulos & Santos
Advogados distinguishes itself through its
'great service', 'strong e.rperi~c:e in c:rossborder transactions' and its commitment
to ensuring that 'pamrers are involved and
pres~t in ali phases of a projec:t'. Eduardo
Boulos is 'well k11own for lris practic:al and
solution-oriented approaclr' and aclvised Swiss
Re on its $334m acquisition of a 14.9!lb stake
in Sul América. Augusto César Rodrigues has
'deep knowledge that gives strong c:on~ence
to the client, even in stress.ful negotiations'; he
aclvised Pirelli Pneus on the R$ 1.3bn integration
of its tyre distribution companies Pneuac
and Campneus with Abouchar, a division of
Distribuidora Automotiva- Grupo Comolatti.
Milana Martins 'always antic:ipates needs and
solutions' and acted with Boulos to aclvise Shell
and Cosan joint venture, Raizen Combustíveis,
in its R$250m acquisition of a 10% stake in
automatic payment company STP - Serviços e
Tecnologia de Pagamento.
Among Lobo & lbeas' recent highlights,
São Paulo-based partners Natalie Sequerra and
Daniel de Avila Vio aclvised Canadian company
Dorel on its acquisition of a stake in Brazilian
bicycle manufacturer Caloi, the largest bicycle
brand in Latin America. Paulo Eduardo Penna in
the firm's Rio de Janeiro office is recommended
and has a strong track record in aclvising on
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.!
corporate deals in the shopping centre subsector.
Soares Bumachar Chagas Banos
Advogados' three-partner corporate and
MM practice is jointly led by Eduardo Soares
and Thiago Rodrigues Maia. Soares is highly
recommended and aclvised on several high-value
transactions over the past year, particularly for his
enviable roster of financiai servires clients. Among
Maia's recent work, he acted for US-headquartered
Wyless in its acquisition of Brazil-based machineto-machine communications provider, TM Data.
Marcela Britto Correa Figueiró is the other partner
in the group and recently acted with Maia to
advise lnternexa Participações on its receipt of
a $SOm redeemable equity investrnent from lFC
and a co-investor managed by lFC.
In 2013, Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa
e Guerreiro Advogados advised private
education company Estãcio on its $270m
acquisition of higher education institution
UNISEB. Ricardo Ariani Filho led the corporate
aclvice on the deal. In another strong example
of the firm's ability to secure sophisticated
mandates, José Luis Camargo advised container
logistics company Brado on the $200m sale of
over 22% of its voting shares to Brazilian state
pension fund FI-FGTS. Name partners Paulo
Albert Weyhmd Vieira, Fabio Leonel de Rezende,
Marcelo Barbosa and Cláudio Guerreiro ali have
strong reputations in the market. The firm has
also recently undertaken work for Cosan and
DeepFlex.
Andrade, Pannunzio, Ricardo, Foz,
Hypolito e Gabbal Advogados' 'highly
c:ommitted lawyers' differentiate themselves
by 'really u11derstanding how to fac:e and
solve client problems with agility and depth:
Leading names include Celina Pannunzio
Soares, who is 'always available and has deep
market knowledge', Carolina Moura Foz, who
has 'strong e.rpertise in c:orporare matters' and
Denise Hypolito Passaro, who is 'an outstanding
/awyer wirh grear know-how: The firm is well
known for its experience in MM. priva te equity
and general corporate matters.
Although Barretto Ferreira e Brancher
( BKBG) excels in advising on deals in the
118
TMT sector, one of the firm's core stTengths,
but it is also active in the pharmaceutical,
manufacturing and industrial sectors. André de
Godoy Fernandes and Cristiane Borges da Costa
are the key contacts and together they recently
advised Ciatech Soluções Digitais on the sale of
a 51 !lb equity interest in the company to UBN
Internet, a UOL company. Other representative
clients include Glenmark Farmacêutica,
Telefónica Digital and Tyco.
candldo,
Martins
&
Galizzi
Advogados attracts glowing praise for its
'close involvem~t in every deal' and for
'understanding the strategic: importance of
each deal for the cli~t'. Gustavo Oliva Galizzi
is · highly dedic:ated and brings great e.rperi~ce
in MEtA', while Henrique de Faria Martins is a
'very sharp and impressive lawyer' ; together
they are commended as 'great team builders
who co-work e.rtremely well in partnership
with the in-house departmellt'. The team
benefits from its dose relationships with
private equity funds, textile companies and
TMT clients, among others, to receive a
steady flow of instructions relating to MEtA,
joint ventures, incorporations and strategic
investrnents.
Porto Alegre-headquartered carvalho,
Machado, nmm & Deffentl Advogados
utilises its platforms in São Paulo city and
lndaiatuba to provide broad geographical
coverage to its strong roster of agribusiness,
TMT and energy and natural resources
clients. Among its recent deals, Rafael Bicca
Machado and Raquel Stein advised Moving
Estacionamentos on its sale of a 50!lb stake
in the company to VINCl Park. In a crossborder transaction, Fabiano Deffenti aclvised
lntemational Goldfields on the establishment of
the Ouro Paz joint venture, which involves five
mining companies based in Brazil, the UK and
Austral ia.
castro, Barros, Sobral, Gomes
Advogados' eight-partner team is co-led by
Sergio Sobral, Guilherme Tepedino Hernandez
and Renato Parreira Stetner. The firm's Rio de
Janeiro powerbase translates in to strong activity
in the transpor!, real estale and tourism sectors
but it also has sound experience in TMT and
Pharma deals. Stetner recently acted with Anna
Cecilia Rostworowski da Costa Buff to advise
Advance Medicai Comércio e Importação de
Equipamentos e Produtos Médicos on its
acquisition of 100% o f the shareholding interest
of JMT Participações e Investimentos.
DOSA - De Luca, Derenusson,
Schuttoff,
Azevedo
Advogados'
'customer-oriented atrd responsive team' calls
on the services of partners João Claudio De
Luca, who ·a/ways meets e.rpec:tations', and
Guilherme Filardi. In 2013, De Luca and Filardi
acted alongside aviation-specialist Ana Luisa
Castro Cunha Derenusson to aclvise US aircraft
company Erickson on its $65m acquisition of
Air Amazonia, six aircraft and ground facilities
from HRT Participações em Petróleo. The team
also aclvised timberland company TTG Brasil on
its sale to BTG Pactuai.
In 2013, Dias carneiro, Arystóbulo,
Flores, Sanches e Thomaz Bastos
Advogados picked up a live-partner team
from Felsberg Advogados, which included
TMT specialist Eduardo Turkienicz. Name
partner Henrique Dias Carneiro enjoys a good
reputation for his experience in the market and
is recommended. Recent highlights include
aclvising Falcon (BC) Germany Holding 3, an
indirect portfolio company of Bain Capital, on
the Brazilian aspects of its 020.7m acquisition
of ali the shares of FTE Verwaltungs from PAI
Partners.
Felsberg Advogados' corporate team
has undergone a significant restructuring over
the past twelve months: in 2013, Eduardo
Turkienicz left to join Dias carneiro,
Arystóbulo, Flores, Sanches e Thomaz
Bastos Advogados, while energy specialist
David Leinig Meiler departed for campos
Mello Advogados. However, the firm also
saw the arrival of non-equity partner Plínio
Shiguematsu from Vaz, Barreto, Shingaki
& Ololi Advogados, as well as the return of
Evy Cynthia Marques, who now jointly heads
thc: department with Claudia Maniaci Salim.
Thc: firm has a strong name for deals in the
technology, manufacturing and transpor! space
and representative clients include Swissport
Group, Teva and Blackboard.
Lawyers at L O. Baptista, Schmidt,
Valois, Miranda, Ferreira, Agel are 'good,
etlrical people, wlrich etrgerrders conjidenc:e
for foreign investors: In addition their 'deep
understanding of the oi/ and gas industry in
Brazi/' distinguishes the firm as a top choice
for energy and natural resources MM. Daniela
Zaitz is a key name and acted for sugar and
ethanol company São Martinho in its R$199.6m
acquisition of ali the farm assets of Usina
São Carlos. Rogério Sobral de Miranda is an
'e.rcellent transactional lawyer with good
commercial sense' and Paulo Yalois Pires has a
'strong commitment to client service:
Landi,
Rodrigues,
Nakano
e
Glovannetti
Advogados'
corporate,
private equity and seed capital practice has a
strong track record in aclvising start-ups on
corporate matters, but it also acts for longestablished Brazilian companies. Rogerio Padua
Nakano, Ronaldo Bassitt Giovannetti, Ricardo
Vieira Landi, Wagner Silva Rodrigues and
Ricardo Mahlmann de Almeida are ali active in
the area.
