The Legal 500 > Latin America > Brazil > Banking and finance

Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados has one of the leading banking and finance practices in the country. Testament to its standing is the impressive roster of banking and financial services institutions, including insurers, which use the team for advice on transactional and regulatory matters. This includes major acquisition finance, project finance, structured finance, debt capital markets and export finance loans, covering a range of sectors, including agribusiness, energy and logistics, to name a few. Practice head Nei Schilling Zelmanovits remains a leading lawyer in the market, and clients benefit from the expertise of other key partners, including founding partner José Roberto Opice, Adriano Schnur, who handles project and structured finance, Raphael Zono, Rafael Carretero and Eduardo Avila de Castro.

Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados offers a strong balance of regulatory and transactional advice to borrowers and financial institutions. The firm recently provided support on the launch of several new financial products and structures, and partners including Larissa Arruy are very active on regulatory matters. On the transactional side, the team covers all product types, including major project and acquisition financings, debt capital markets, structured debt and export finance. Pablo Sorj in Rio de Janeiro is a key contact for energy and infrastructure-related financings. Marina Anselmo Schneider, Bruno Mastriani Simões Tuca and Frederico Kerr Bullamah are all highly experienced. The department was further boosted by the promotion of asset management and investment funds expert Flávio Barbosa Lugão to partner, and the arrival of financial institutions and fintech specialist Pedro Eroles.

Pinheiro Guimarães – Advogados has a market-leading and highly versatile practice and acts for an impressive mix of creditors and debtors. The firm has recently been involved in several significant refinancings and pre-pack deals. This came on top of its standard mix of debt capital markets and structured, trade, project and acquisition finance work. The team has good expertise on the regulatory front and also advises on the structuring of investment funds and securitisation vehicles. Senior partner Francisco Pinheiro Guimarães Neto has been a key practitioner in the market since the 1970s, while Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães Neto and Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães respectively lead the teams in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Other names to note include Ivie Moura Alves, who is highly experienced in cross-border syndicated loans, Fábio Yanitchkis Couto and Bruno Lardosa. Marcela Taquette Vaz is another key lawyer making an impression in the team.

Pinheiro Neto Advogados is a top choice for cutting-edge advice in the banking and finance space. 2019 saw the firm involved in several major banking-related joint ventures and corporate takeovers. Advice to fintechs also continues to ramp up, both in terms of licensing applications and fundraisings. Partners Bruno Balduccini and José Luiz Homem de Mello retain their status as two of the best-known lawyers in the market, advising on a range of regulatory, corporate and transactional issues. Other key individuals include Fernando Ruiz de Almeida Prado for derivatives and corporate finance work, Fernando Mirandez Del Nero Gomes for regulatory and transactional, and Tiago Themudo Lessa for derivatives and debt capital markets. Newly promoted partner Yuka Ono and senior associates including Raphael Palmieri Salomão demonstrate the firm's deep bench at every level.

BMA - Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão has a solid, five-partner team, which is particularly active on the borrower side. The firm offers strong expertise on syndicated loans, project finance, debt capital markets, refinancings and structured finance. The highly experienced Camila Goldberg leads the team, which includes compliance specialist Anna Carolina Malta and transactional partners including Plinio Simões Barbosa and Rafael d’Avila Dutra. Recent developments in the team include the promotion of Conrado de Castro Stievani and Felipe Prado to partner.

Cescon, Barrieu, Flesch & Barreto Advogados is popular with borrowers and institutional lenders. The firm has good expertise in sovereign and quasi-sovereign financings to state and government entities, as well as acquisition and trade finance and debt capital markets, where it regularly advises on major cross-border transactions. Ronald Herscovici, Joaquim De Oliveira, Alexandre Gossn Barreto and Rio-based Maurício Teixeira dos Santos are well regarded. Ana Paula Calil and Rio-based Eduardo Kuhlmann Abrantes are also names to note.

Demarest Advogados offers its borrower and lender clients strong experience across a range of areas, including syndicated loans, restructurings, project finance, trade finance and regulatory advice. The team, which is led by Fabio de Almeida Braga, also stands out for its expertise in key industries such as automotive and agribusiness. While the firm will miss former partner Antonio Giglio Neto, who left to start his own firm, early 2020 saw the team strengthened by the arrival of banking partner Helen Naves from Trench Rossi Watanabe. Talented associates including Marcelo Simon Ikeziri demonstrate the firm's strength in depth.

