FAS Advogados, which operates in cooperation with international law firm CMS, announces the appointment of Amanda Cascaes as a new partner in its Civil Litigation practice. The move is part of the firm’s expansion strategy, which aims to double the number of partners by 2030 through a combination of internal promotions and lateral hires in areas considered strategic for clients.

Amanda has built her career at leading law firms, with a strong focus on strategic litigation and highly complex business disputes. Her arrival further strengthens FAS’s ability to handle matters that require not only litigation expertise, but also an integrated understanding of regulatory, technological, reputational and operational issues.

Throughout her career, she has gained significant experience in disputes involving technology, digital platforms, social media, e-commerce, fintechs and gaming, as well as matters related to civil liability, privacy and data protection. These issues are becoming increasingly prominent on companies’ legal agendas as business digitalisation changes the nature and complexity of corporate disputes.

Her arrival comes at a time when litigation itself is undergoing significant transformation. The growing digitalisation of business operations, the increasing collection and processing of data, and the expansion of regulation have heightened companies’ exposure to disputes that frequently extend beyond the traditional boundaries of court proceedings and simultaneously involve legal, technological, regulatory and reputational considerations.

“We have a clear growth plan and aim to double the number of our partners by 2030. This expansion will be achieved both by developing our internal talent and by attracting professionals who complement and deepen capabilities that are strategic for our clients. Amanda’s arrival is directly aligned with this strategy and strengthens a key practice for the firm,” says Paulo Focaccia, Managing Partner of FAS Advogados, in cooperation with CMS.

According to Focaccia, the new partner’s experience also reflects the evolution of the challenges companies are facing. “Business disputes are increasingly connected to technology, data, regulation and reputation. Amanda’s experience enables us to further develop our capabilities in this area, combining sophisticated legal analysis with a close understanding of the practical challenges faced by businesses,” he adds.

Her professional experience includes matters involving the civil liability of internet service providers and digital platforms, including issues arising from Brazil’s Internet Civil Rights Framework and new rules for the protection of children and adolescents in digital environments, including the so-called Digital Child and Adolescent Statute, or ECA Digital.

For Amanda, the increasing sophistication of disputes arising in the digital environment requires an approach that goes beyond the traditional conduct of court proceedings. “A dispute involving a platform, a technology company or a data-intensive business today is rarely confined to a single legal dimension. It is essential to understand the business model, the regulatory environment, the potential reputational implications and the dynamics of the technology itself in order to develop a consistent strategy. Litigation needs to be connected to the reality of the client’s operations and business objectives,” she says.

Healthcare and data protection experience

Amanda also has professional and academic experience in the healthcare and healthtech sectors, particularly in matters involving civil liability and the protection of patient data.

She holds a PhD in Civil Law from the University of São Paulo (USP), where her research focused on the intersection between healthcare and data protection, combining academic expertise with practical experience in matters involving some of the most sensitive categories of personal data processed by companies.

“The healthcare sector currently faces particularly complex legal issues involving civil liability and data processing. We are dealing with highly protected information, new technologies, the digitalisation of healthcare services and an increasingly sophisticated ecosystem of service providers and companies. Litigation in this area requires technical expertise, but also a clear understanding of the effects a dispute may have on operations and on relationships with patients and consumers,” Amanda explains.

According to the new partner, the opportunity to strengthen a litigation practice that is integrated with the firm’s other areas of expertise was one of the key factors behind her decision to join FAS. “Strategic litigation is no longer an isolated practice. The most effective solutions emerge when we are able to work in an integrated way with specialists in regulatory matters, technology, data protection, consumer law, corporate law and other areas. At FAS, I found a structure that supports precisely this type of multidisciplinary approach, as well as the opportunity to participate in matters with an international dimension through the cooperation with CMS,” she says.

Academic and institutional experience

Alongside her professional practice, Amanda has built a strong academic and institutional career focused on Civil Law, civil liability, technology, healthcare and consumer relations.

She was previously shortlisted by The Legal 500 for the Rising Star of the Year award in the Dispute Resolution: Technology, Media & Telecommunications category. She currently serves as Publications Coordinator of the Consumer Relations Committee of the Brazilian Institute for Competition, Consumer Affairs and International Trade Studies (IBRAC).

She also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (RTCU) and the University of São Paulo’s Journal of Health Law. The author of more than 20 national and international publications, she wrote the book Economic Analysis of Civil Liability: Equitable Reduction of Damages and Risk-Based Activities and has edited publications addressing topics including artificial intelligence, ESG, regulation and consumer relations.

Amanda holds a PhD in Civil Law from the University of São Paulo (USP) and a Master’s degree in Private Law from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). She has postgraduate qualifications in Health Law from PUC-Rio, Health and Pharmaceutical Law and Economics from the University of Lisbon, and Civil Procedure from PUCRS. She earned her law degree from PUCRS.

With the arrival of Amanda Cascaes, FAS Advogados expands its partnership and further strengthens one of the firm’s priority practices. Her experience in strategic litigation complements FAS’s multidisciplinary approach to supporting clients in increasingly complex business disputes that are closely connected to the challenges they face in their operations.