Clients value U lla, Huck, Otranto,
camargo Advogados' harrds-on approach',
'tailor-made advice' and 'stro11g commitment
to cliellt needs: In particular, team head Luis
Gustavo Haddad is highlighted as ·e.rperienced
and always ready to suggest trew altematives',
while Bruno Robert is 'very precise a11d up-rodare 011 market trends'. Haddad leads a group
that recently swelled to 13 partners following
the arrival of Almir Rogério Gonçalves, former
head of capital markets at state-owned bank
Caixa Econômica Federal, as well as the return
of Fabio Weinberg Crocco from studying abroad.
o
Recent highlights for the team include advising
Companhia de Bebidas lpiranga on its R$1.2bn
sale to Coca-Cola bottler Embotelladora Andina.
lt also advised Brazil's Datora Telecom on the
formation of a telecoms joint venture with USheadquartered Yonage.
Machado Associados provides 'highlevel service' and partners are ·knowledgeable
atrd responsive'. Maria Cristina Braga e Silva
119
Brazi l
heads the corporate team and led the firm's
advice to Deminvest Empreendimentos e
Participações, as a shareholder of Brado
Logística, on FI-FGTS' R$400m acquisition of
a 22.22% equity interest in Brado. Elsewhere,
Luciana Felisbino advised CCR on the R$250m
sale o f 4% o f the outstanding corporate capital
of STP to Sampras Participações. Renata
Almeida Pisaneschi and Lisiane Menossi Pace
are also recommended.
Ricardo Ferreira de Macedo's four-partner
team at Pereira Neto I Macedo has been
particularly active in aclvising ethanol companies
over the past year but it has also handled deals
in the technology, infrastructure and media
sectors. Among its recent stand-out work,
Macedo acted together with Mônica Arruda
de Toledo Piza to advise sugar and ethanol
producer Usina de Açúcar e Álcool Goioerê on
a series of financing initiatives. Other recent
clients include Abril, Straumann Brasil and
Usina de Açúcar Santa Terezinha.
Pertman V'ldigal Godoy Advogados
provides 'outstanding service' and senior
partners are applauded for 'alruays going tirar
e.rtra mileforclients: Marcelo Giovanni Perlman
is singled out for his 'very good combinarion of
busitress and legal knowledge' and is advising
Americas Trading System Brasil, a joint venture
between NYSE Exchange Euronext and ATG
Americas Trading Group, on issues relating
to its request for authorisation to operate in
the Brazilian market. The financiai services,
technology and industrial sectors are among the
firm's sweet spots.
Bichara, Barata, Costa & Rocha
Advogados boosted its practice through the
promotion of Felipe de Freitas Ramos to partner
and through the hire of new partner Daniel
Coelho Moreira, formerly a senior associate at
Pinheiro Neto Advogados. Ramos advised
the shareholders of Office Total Group on the
$35m sale of a controlling stake in the company
to HIG Capital's Brazilian subsidiary.
Corporate boutique Bocater, camargo,
Costa e Silva Advogados Associados
shines in public sector-related work and is
highly aclive in the energy, infTastructure and
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Bra11l
:.
financiai servires fields. ln 2013, João Laudo
de Camargo and Mauricio Moreira Mendonça
de Menezes advised state-owned oil company
Petrobras on its $234m acquisition of Araucária
Nitrogenados from Vale Fertilizantes. Francisco
da Costa e Silva is also recommended.
At Boccuzzl Advogados Associados,
founding partner Eduardo Boccuzzi is a
'great negotiator with outstanding strategic
thinkilrg', while Marco Ferreira Orlandi is a
'great asset'. The firrn has experience in MEtA,
capital markets, foreign investrnent and general
corporate matters.
Costa, Waisberg e Tavares Paes
Sociedade de Advogados is highly regarded
for its 'rapacity to present dilferent approarhes
to earh problem' and for its 'strong e.rperience
and legal knowledge'. ln 2013, Vamilson José
Costa and Ricardo Chamon advised Paraiso on
its R$ 170m acquisition by Tonon Bioenergia.
Antonio Tavares Paes is also recommended.
At Advocacia Fernando Rudge Leite,
group head Ana Ligia Gomiero-Guthrie acted
alongside senior partner Fernando Rudge Leite
Neto to advise on a cross-border joint venture
in the retail sector. The firrn has also recently
advised on transactions in the engineering,
manufacturing and transpor! sectors.
Gasparini, De Cresci e N+ira
de Lima Advogados' team is led by Felipe
Mavignier, who is recommended for his 'strong
rompetency in rorporare law and great so.ft
skills: The group also calls on the servires of
'Brazil's leading timberland specialist' Aldo De
Cresci. Real estate and rural tand deats are also
strong areas of expertise.
Gustavo
Padilha
Advogados
Associados stands out for its advice on
shopping centre deats and often works handin-hand with its real estate practice to advise
on tand acquisitions and construction issues.
João Pedro Barroso do Nascimento represented
Partage in its acquisition of a 96% interest in
the segregated portfolio company (SPC) that
holds Shopping Parauapebas.
At Madrona Hong Mazzuco Brandão
Sociedade de Advogados, both Ricardo
Madrona Saes and Antonio Mazzuco are
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.
highly recommended for corporate work;
together they advised Banco Panamerirano
on its R$351 m acquisition of Banco Cruzeiro
do Sul's portfolio of payroll deduction loans.
Danilo Mininel continues to grow his market
profile and recently led the firrn's advice to
lTX Capital Participações, part of Colombian
state-owned power and telecoms company lSA.
on its R$ 190m acquisition of Nelson Quintas
Telecomunicações. Byung Soo Hong is also a
key contact in the team.
Mundie e Advogados' market-leading
reputation for telecoms guarantees a steady
flow of instructions relating to that sector but it
also has good experience in technology, private
equity, agribusiness and energy deals. Rodolpho
de Oliveira Franco Protasio has spearheaded the
firrn's growing focus on corporate work and in
2013 he advised FleetCor Technologies on its
acquisitions of both DBTRANS and VB.
Boutique firrn Ramos e Zuanon
Advogados is valued for 'not adopting the
big law .firm supermarket approach' and for
providing 'tailor-made solutions and perfert
e.rerutions'. Lawyers are 'e.rperr and hands-on
professionals', with founding partner Christian
de Lima Ramos singled out as 'e.rperienred and
very-we/1 informed: The agribusiness and port
sectors are tucrative sources of work for the
firrn and it recently advised the shareholders of
Agropecuária Gado Bravo on its joint venture
with Fiagrit Participações and Sinagro Produtos
Agropecuários to create a new seed production
company.
Rolim, Viotti & Leite campos
Advogados is praised for its 'very good servire'
and its 'really arrurate lawyers: Energy is a
core area for the team and it regutarly acts for
trophy client CEMlG on corporate matters. ln a
highlight example, a cross-practice team advised
CEMlG on its R$650m acquisition o f a stake in
a hydroetectric dam operator from Petrobras.
Fabio Appendino heads the department.
Rothmann
Sper1ing
Padovan
Advogados impresses clients through its
'e.rtensive erperience with foreigrr companies'
and its 'business-orierrted advire: Mareio Sperling
has 'sound erperienre in company investments'
120
and co-heads the practice alongside Lira Padovan.
The three-partner team atso inctudes Felipe Garcia
de Souza, who recently joined from AraÚjO e
Pollcastro Advogados. The firrn advises on
the full spread of MEtA, foreign investrnent and
incorporation matters and representative clients
inctude Mitsubishi Chemicat, Dõhler Group and
Hugo Boss.
Salusse Marangoni Advogados is
noted for its experience in advising mid-cap
clients on MEtA deats. Clients commend the
firrn's 'great servire and fast response times'
and its 'client-oriented approarh'. Sérgio
Ricardo Nutti Marangoni and Marcello Klug
Vieira are the key contacts in the team.
The corporate practice at Silvelro
Advogados S/C is led out of Porto Alegre
by André Silveira and it atso benefits from
significant expertise in its São Paulo office.
Among its recent mandates, Silveira advised
Banco Cooperativo Sicredi on a R$20m
share subscription. The firrn has atso recently
undertaken work for Grupo Altus and Arcadia
participações e Investimentos.