TozziniFreire Advogados comes highly recommended for its expertise in complex transactional and regulatory banking issues. The firm has a good standing with a string of international banks and multilateral agencies, and represents blue-chip corporates and borrowers from across a range of industries, including the agribusiness and fintech sectors. Practice head Alexei Bonamin has an extremely diverse practice, which includes debt capital markets and structured finance. In recent developments, Kenneth Antunes Ferreira left the firm.

Veirano Advogados has experienced banking and finance teams working out of its Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo offices. The firm's versatile practice acts for a mix of banks, multilateral lenders, debt funds and other financial services companies, while on the borrower side it represents clients from across a range of industries, including mining, logistics, shipping, telecoms and infrastructure. Advice covers the full range of products, including syndicated loans, project finance, shipping finance and pre-export finance agreements. Rio de Janeiro-based banking head Marcelo Mattos is backed by a strong team of lawyers, including fellow Rio-based partner Rogério Campos. The highly rated São Paulo team is led by Ana Carolina Barretto, who handles corporate and project finance, and also includes capital markets expert Daniela Anversa and Lior Pinsky.

Lefosse Advogados' strong, three-partner banking practice works closely with the firm's market-leading capital markets and tax teams. Clients include a broad mix of domestic and international borrowers and lenders. Cross-border acquisition financings, restructurings and structured financings have been high on the agenda recently. Renata Cardoso, Ricardo Prado and Roberto Zarour are all highly experienced in this sphere. Recently, the department was further bolstered with the arrival of highly regarded partner Kenneth Antunes Ferreira.

Stocche Forbes Advogados enjoys a strong market reputation for major cross-border deals and has played an active role advising borrowers and lenders on the financing of major acquisitions. The team has strong expertise in debt capital markets, refinancings, structured finance and large-scale project finance deals, and the lawyers are also noted for their strong regulatory expertise. Guilherme Forbes, Miriam Signor, Marcos Ribeiro and Henrique Filizzola have been active in the market for over 20 years. Rio de Janeiro-based partner Frederico Moura is also making a good name for himself.

Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown is a reliable choice for borrowers and lenders seeking strong cross-border banking and finance advice. The team, which includes experienced partners Eduardo Lima and Luis Montes, regularly advises on complex syndicated loans, as well as high-value trade, corporate, acquisition and project finance deals. Recently the firm has also been involved in several significant restructurings.

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper has a small but highly focused team working out of its São Paulo office. Roberto Vianna do Rego Barros is well respected in the market for his regulatory expertise, while Jorge Luiz Gallo is one of the market's up-and-coming talents. The firm also has a strong track record in corporate, real estate, and project financing transactions as well as non-performing loans (NPLs).

Dias Carneiro Advogados represents a mix of lenders and borrowers, including major multilaterals. Its partners, including practice head Thiago Vallandro Flores and Paulo Leme, are noted for their strong expertise advising clients in the energy, infrastructure and agribusiness sectors. The team also has strong experience in cross-border financings, project finance and debt restructuring.

Lobo de Rizzo Advogados has a versatile team, which has recently been involved in several major acquisition financings, acting on behalf of lenders and borrowers. The team is led by Fabrizio de Oliveira Sasdelli and Milton Pinatti, who are well versed in structured finance, restructurings, debt capital markets and project finance.

Candido Martins Advogados is experienced in banking and debt capital markets work, with banking head Renata Simon and founding partner Henrique Martins both active in this space. The São Paulo firm represents a broad range of borrowers, most recently on several significant private placements. Daniel Rodrigues Alves is also rated by clients.

Felsberg Advogados has a solid banking team led by Maria da Graça out of the firm's São Paulo office. The practice has especially good expertise in project and aviation finance, and represents both borrowers and banks.

KLA Advogados is a popular choice with borrowers, lenders and fintech providers, and has good experience in domestic and cross-border financings. Advice ranges from internal and external debt restructurings, trade and structured finance, to regulatory advice on banking products. Fernanda Levy and Ricardo Higashitani are the two main contacts.

Monteiro, Rusu, Cameirão e Bercht Advogados is particularly strong on the regulatory side and regularly represents venture capital funds and companies on financial service product launches. This includes advice on aspects of the payroll loans industry. Daniel Monteiro is especially well regarded.

Santos Neto Advogados represents an impressive roster of domestic and international banks and has a strong background in high-value trade finance deals, particularly in the agribusiness sector. The firm is also strong in financial regulation and structured finance. Practice co-heads Domicio dos Santos Neto and Gabriel Buscarini Leutewiler have established good reputations.

Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados has an active financial services and banking team, with good expertise in regulatory and transactional matters. Project finance is a busy area, although the firm's lawyers have experience advising lenders and borrowers across most product areas, including in major cross-border financings. Founding partner Rodrigo Vella and Gabriella Najjar are the two main contacts.