The Legal 500

Brazil

Bankruptcy and restructuring

Bankruptcy and restructuring - ranked: tier 5

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados has expertise in debt recovery, debt renegotiation and other bankruptcy-related matters. Carlos Fernando Siqueira Castro and Guilherme Dantas head the practice.

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Competition and antitrust

Competition and antitrust - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados is set apart by its extensive office network throughout Brazil and also the breadth of its client base, which includes leading players – both domestic and international – in a multitude of sectors. Its antitrust department had a busy year in 2017, with clients engaging it in a range of high-profile investigations and litigation. In one highlight, the team represented a Japanese client before CADE in the negotiation of a penalty and cease-and-desist agreement which settled an administrative procedure. Guilherme Dantas and Heitor Faro de Castro are the names to note.

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Corporate and M&A (including ‘compliance’)

Corporate and M&A (including ‘compliance’) - ranked: tier 5

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

With an extensive office network in Brazil, Siqueira Castro – Advogados has lawyers based in key cities across the country. The team is also active in cross-border transactions and maintains relationships with numerous foreign law firms. The firm’s busy compliance team is led by João Daniel Rassi and Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna, and advises on foreign and national legislation. Carlos Fernando Siqueira Castro, Fábio Korenblum and Guilherme Dantas are advising a client in the energy generation field on commercial agreements, corporate governance and compliance policies. Sérgio Ricardo Fogolin is another name to note.

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Dispute resolution

Dispute resolution: Arbitration - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Dispute resolution: Litigation - ranked: tier 5

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

The ‘creative and efficient’ team at Siqueira Castro – Advogados covers a range of litigation and arbitration cases, including white-collar crime matters. Its recent work includes representing Shell Brasil Petróleo in litigation filed by lubricant suppliers involving indemnification claims for losses under franchise and distribution agreements; and fighting for the recognition of a foreign arbitral decision before the Superior Court. Carlos Roberto Siqueira Castro, João Daniel Rassi and Fábio Coutinho Kurtz are recommended. Alexandre dos Santos Wider and white-collar crime expert Gauthama Carlos Colagrande Fornaciari de Paula were promoted to partner, while Adriana Conrado Zamponi and Marcos Serra Netto Fioravanti left for Wald, Antunes, Vita, Longo e Blattner Advogados and Vieira, Rezende, Barbosa e Guerreiro Advogados respectively.

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Environment

Environment - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados has a longstanding tradition in environmental issues and regularly acts on protected area matters, licensing procedures and environmental disputes. The team is assisting BASF in relation to the accessing and remittance of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. It is also advising Telefônica on the licensing and construction of cell sites. Simone Paschoal Nogueira and Renato Otto Kloss are recommended along with recently promoted partner Marina Vieira Freire Colósio.

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Insurance

Insurance - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados is particularly active in the aviation and health insurance sectors. Much of its work is contentious; the team has a notable track record in civil lawsuits and administrative proceedings. Fábio Coutinho Kurtz and André Frossard Albuquerque jointly lead the practice, which counts financial institutions and healthcare companies among its clients.

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Intellectual property

Intellectual property - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados excels in IP litigation and enforcement, with recent work including representing a company in the sports clothing segment in two lawsuits involving counterfeit products. Practice heads Eduardo Ribeiro Augusto and Márcio Costa de Menezes e Gonçalves led the advice. Daniel Pitanga was promoted to partner in 2018.

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International trade and customs

International trade and customs - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

The multidisciplinary team at Siqueira Castro – Advogados draws on expertise in customs, tax, IP, and corporate/M&A. Maucir Fregonesi and Guilherme Dantas are the key contacts.

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Labour and employment

Labour and employment - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados, with offices in all of the country’s major cities, handles a significant flow of labour claims. It defended Concremat in litigation brought by former employees, and assisted General Electric in amending labour agreements. Carlos Eduardo Vianna Cardoso and Otavio Pinto e Silva co-head the practice. Manuela Tavares joined the team and Ana Cristina Robortella made partner, while Rafael Ferraresi Holanda Cavalcante, Giancarlo Borba and Williane Gomes Pontes Ibiapina left the firm.

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Projects and infrastructure

Projects and infrastructure - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados provides ‘quick and adequate replies’, and acts for clients such as Petrobras, NUCLEP and Fraport. It assisted the latter in relation to the airport concession bidding round, with the client successful in relation to both Porto Alegre and Fortaleza. Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna is recommended. Renata de Abreu Martins and Rodrigo Alexander Calazans Macedo made partner in 2017.

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Public law

Public law - ranked: tier 2

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados has a notable track record advising clients in the energy, telecoms and transport sectors. Its multidisciplinary team offers administrative, regulatory, environmental and corporate law expertise. Carlos Roberto Siqueira Castro, Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna and Renato Otto Kloss advised Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FERJ) on a bidding procedure for the concession of the Maracanã stadium. Renata de Abreu Martins and Rodrigo Alexander Calazans Macedo regularly have a hand in the team’s most noteworthy work.

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Real estate

Real estate - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

With an extensive office network across Brazil, Siqueira Castro – Advogados has a national real estate practice, and the team is equally proficient in rural and urban property matters. Property litigation is a particular strength. Daniela Soares Domingues and André Frossard Albuquerque are key members of the team.

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TMT

TMT - ranked: tier 5

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados acts for clients such as Globosat, LG Electronics, Sony Music Entertainment, and TIM Brasil. Alfredo Ferrari is recommended for consumer litigation.

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Tax

Tax - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Tax litigation - ranked: tier 3

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Active in tax litigation and consultancy matters, Siqueira Castro – Advogados stands out for having tax lawyers in numerous offices across Brazil; Bianca Xavier in Rio de Janeiro, Maucir Fregonesi Junior in São Paulo and Salvador-based Marluzi Andrea Costa Barros co-head the practice. Its client base is a mixture of domestic and international companies active in various sectors, including food, financial services and logistics.

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Brazil: Energy and natural resources

Electricity

Energy and natural resources: electricity - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados has a dedicated power litigation department which regularly handles strategic cases. A highlight in 2017 was representing Interligação Elétrica do Madeira in several administrative proceedings regarding the environmental and regulatory licensing of a transmission line. Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna and Simone Paschoal Nogueira are recommended. Environmental law expert Marina Vieira Freire Colosio and Rodrigo Alexander Calazans Macedo made partner.

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Hydrocarbons

Energy and natural resources: hydrocarbons - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

Siqueira Castro – Advogados has a focus on disputes in the oil and gas sector, while its other work includes advising Ceg and Ceg Rio on matters before the energy and sanitation agency Agenersa in relation to certain investments. Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna is recommended together with newly appointed partner Rodrigo Alexander Calazans Macedo.

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Mining

Energy and natural resources: mining - ranked: tier 4

Siqueira Castro – Advogados

The ‘proactive and efficient’ group at Siqueira Castro – Advogados is acting for Vale in administrative and regulatory proceedings before the National Department of Mineral Production, and is defending Companhia Riograndense de Valorização de Resíduos in litigation concerning the mining enterprise of Copelmi. Fernando Villela de Andrade Vianna and the ‘dynamic’ Simone Paschoal Nogueira are the names to note.

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