Siqueira castro Advogados' sevenpartner team can call on experienced names in
both its Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo offices.
Marcelo Freitas Pereira heads the group in São
Pauto and acted atongside recently promoted
partner Sérgio Ricardo Fogolin to advise
educationat institution Colégio Motivo on its
R$ 100m safe to Abril Educação. Carlos Fernando
Siqueira Castro and Antônio Garbelini are the
other key names in São Paulo. Augusto Carneiro
de Oliveira Filho teads the Rio de Janeiro
practice and is also recommended. Egis, Mundial
Produtos de Consumo and Transmissora Aliança
de Energia Elétrica are other representative
clients.
Among Souto Correa Cesa Lummertz
e Amaral's recent deals, the firrn advised Jairo
Blumenthal on the $7.6m safe ofthe controtling
shares of Ortopedia Correto, Correto Próteses
e Órteses and Blumenthal DistribuidoraImportação, Exportação, Comércio e Distribuição
de Materiais Médico-Hospitalares e Ortopédicos
to Õssur Holding Brasil. Gilberto Deon Corrêa
heads a three-partner team that atso has
Brazit
significant experience in the lT, metallurgicat,
energy and telecoms sectors.
Vaz, Barreto, Shingaki & Oioli
Advogados attracts praise for its 'prompt
availability and objectiveness' and its 'strong
erperienre: ln particular, clients single out José
Barreto da Silva Netto for providing a ·very
good levei of servire· and highlight Paulo Cesar
Ruzisca Vazas 'knowledgeable, erperienced and
proficient'. The firrn has broad expertise and has
recently handled transactions in the lT, financiai
servires and real estate fields.
Litigation specialist Wald e Associados,
Advogados continues to develop its
experience in the corporate area under the
guidance of Marcos Monteiro Schroeder. Energy
is a core area for the team and it regularly
secures corporate instructions from Odebrecht,
among other clients. The firrn has experience in
joint ventures, MEtA, incorporations and general
corporate matters.
121
www.legaiSOO.com
Braz il
"':
·
Dispute reso1ution
Leading lawyers
José Manoel de Arruda Alvim Netto Arruda
Alvim Et Thereza Alvim Advocacia e
Consultoria Juridica
Sergio Bermudes Sergio Bermudes
Advogados
José Antonio Fichtner Andrade Et Fichtner
Advogados
Gilberto Giusti Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Domingos Fernando Refinetti Stocche Forbes
Arnold o Wald Wald e Associados, Advogados
Dispute resolution
AndTade a Fichtner Advogados O
Ferro, Castro Neves, Daltro a Gomide Advogados O
Pinllero Ntto Advogados O
0
SeTgio Bermudes Advogados
0
Wald e Associados, Advogados
1
2
Barbosa, MOssnich a Araglo O
0
Dc:marest Advogados
0
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice - Advogados
0
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados
0
Tozzfnifreire Advogados
0
Trench, Rossi e Watanabe Advogados, assodated with Baker a Mc'Kenzle
0
Vetnmo Advogados
Arruda AMm a Thmza AMm Adwcada e Consultoria Jurfdica
0
BarrettQ:b:"'etra e Bnmcher (BKBG)
0
'Komy topes Advogados (K\A)
0
LO. Baptista, Schmidt, Valols, Miranda, Ferreira, Agel
o
lflla, Hudc, Otranto, Camargo Advogados
lobo a de Rlzzo Advogados o
0
Siqueira Castro Advogados
3
~================~==
ndrade & Fichtner Advogados
is renowned for its 'commitment
ro clients.' With offices in Rio de
Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasilia,
the firm has a strong focus on both litigation
and arbitration. lts growing national and
international arbitration practices centres
mainly on contracts involving oil and gas and
construction. In the past year a team led by José
A
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122
Antonio Fichtner and Karina Stem de Siqueira
represented ltajara Participações and two other
minority shareholders of Companhia de Hotéis
Palace (CHP), owner of the Copacabana Palace
Hotel, in a case filed against Sea Containers,
the controlling shareholder of CHP to seek
compensation for the unjustified dilution of
their equity in the company. In a recent decision
by the Rio de Janeiro Court of Appeals, Sea
Containers was ordered to pay approximately
$2.9m to ltajara and its shareholders. Tomaz
Tavares de Lyra is recommended.
Ferro, castro Neves, Daltro & Gomide
Advogados is known for its 'superb service
delivery' and continues to grow its reputation in
litigation and commercial arbitration. The firm
has recently focused attention on construction
and company restructuring. Marcelo Roberto
Ferro is recommended for Rio de Janeiro-based
arbitration.
'Phenomenally
erperienced'
Gilberto
Giusti heads the team at Pinheiro Neto
Advogados. With expertise in civil and
rommercial litigation, alongside a strong
arbitration practice, the firm 'stands shoulder
to shoulder with the /eading boutiques'. The
'highly recommended' Celso Cintra Mori, along
with Leonardo Peres da Rocha e Silva, led a team
defending Carrefour Comércio e Indústria in a
public civil action involving an alleged failure to
provide pricing information to customers. The
team successfully guaranteed the client's right
not to fix individual price labels to each product
sold.
Sergio Bermudes Advogados is 'one
of the best lirigation law jirms in Brazir, due
to its 'strength and wide knowledge of the
courts system·. Experts in both litigation and
arbitration, the firm covers a wide range of
legal issues. The team is particularly praised for
its work in the insurance sector over the past
year. Clients are 'reassured by the team's deep
knowledge of both insurance and reinsurance
markets'.
Wald e Associados, Advogados'
dispute resolution department is supported by
the firm's broad service offering, allowing it to
act on significant cases in an array of sectors
(incluing banking, oil and gas, infTastructure,
telecom and energy), over the last year. A team
acted on behalf of the Association of Electricity
Producers (ABIAPE) in litigation conceming the
time limit on paying for concessions granted on
the basis of Brazilian old electricity model. On
the arbitral side, the firm represented a number
of high profile clients in leading arbitrations
in the infTastructure sector. Amoldo Wald
Dispute resolution
Brazil
continued
4
Castro, Barros, Sobral, Gomes Advogados 0
Levy a Salomlo
Souza, Cescon, Barrieu a Flesch Advogados O
Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados 0
Azevedo Sette Advogados
leite, Tosto e Barros Advogados Associados
Mattos Murlel 'Kestener Advogados
0
Stocche Forbes
Taun a Chequer Advogados in assodatlon with M3)tl' Brown llP O
0
Ayres Ribeiro Advogados
Bichara, Barata, Costa a Rocha Advogados
Carvalho, Machado, Timm a Dc:ffenti Advogados
Dias Carneiro, Alystóbulo, Flores, Sanches e Thomaz Bastos Advogados
Fernando Rudge leite, Adwcada 0
Fontes a Tarso Ribeiro Advogados O
Gasparini, De CJtSCi e Nogueira de Uma Advogados 0
G~bler Advogados
Manesco, Ramires, Perez, Azevedo Marques Sodedade de Advogados 0
Nogueira, Elias, laskowsld a Matlas Advogados
Pereira Neto I Macedo
Roberto Ferraz Advogados S/C
Rolim, Viotti a leite Campos Advogados O
5
6
Soares Bumachar Chagas Barros Advogados
Souto Coma Cesa lummertz e Amaral
Ulh6a Canto, Rezende e Guerra Advogados 0
Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa e Guerreiro Advogados
Rrms tnlisrwl A·Z wlthln 11m
O n1cotvs flrm dlfplays conllXt d«aals ar m. Md of rhls chaprr
maintains his position as a leading name in the
disputes market and was recently appointed to
act as a co-arbitrator in an investment dispute
involving a European state.
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'E.rcellenr' Barbosa, Müssnich &
Aragão covers ali areas of disputes but focuses
on litigation and day to day consultancy.
Highlights from the past year included advising
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Brazil
Braz i I
the Estate of Francisco Catão (and heirs), on
the inheritance of Henrique Lage, in a historical
judicial dispute ongoing since the 1940's. The
inheritance under dispute is known to be one
of the largest in Brazil. The firm also continues
to represent Wamer Brothers Entertainment in
an ongoing suit for material and non-material
damages due to breach o f a trade mark licensing
agreement. The team was led by Felipe Evaristo
dos Santos Galea and Renan Peres, both 'highly
skilled, creative and responsible' lawyers who
are ·aggressive in implementing strategies' and
·available anyrime:
The team at Demarest Advogados is
'diligent, posirive and thinks strategically:
lt has been busY in litigation and arbitration,
particularly representing clients in the energy
and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as in
contentious employment matters. A team led
by Celso Xavier advised Laboratórios WyethWhitehall on seeking calculation of the award
related to a royalties payment resulting from
an exclusive licensing agreement for the
manufacture of medicines developed by Lia
Franco de Toledo, Lea Fontenelle and Lucia
Maria e Franco Cunha Pereira, as well as
indemnity for tosses and damages caused by
the suspension of these payments. Renato
Canizares and Renato Poltronier& are
recommended.
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados' ·ability to e.rceed e.rpectations'
and full-service treatment of clients brings
depth to its work in both litigation and
arbitration. Department head Eliane Cristina
Carvalho recently led a team advising Metlife
on a class action, involving life insurance and
collective personal accidents agreements,
filed by SOMOS against Metlife and COPEL
Foundation. On the arbitration side, the team
is specialised in domestic, commercial and
intemational arbitrations, advising clients
such as ThyssenKroup, ltochu Corporation
and Kordsa. The practice also has expertise in
aviation litigation and represents a number of
high profile airlines. Gláucia Mara Coelho was
recently promoted to partner and is highly
recommended by clients.
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The team at Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho,
Marrey lr. e Quiroga Advogados 'instils
conjidence' in its clients and is ·at the top of
the list and highly recommended to handle
comple.r and high-stake lirigarion: A team led
by Paulo Bezerra de Menezes Reiff successfully
defended Allianz Saúde in a R$2.5m public
civil action against a number of companies
that operate selling healthcare plans, alleging
that the services were deficient. The District
Attomey affirmed that the complaint should
not be admitted to court as the plaintiff failed
to identifY illegal conduct. Pedro Whitaker de
Souza Dias 'is a highly technical and efficient
lawyer, a creative problem solver and a great
negoriator'. Flávio Pereira Lima is ·creative
and a great strategist, with deep knowledge
in /itigation law. He creates outstanding and
in nova tive solutions, never losing sight of the
whole transacrion:
TozzinlFrelre Advogados is known
for its strong and diverse arbitration practice. A
team led by Fernando Eduardo Serec obtained a
favourable decision in a R$ 150m arbitration on
behalf of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML),
and subsequently ensured the proper enforcement
procedure against Brazilian respondant Doux
Frangosul. The team is also handling a number
of sizeable ' !CC cases, currently. In litigation
matters the team is defending Santander (Brasil)
in a R$ 100m case brought by Caixa Economica
Federal. Other current litigation dients include
Facebook, Santander and Nestlé.
A broad intemational network and
constant interaction between litigation and
other departments sets Trench, Rossi e
Watanabe Advogados, associated with
Baker & McKenzie apart. Mareio de Souza
Polto chairs a 32-strong practice group that is
currently handling a range of work including
various class actions. Polto is leading the
defence of coffee producer Segafredo Zanneti
in an environmental case filed by the district
attomey of Minais Gerais; and Tulio Freitas
do Egito Coelho led the team representing
Uquigás do Brasil in a class action pertaining
to an alleged cartel violation in southem
Brazil.
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Providing ·quality opinions delivered
witllin time /imirs', Veirano Advogados has
focused a lot of energy on building its arbitration
practice, which has been boosted by emerging
MEtA, technology and infrastructure disputes. In
highlights from the past year Daniel Coelho led
a team defending LLX Açu Operações Portuárias
in a civil case brought by the Federal Public
Attomey's Office conceming the increase of
salinity leveis in the water of São Joao da Barra
district in Rio de Janeiro. The · very responsive
and committed' Ricardo Gama led a team
advising TIM Celular in a dispute with ANATEL
and MMDS in relation to the commencement of
the 4G services. Carlo Verona is 'specialised in
arbitratíon' and Pedro Maciel is recommended
by clients for his 'broad knowledge:
With offices in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro
and Porto Alegre, Arruda Alvim & Thereza
Alvlm Advocacia e Consultoria Jurídica
has a broad reach across the counrry and handles
the full range of contentious work, including
class actions and contentious administrative
matters.
With a core specialization in IP and TMT
work, Barretto Ferreira e Brancher
(BKBG)'s has particular expertise in
contentious administrative work as well as
capability in the arbitral and judicial spheres.
The firm acts on behalf of both domestic and
intemational clients including Twitter, Tyco
lntemational and Red Buli Brazil. Highlights
from the past year included advising SBKBPO Serviços Tecnológicos e Representações
Comerciais, a multinational banking software
company, in a copyright dispute.
Koury Lopes Advogados (KLA) covers
a wide range of litigation and arbitration work
from tax and banking through to biotechnology,
food and drug disputes. The firm continues to
expand specific arcas of its practice and in the
past year particularly focused on insurance
litigation involving DEtO insurance, a relatively
new product in Brazil. The team has also
representcd clients in various cases related to
patients' rights arising from their participation
in clinicai trials. Tiago Cortez led a team
advising Real Properties in a large sales dispute.
Partner Maria Cristina Junqueira is also a key
contact.
LO. Baptista, Schmidt, Valois,
Miranda, Ferreira, Agel is known for its
strong commerciallitigation practice. Team head
André Camerlingo, recently led representation
of Canon Kabushiki Kaisha in a case involving
the parallel import of multifunctional printers
and the violation of intellectual property
rights. The firm has also seen an uptick in
contentious matters in the energy and natural
resources sector over the past year, particularly
in mining, due to the recent modification of
the sector's legal framework. Other highlights
included advising São Martinho in ongoing
environmental litigation conceming reserved
vegetation arcas held by sugar cane and ethanol
producers.
With 'awesome knowledge ofthe arbitration
índustry in Brazil', the team at Lilla, Huck,
Otranto, camargo Advogados is 'very
aligned with the client's ínterests and always
delivrr high quality work: In arbitral matters,
Rogério Carmona Bianco is participating in a
complex process related to the administration
of the Tangara Energia hydropower plant. On
the litigation side Alexandre Domingues Serafim
is leading representation of Sementes Selecta
and its shareholders in various legal proceedings
regarding financiai debt instruments and
guarantees worth $75m. Maria Fernanda
de Medeiros Redi is recommended for her
'e.rcellent strategic víew and great technical
skills:
With particular expertise in the automotive,
energy, telecommunications, mining and other
infrastructure industries, Lobo & de Rizzo
Advogados is praised for being of 'high
quality, with a strong structure and close
relarionships wíth clienrs: The firm's primary
focus in the past year has been commercial and
contractual litigation. lt also has a growing
arbitration practice to meet increasing demand
and has been involved in numerous proceedings
brought under various institutional and ad hoc
rules. Ana Paula Hubinger Araujo heads the
team and is advising clients such as Schnellecke
Brasil, SG Logística and Chubb Brasil.
Siqueira castro Advogados 'provides
high service quality with a high degree of
professionalism: The large litigation team,
spread across the firm's 19 offices throughout
the country ·demonstrares ski/1, knowledge
and ability to act'. With a full service office in
Brasília, the firm is well positioned for federal
administrative matters and accompanying its
clients in litigation in the Superior Courts. The
team provides ongoing advice to Petrobras
on more than 500 administrative proceedings
by Brazil's Federal Court of Accounts (TCU)
and a range of litigation matters involving
both its onshore and offshore activities.
The firm also advised Petrobras subsidiary
Transpetro in a conflict with the owners of
a property under which the client built oil
pipelines. Fábio Coutinho Kurtz is highlighted
for the 'knowledge and e.rperience he
demonstrares within strong clíent relationships:
Marcela Sussekind Verissimo was promoted to
partner but has subsequently moved in house
at Shell.
castro, Barros, Sobral, Gomes
Advogados is active in a wide variety of
disputes, mainly in the financiai and corporate
sectors, but has recently been involved in
matters ranging from antitrust and insurance
to real estale and environmental work. José
Augusto de Araujo Leal heads a department
of six partners and seventeen associates and
specialises in civil, commercial and corporate law.
Alexandre Catramby led a team advising Petros
- Fundação Petrobras de Seguridade Social, a
large Brazilian pension fund, in complex and
high value credit recovery proceedings handled
in São Paulo, Goias and Bahia. Marco Dcluiggi
led a team advising Renault Brazil on disputes
with car dealerships in the states of São Paulo,
Paraná and Bahia, in which the dealers were
claiming compensation for the early termination
of agreements.
Levy & Salomão, houses a four-partner
team and is known for its 'jirst class' litigation
practice. Practie head Angela Di Francoled
representation of Telcomp (a national trade
association of telecommunications companies),
in a multi-jurisdictional dispute involving
125
five cases and a class action challenging the
constitutionality of municipal taxation of the
use of the public right-of-way to install fibreoptic cables. Angelo Caldeira Ribeiro led a team
assisting Golden Goal Sports Ventures Gestão
Esportiva with various disputes relating to the
FlFA World Cup. Other clients include Ericsson
Telecommunicacoes and Banco ABC Brasil.
Clients praise Souza, Cescon, Barrieu &
Flesch Advogados for its 'quick responses
arrd deep ana/ysis of cases: The firm has
further developed it arbitration practice recently
to meet strong demand and the disputes
practice has also had a notable focus on
MEtA litigation. Highlights from the past year
included representing the investment fund s of
an intemational bank on issues relating to the
analysis, acquisition and judicial collection of
credits against the Federal govemment, worth
approximately $100m. Carlos David Albuquerque
Braga led the team and 'is recommendedfor /ris
skills of analysis and strategy building: Gabriel
Seijo Leal de Figueiredo and Tiago Schreiner
Garces Lopes are also key partners.
Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni
Advogados focuses on civil, corporate and
capital markets litigation, as well as arbitration
and altemative mechanisms for solving disputes;
it regularly handles complex cases. Antonio
Celso Fonseca Pugliese is known by his clients as
·a top tier litigation lawyer, with corrsiderable
knowledge of his clients and a very proactive
manrrer: Antonio Celso Fonseca Pugliese is
hailed by clients for his 'ercellence.'
With offices in Belo Horizonte, Brasília,
Goiania, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo
and Vitoria, Azevedo Sette Advogados
has a a strong presence on the ground. The
civil litigation team undertakes credit, mass
(retail) and special-lawsuit litigation and also
works in conjunction with othcr rclevant
practice gourps to accompany clicnts in arbitral
proceedings (both in Brazil and abroad), from
drafting to enforcement. Recent mandates saw
Paulo Ciari de Almedia Filho lead advice to
major construction company Quieroz Galvao
Empreendimentos lmobiliarios on hundreds
of real estale commercialisation issues in São
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Braz li
:.
Paulo. Mauricio Marques Domingues is also a
name to note.
Led by Paulo Guilhenne de Mendonça
Lopes, the disputes practice at Leite, Tosto
e Barros Advogados Associados focuses
on high-value, complex disputes, particularly
in relation to infrastrucuture and corporate
matters. lt also has expertise in contentious
labour and tax matters. Labour specialist
Marcus Vinicius Mingrone led a team advising
TAM Linhas Aereas on a $54m collective action
seeking hazard bonuses brought by a union
on behalf of ground workers at the Guarulhos
lnternational Airport. Senior partner Ricardo
Tosto is recommended. Other key clients for the
finn indude Paranapanema, Banco Fibra and
Embratel.
Mattos Muriel Kestener Advogados
is known for its expertise in competition law
and product liability matters, where it has a
track record of winning large, complex disputes.
Senior partner Ubiratan Mattos specialises in
these areas, as well as in cartel investigations,
international trade and foreign investments.
Marcelo A. Muriel is the key contact for the
finn's growing arbitration practice. lts roster
of high profile dients includes names such as
Chevron and Odebrecht.
ln a market where spin-off finns ave
struggled, Stocche Forbes has succeeded
on ali fronts since its inception in 2012. For
a relatively new, medium-sized finn, the
litigation department is impressive and is
building a strong reputation. Offering advice on
ali fonns of dispute resolution, the team also
specialises in asset tracking and recovery. On the
commerical side, Rafael Passara recently advised
Cargill Agricola on a class action brought by
the The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office for
alleged routine violation of legal weight limits
on trucks. lt also has active in in administrative
matters and key partners Domingos Fernando
Refinetti and Rafael de Carvalho Passara
recently led in a compettion case representaing
Siemens before CADE in a leniency agreement
concerning cartel activity in the transport sector.
The finn is also building a successful arbitration
department.
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Clients note that Tauil & Chequer
Advogados in association with Mayer
Brown LLP's disputes practice is 'excellenr'.
The practice underwent a degree of renewal
during 2013 with the departureofCaio Campello
to set up his own finn and the arrival of Gustavo
Fernandes de Andrade and Roberto Figueiredo
from Sergio Bermudes Advogados; both
are extremely experienced. Contentious matters
in the infrastructure and energy sectors are a
particular focus and the team also has specialist
expertise in aviation disputes. Eduardo Maccari
Telles is highlighted for his 'strong technica/
knowledge', particularly in corporate cases.
Ayres Ribeiro Advogados has gone
from strength to strength since it carne into
being at the end of 2012. With experience in
both the public and private sectors, Elisa Silva
de Assis Ribeiro heads the team and specialises
in strategic disputes between large companies.
Over the past year, the finn has advised clients
on disputes involving consumer relations,
advertising, product liability and real estale,
among other areas. Tax coordinators for the
finn's Belo Horizonte and São Paulo offices,
respectively, Andrês Dias de Abreu and Gilberto
Ayres Moreira bring tax litigation expertise to
the team.
Particularly known for its profile in the tax
sector, Bichara, Barata, Costa & Rocha
Advogados has a diverse disputes practice
which advises national and multinational
companies on complex disputes in a range
of industries including energy, transport,
telecommunications and infrastructure. The
team has also represented clients in arbitrations
before the lCC, CCBC and Fiesp/Ciesp. Adriana
Astuto recently led the team defending Light
Servicos de Electricidade (Rio de Janeiro's public
energy concessionaire) in a $10m expropriation
dispute with the municipality of Rio de Janeiro.
The team is also advising Lafarge (Brasil) on an
unpaid services and breach of contract dispute
with Votorantim.
Based in Porto Alegre, carvalho,
Machado, Timm & Deffenti Advogados
is known for its efficient resolution of disputes,
assisting local and international clients in both
126
litigation and arbitration. ·E.rcellent lawyer'
Luciano Ben etti Timm has built a strong
reputation as an arbitrator and is currently a
director of the Brazilian Arbitration Committee.
Timm, along with Porto Alegre head Rafael
Bicca Machado, led a team representing
Consorcio Univias file severa! cases against
the state of Rio de Janeiro in connection with
the R$50m privatisation of the administration
of road concession contracts. São Paulobased Fabiano Deffenti heads the team; and
Cristiano Carvalho is recommended by clients
for his 'e.rtensive knowledge and broad business
acumen:
The litigation department at Dias
carneiro, Arystóbulo, Flores, Sanches e
Thomaz Bastos Advogados has undergone
some change in the past year. Most notably,
Arystóbulo de Oliveira Freitas joined as head
of the civil litigation practice in early-2014,
bringing his complex-litigation and arbitration
boutique team with him. He has extensive
experience in areas telecommunications, lP
(particularly phannaceutical patents) and
contractual work.
Advocacia Fernando Rudge Leite's
strong presence in the corporate and finance
sectors underpin the finn's disputes practice,
and the 'very skilled' team, led by Luiz Gomiero
Jr, has great experience at both state and federal
leveis. Particular areas of expertise include
construction, manufacturing and distribution
disputes. The team is a panel adviser to a
number of global Fortune 100 companies and
over the past 12 months has acted for clients
in the US, and in the EMEA and Asia-Pacific
regions.
With strength in the transport sector,
Fontes & Tarso Ribeiro Advogados
advises clients on a whole range of disputes.
Recent representative clients include names
such as Fentranspor, Odebrecht and Embratel.
The finn is also acting in defence of public
service concessionaires in tax collection suits
with an aggregate value of $22.5m. The team
has also been advising clients in arbitral matters
and has experience of mediation and alterna tive
dispute resolution.
Gasparini, De Cresci e Nogueira de and public law teams. The finn has had a
U ma Advogados has an 'e.rcellent levei of successful year following recent expansion
servire' and 'goes above and beyond' for its which saw Rafael Barreto de Aguiar Novaes
clients. The team is led by Pedro Paulo Wendel França taking the helm as head of the disputes
Gasparini and recently advised Universidade São team. Representative dients include Bombardier
Judas Tadeu on a civil dass action regarding Transportation (Brasil), Galvão Engenharia and
student taxes filed by the Government Ou Pont.
Attorney's Office. The team has also seen a rise
Based in Curitiba, Roberto Ferraz
in real estale disputes in the past year. Helena Advogados 5 / C has a successful contentious
Na.üar Abdo is a key partner.
track record, particularly in tax litigation. Key
The disputes team at Grebler Advogados disputes partner Sandro Mansur Gibran is 'strong
is led by Eduardo Grebler, along with Flávia Bittar
in litigation and commercial law', and name
Neves. The finn has offices in Belo Horizonte partner Roberto Catalano Botelho Ferraz ·has
and São Paulo and its client base centres mainly strong ta.r expertise: The finn recently advised
on the construction, infrastructure, mining, Robert Bosch on a non-compliance dispute with
steel, and technology and real estale sectors. Uniao Energia involving multimillion-dollar
Recent litigation highlights include defending tosses. Other clients includes Ericsson, TIM,
large mining companies in disputes with holders Renault and HSBC Bank Brasil.
of surface rights. On the arbitration side the finn
Rolim, Viotti & Leite campos
has been involved in a number of proceedings Advogados is known for its strong tax
involving mergers and aquisitions and in the and business litigation practice and boasts a
construction sector.
specialist complex litigation team. João Dácia
With offices in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte Rolim heads the practice, supported by three
and Brasília, Manesco, Ramires, Perez, other partners. Helvécio Franco Maia Júnior and
Azevedo Marques Sociedade de Roberta Ribeiro Alexandre led a team advising
Advogados advises an impressive corporate Teksid do Brasil on a case filed by the client
client roster across a broad array of legal services. to recoup costs accumulated as a result of the
lt is particularly well known for its involvement defendant's failure to render agreed services.
in major infrastructure projects since the 1990's The team also undertakes arbitration and is
and has an extensive disputes practice in this currently assisting Samarco Mineracao in a
sector Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto and number o f arbitral matters.
Ane Elisa Perez head the team.
Established in 2001 by a team from Tauil
With over 50 years of experience, Nogueira, & Chequer Advogados in association
Elias, Laskowski & Matias Advogados with Mayer Brown LLP, Soares
has built up a successful consumer law practice.
Bumachar Chagas Barros Advogados
Departmental co-head Rubens Canno Elias focuses on litigation in a range areas including
Filho led a team advising Restaurante Vicolo civil, commercial, labour, tax, consumer and
Nostro on a partnership dispute involving one of capital markets. Laura Mendes Bumachar heads
the most reputed restaurants in the country. He the team and is currently representing Mercado
teamed up with fellow team head, Carla Maluf Livre.com, the main Latin America e-commerce
Elias to advise Gerathenn do Brasil in a R$ 10m company, in severaI civil cases in both lower and
environmental litigation. Odebrecht Realizacoes upper civil courts. The team is also representing
Imobiliarias and Brookfield were both new client General Electric do Brasil in a dispute with
wins during the last year.
Grupo Oliveira.
Pereira Neto I Macedo has a strong
Guilhenne Rizzo Amaral is the key partner
contentious practice in both administrative and for disputes at successful spin-off Souto
commercial matters as a result of the synergy Correa Cesa Lummertz e Amaral. The
between its litigation, corporate, antitrust team left Veirano Advogados at the end of
127
Brazi l
2012, taking a number of clients with it and
is steadily developing its market reputation.
Recent highlights include advising Braskem on
a case filed by Petroplastic involving alleged
violation of rights to subscribe shares in a major
petrochemical company.
Ulhôa canto, Rezende e Guerra
Advogados has experienced a busy year,
receiving instructions on disputes in a wide
array of sectors. Marcelo Beltrão da Fonseca
recently led a team providing EJS Executive
Jet Shares with both judicial and administra tive
court assistance so as to secure the release
of three aircraft subject to inspection by the
Brazilian customs authorities. The finn is also
advising HSBC on a number of bank credit
recovery disputes.
Best known for its expertise in MftA,
Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa e Guerreiro
Advogados undertakes the full range
of contentious work including civil and
administrative litigation, arbitration, and ali
associated support and advisory work.
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Brazil
·
,
Public law
Leading lawyers
Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto Manesco,
Ramires, Perez, Azevedo Marques Sociedade
de Advogados
Carlos Ari Sundfeld Sundfeld Advogados
Pub1ic law
Manesco, Ramires, Perez, Azevedo Marques Sociedade de Advogados
Sundfeld Advogados
Azevedo Sette Advogados
0
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice - Advogados
0
TozziniFreire Advogados
0
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3
Cascione, Pulino, Boulos a Santos Advogados o
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Demarest Advogados
0
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados
Pereira Neto I Macedo
0
Pinheiro Neto Advogados
0
Siqueira Castro Advogados
0
Trench, Rossi e Watanabe Advogados, associated with Baker a McKenzie
he 'fabulous team' at Manesco,
Ramires,
Perez,
Azevedo
Marques
Sociedade
de
Advogados is considered 'streets
ahead ofthe rest', largely dueto its ability to· add
value to ali IIJork through its deep experience
of public laiiJ issues in Brazit: Lawyers are
highly sought-after for their 'deep technical
knoiVIedge' and 'strong parmering skills', with
Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto singled out
as an 'A-star specialist'. Marcos Augusto Perez
is also recommended for his expertise across
the 'fui/ domain of matters involving public
laiiJ processes'. The firm has advised on PPP
concessions in the education, transport and
water sectors over the past year and it also has
top-level expertise in project modelling and
procurement, as well as contentious matters.
T
www.legalSOO.com
160
Sundfeld
Regulatory
boutique
Advogados occupies a prestigious position
in the market as a 'public laiiJ specialist' and
a 'go-ro jirm for advisory matters: This is due
in no small part to the excellent reputation of
founding partner and preeminent academic
Carlos Ari Sundfeld, who 'IIJrote the book on
telecoms laiiJ' and also had some input into the
design of severa! other key pieces of legislation,
including the country's PPP framework.
Vera Monteiro is also highly recommended
for 'a/IIJays providing excel/ent service: The
firm is a leader in the full span of public law
matters, from procurement to privatisation
issues.
Aze vedo Sette Advogados · threepartner team is led out of Belo Horizonte by
Frederico Bopp Dieterich and it also benefits
from a significant platform in São Paulo, where
Leonardo Moreira Costa de Souza is the main
contact. The firm has strong experience in
public procurement, privatisation, regulatory
work, PPPs and administrative contracts, with
infrastructure being a key source of instructions.
In a recent highlight, the firm represented CCR
in its successful bid for the $688m concession
for Rio de Janeiro's light rail train system; it
continues to advise the client on follow-up
advice. Other representative clients include
Alusa Engenharia, Construtora Queiroz Galvão
and the PPP unit of the Municipality of Rio
de Janeiro.
In 2013, Machado, Meyer, Sendacz
e Opice - Advogados welcomed back
administrative law specialist Marcos Paulo
Verissimo, who rejoins the firm following twoyear stints at both BNDES and CADE. The firm
is considered to house ·one of the best project
jinance teams in the Brazilian market' under
the leadership of joint team heads José Virgílio
Lopes Enei and José Ribeiro do Prado. The
'very teclrnical and yet business-oriented'
group receives particular praise for its 'very
e.rperienced senior associares', with Lucas
Sant'Anna singled out for his 'deep knoiVIedge
in public laiiJ and excel/enr relationships IVith
government entities: Highlights include advising
BTG Pactuai, Estação da Luz Participações and
CCR in the legal modelling of a PPP for the
construction, operation and maintenance of a
R$ 10bn railway in São Paulo.
The administrative law practice at
TozziniFreire Advogados is comprised
of 'hands-on partners IIJitlr deep knoiiJ/edge'
who 'take the time to understand the client's
business: In particular, group head Claudia
Elena Bonelli is highlighted for her 'strong
technical understanding 011d wremely
professional approach: The team regularly
advises on public procurement, govemment
agreements, regulatory matters and litigation.
In a headline mandate, the firm advised a
consortium established by Carioca ChristianiNielsen
Engenharia,
GP Investimentos,
Aéroports de Paris and Schiphol Amsterdam
Airport on its bid for the concessions o f Galeão
Public law
Brazi l
continued
4
5
Rrms tn lstldA.·Z wfiNn t11rs
ohbl8Rrm~ alriiiXt. .Gt 1'-nlofth/sdq:1!w
and Confins lntemational Airports. Over the
past year, the firm has also undertaken work for
Dufry, Caterpillar and McKinsey.
cascione, Pulino, Boulos & Santos
Advogados receives rave reviews for its
'expertise in administrative law and PPP
projects', for its '100% availabiliry' and for
its ·ability to educa te clients in the specijics
of public contracting in Brazi/: Team head
Bruno Aurélio is revered by clients as a · repured
and experienced specialisr in regulatory
matters' and attracts praise for his ·outstanding
performance in assessing the complex risk
matrices of strucrured jinance projects: Among
other matters, Aurélio is advising winning bidder
INVEPAR on the third stage of the federal
highway concessions programme.
Lawyers at Demarest Advogados 'instil
trusr through thoughtful advice' andare able to
·balance the demands of risk exposure against
business needs: Group head Renato Poltronieri
has ·high knoiiJ/edge of rhe area' and advised
Diebold Brazil on contracts for the provision
and maintenance of parts, components and
161
accessories for self-service bank machines
across Brazil.
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr.
e Qulroga Advogados· recent commitment
to expanding its public law practice has
translated into a diverse flow of instructions
and it has worked on a mix of privatisations,
feasibility studies, tender procedures and PPP
projects over the past year. Bruno Dario Werneck
is 'proactive and business-oriented' and advised
GE Lightning, Citeluz, Andrade Gutierrez and
Engeform on the feasibility studies for São
Paulo's R$6bn public lighting PPP.
Pereira Neto I Macedo's administrative
law practice enjoys a prominent reputation for
telecoms matters but it also has experience in
PPPs, public tenders and general regulatory
matters. Competition and regulatory law
specialist Caio Mario da Silva Pereira Neto and
litigator Joaquim Nogueira Porto Moraes are the
names to note.
Pinheiro Neto Advogados· 'excellent
e.rperience and approach' is commended by
clients who also praise its ability to 'enha11ce
www.legalSOO.com
Bralll
"
efficieney through its timely answers and
strong business knowledge: Ricardo Pagliari
Levy is a 'very e.rperienced attorney with
great knowledge of public law' and is a
key contact in a practice that advises on
government contracts, administrative disputes
and regulatmy matters. The firm advised a
consortium formed by Philips and AES on
its bid for the São Paulo public lighting PPP
concession.
'Always a safe bet in the public law area',
Siqueira castro Advogados' practice is led
by senior partner Carlos Roberto Siqueira Castro,
who is a 'titan in public law: Recommended
Rio de Janeiro regulatmy head Márcio Monteiro
Reis has a relevant background in the public
sector, and Fernando Villela de Andrade
Vianna is 'business-oriented and a very good
negotiator'. Among recent matters, the firm
is advising Petrobras on severa! key projects,
including contracts with its key suppliers and
administrative proceedings.
Tnench,
Rossi
e
VVatanabe
Advogados, associated with Baker &
McKenzie's team is led by Heloisa Barroso
Uelze, who clients note for her experience in
public tenders. The group also includes associate
Henrique Frizzo whose 'specialist knowledge
makes a difference in complex work: ~ firm
advised Biogen ldec in negotiations for the
centralised purchase of drugs by the Ministry of
Health.
Arap, Nishi & Uyeda Advogados is a
· top-reputed .firm for projects' and specialises
in advising on bid procedures and PPPs in the
infrastructure sector. The firm also advises state
entities on transactional matters: Massami Uyeda
recently led the firm's advice to BNDESPar, the
investment arm of government-owned BNDES,
and Caixa Ambiental on its $300m investrnent
in to biomass energy company ERB.
Barretto Ferneira e Brancher {BKBG)
scores points for its 'good value for money' and
advises on public procurement, administrative
contracts and PPPs. Paulo Brancher advised
Unitec Projetos Industriais on a services
agreement with Petrobras for the operation and
maintenance of oil platforms.
www.legaiSOO.com
Álvaro Jorge's team at Barbosa,
Müssnich & Aragão has experience in
concession agreements, PPPs and privatisation
matters. Highly-rated associate Eduardo
Hayden Carvalhaes Neto advised Abril Educação
on severa! cases involving public bids and
administrative contracts over the past year.
A team from castro, Barros, Sobral,
Gomes Advogados, led by Sergio Sobral,
recently advised Odebrecht Transport on the
feasibility study for the development of the ring
road of Belo Horizonte as a concession or PPP.
Koury Lopes Advogados {KLA)'s
'efficient team' is comprised of 'good and
hard-working /awyers'; team head Paulo
Prado is highlighted for 'handling di verse
matters diligently: The firm advised Câmara de
Comercialização de Energia Elétrica - CCEE on
public bidding procedures.
Lefosse Advogados recently assisted
Microsoft with severa! public bids and contracts
with government entities. Other representative
clients of Ana Cândida Sammarco's tearn include
E.ON, BAE Systems and Odebrecht.
Veirano Advogados boosted its
contentious administrative capability in 2013
with the hire of senior counsel Luiz Navarro,
formerly the deputy head of the Office of the
Comptroll~r General. 'Reliable and responsive',
Demian Guedes leads the practice and recently
advised FAB Zona Oeste on matters relating
to the concession for Rio de Janeiro 's sewage
system.
From its Brasilia base, Advocacia
Fernanda Hemandez specialises in advising
on regulatory matters and administrative and
judicial disputes. Name partner Fernanda
Guimarães Hernandez is recommended for her
'strong commitment and knowledge:
campos Mello Advogados' team
attracts praise for its 'great overview of
the market' and for the 'business-oriented
approach' of team head André Marques
Gilberto. Recent highlights include advising
Phonak do Brasil on a number o f public bids.
Leite, Tosto e Barros Advogados
Associados recently advised an energy
company on the creation of different consortia
162
for participation in severa! ANEEL auctions for
electric power generation and transmissions
concessions. The firm also has strength in
administrative litigation.
Silveiro Advogados S/C's team
provides 'high-level advice', with Ricardo Leal
de Moraes and Manoel André da Rocha singled
out as 'very professional and efficient'. The
firm successfully advised ARTSemi on its bid
for a tender conducted by Brazilian technology
centre CElTEC.
Brazil
.J·
~
Mundie e Advogados has an impressive
position in the market. lts three-partner team
Ana Claudia Beppu dos Santos Oliveira, Elinor
Cristófaro Cotait (' one of the best telecoms
attorney's in Brazil'), and Kevin Mundie oversee
the 'effective and highly commercia/' team.
Highlights from the past year include advising
one of lhe biggest satellite groups in the world
on lhe bidding procedure carried by ANATEL
to grant four Brazilian satellite slots. The firm
of the measures provided by ANATEL's General
Plan of Competition Goals on this subject.
With the backing o f its full service capability,
Pinheiro Neto Advogados' team advises
clients on matters ranging from contracts
and regulation to interconnection issues and
spectrum bid processes. Raphael de Cunto led
a team advising Tumer Broadcasting System on
an investment in sports media platform, Esporte
Interativo; and the practice also advised Grupo
Abril on the sale of its broadcast 1V assets. Key
partner Esther Nunes is 'the only lawyer you can
depend on when it comes to complu or highprofile telecoms work', according to clients.
Name partner at Bitelli Advogados,
Marcos Alberto Sant'Anna Bitelli 'is truly a
scholar of Brazilian media law: The firm
has eamed recognition for its considerable
knowledge and experience in the entertainment
sector, where it currently has a particular focus
on pay-tv law, a growing area in Brazil. The firm
recently advised the Brazilian Pay 1V Association
(ABTA), on a case brought against the Central
Bureau of Collection and Oistribution of
Copyrights and other associations involved in
collecting music royalties.
The team at Cesnik, Quintino & Salinas
Advogados 'rea/ly impresses clients' with its
'uceptional understanding of tire industry, not
only in Brazil but globally'. Fábio de Sá Cesnik
is an 'e.rperienced and knowledgeable lawyer:
With their 'young and energetic approach',
Rodrigo Kopke Salinas, Fernando Moraes
Quintino da Silva and Gilberto Toscano are
'also very importam a11d truly com mitted to
the overal/ goal of tire client'. The team advises
key client MGM on the management of its tax
credits in Brazil as well as with regulatOTY and
conlr.lctual issues. Televisa lntemational, 02
Production Company and ESPN Brasil are also
clients.
Manesco, Ramires, Perez, Azevedo
Marques Sociedade de Advogados is well
known for its work in the telecommunications
also assisted severa! telecom operators with
adminislr.ltive and judicial procedures related
to the industrial exploitation of dedicated lines
and discussions related to the implementation
industry, where it advises some of Brazil largest
t~lecoms operators on a range o f issues. The team
also defends a large number of associations,
concessionaires and other companies in the
TMT
Leading lawyers
Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto Manesco,
Ramires, Perez, Azevedo Marqu(:S Sociedade
de Advogados
Ricardo Barretto Ferreira da Silva Barretto
Ferreira e Brancher (BKBG)
Elinor Cristófaro Cotait Mundie e Advogados
Kevin Mundie Mundie e Advogados
Esther Nunes Pinheiro Neto Advogados
Marcos Alberto Sant'Anna Bitelli Bitelli
Advogados
Fábio de Sá Cesnik Cesnik, Ouintino Et
Salinas Advogados
TMT
1
Barretto Fmdra e Brancher (BKBG) 0
Mundie e Advogados 0
Pinheiro Neto Advogados 0
2
BiteiH Advogados 0
Cesnik, Qufntino a Salinas Advogados
Manesco, Ramin:s, Pe1u, Az~o Marques Sodedade de Advogados 0
Tfench, Rossi e Watanabe Advogados, associated with Baker a Mcl<enzie 0
Felsberg Advogados 0
l<omy Lopes Advogados (1<1A) 0
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice - Advogados 0
Pemra Neto I Macedo
Pinheiro Gúimarles - Advogados 0
Schivartche Advogados
Tozzi~ Advogados 0
Veirano Advogados 0
'leader in the market for TMT
advice·,
Barretto
Ferreira
e Brancher (BKBG) advises
throughout the sector, from market
leaders to start-up companies in e-commerce,
social media, mobile phone payment systems and
other new technologies. 'Wel/ known' practice
head Ricardo Barretto Ferreira da Silva recently led
a team advising Rimini Street on the negotiation
of enterprise resource planning (ERP) contracts
with a number of large multinational companies.
In other work, the team assisted Neftlix with local
regulations applicable to pay-per-view television.
Other key clients include Twitter and Claro.
A
www.legaiSOO.com
168
3
TMT
Brazil
continued
0
Dannemann Siemsen Advogados
0
Demarest Advogados
Levy a SaJomio
UJJa, Huck. Otranto, Camargo Advogados O
0
Mattos FUho, Veiga FiJho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados
Rolim, Viotti a Leite Campos Advogados O
Siqueira Castro Advogados 0
0
VeJia Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados
ZCBS - Zancaner Costa, Bastos e Spiewak Advogados
4
Rrms arv listfd A·Z wlthln rim
O nlcar.s llrm displays ccntoct cktalls ar rlw md of rhis chaprvr
sector on judicial and adminislr.ltive actions.
Floriano de Azevedo Marques Neto heads lhe
team.
Trench,
Rossi
e
Watanabe
Advogados, associated with Baker &
McKenzie has a recognised TMT practice,
led by Esther Miriam Flesch and Flavia Rebello
Periera. The team acts for technology providers,
lT companies and social media websites, as well
as multinational telecoms companies. Francisco
Ribeiro Todorov is recommended for his
'respo11sive a11d business-oriented approach:
Felsberg Advogados is building a
comprehensive telecommunications, sports
and entertainment practice. The firm has
notable regulatOTY expertise and clients include
Paramount Pictures.
The team at Koury Lopes Advogados
(KLA) advises clients financings, MEtAs and
regulatOTY compliance across lhe telecoms and
broadcasting sector and its strong background
in contentious matters makes it a popular choice
for disputes in this area. Sky Brazil is a key client
and the team has also been advising on the
recent 4G auctions. Tania Liberman, Karin Alvo
and Guilherme leno are the key contacts.
The team at Machado, Meyer, Sendacz
e Opice- Advogados 'is very professional'
169
and has ·a vast knowledge of this area: With
a 'strong legal background and e.rperience in
entertainment law·, Elton Minasse heads the
team. Guilherme Anders, who is 'definitely the
stand out lawyer in the jirm', recently led a
team advising A&E Ole Television Networks on
a dispute in which Carla Cepollina is claiming
damages for the use of her na me and likeness in
a documentaTY series.
Pereira Neto
Macedo recently
expanded its team with the hire of Ronaldo
Lemos from the Fundação Getulio Vargas.
Lemos and co-practice head Caio Mário da Silva
Pereira Neto advis~d Twitter Brasil on matters
relating to freedom of expression, in particular
on the applicability of take down orders issued
by Brazilian courts to remove offensive content
published by the site's users.
Pinheiro Guimarães - Advogados'
finance expertise underpins its telecoms and
technology practice. Recent highlights include
advising Branco Bradesco, as arranger, on
Embratels public offering of R$2bn debentures.
For clients of Schivartche Advogados
'there is no better firm in Brazil for copyrigl1t
and licensing e.rpertise: Practice head is André
Schivartche 'is professional a11d always ready
to listen to clients ' 11eeds, tryi11g to ji11d tire best
www.legaiSOO.com
Brazil
and most ejjicient solurion based on legal and
corporate perspectives: Recent representative
clients include Wamer, Sony Pictures, Paramount
and Viacom.
TozziniFreire Advogados· sizeable
team, including five partners, advises clients
on a range of telecoms, media and IT matters.
Fernando Cinci Avelino Silva recently led a
team advising SBA Communications on various
purchases including the acquisition of 800
freestanding wireless towers from Vivo. Other
recent clients include Facebook and The Walt
Disney Company.
The team at Velrano Advogados 'is very
knowledgeable and has a strong TMT practice'.
Moreover, the merger with Bragança Advogados
has brought both additional expertise in this
sector and a number of new clients. Key team
members include Robson G Barreto (who is 'we/1
regarded for his telecom and MEtA e.rperrise'),
and newly promoted Fábio Pereira (who is well
known for his 'in depth knowledge of IP and
lT and for the creative solutions he provides').
Dell Computadores do Brasil is a notable client
which the practice advises on its research and
development projects. The recommended Valdir
de Oliveira Rocha Filho heads the team.
Dannemann Siemsen Advogados
started as an IP boutique but has exten~ its
areas of expertise to include TMT. An example of
representative work of the team was providing
advice about the existing legal framework for the
offering of digital music services in the country to
a major intemational company in the field.
Demarest Advogados advises University
City Studios on a variety of issues including
entertainment related IP infringements.
Levy & 5alomão stands out for its
· personal and dedicated counsel/ing and ability
to always focus on the cusromer: Simone
Lahorgue Nunes and Bolivar Moura Rocha
head a four-partner team tht recently advised
Microsoft on regulatory issues in the Brazilian
market. Other key clients include HBO Latin
America and Sky Latin America.
The team at Lilla, Huck, Otranto,
tamargo Advogados 'has great knowledge
of Brazilia11 law and irs applicario11' and has
www.legaiSOO.com
been involved in a number of high profile
matters over the past year, including advising
Serg<:j Zenkin on the licensing of Brazilian
composer Tom Jobim's songs, in order to
translate and release them in Russia. Mauricio
Vedovato heads the seven-partner team.
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr.
e Quiroga Advogados 'embraces the project
in hand and applies a "can do" approach'.
Fábio Ferreira Kujawski is a ·very e.rperienced
partner of the jirm and has an e.rcellent
grasp of the rr illdustry: The team advises
clients on regulations and operational matters
as well as representing them on public bids
and concessions for new telecommunications
services. In a notable case highlight, the team
advised Twitter on hearings in the Brazilian
Congress in relation to the Snowden case.
Rolim, Viotti & Leite tampos
Advogados recently advised key client Vivo
on a Radiofrequency 4G bid process held by
ANATEL Rodrigo Azevedo Greco heads the
department, with offices and key partners in
Brasília, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte.
At Siqueira castro Advogados 'the
partners are always available and surprisingly
fast'. The team 'treats cases with grear core and
attention to the detai/' as well as being 'very
jirm and strategic in their opinions and in
the conduction of litigarion matters: The firrn
advises the country's three biggest telecoms
companies, TIM, Nextel and Vivo. Hugo Pereira
heads the team in Rio de Janeiro and Jorge
Zaninetti in São Paulo.
The 'e.rcellent' Vella Pugliese Buosi
e Guldoni Advogados' TMT practice is
led by Frederico Buosi and recently advised
Banco Santander on Projeto Octopus, a joint
venture with European mobile payment services
company, iZettle.
Perhaps better known for its IP work, ZCBS
- Zancaner Costa, Bastos e Spiewak
Advogados recently represented a Brazilian
media company on successfully securing semiexclusive broadcasting rights for the FIFA World
Cup in 2014.
170