Azevedo Sette Advogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

Housing a sizeable corporate and M&A department in Belo Horizonte that is the first port of call for several blue-chip clients from the agribusiness, mining, banking, energy, telecoms and technology sectors, full-service firm Azevedo Sette Advogados is a reference in the Minas Gerais market. The team handles a diverse workload of M&A, foreign investments, commercial and financial contracts, corporate restructurings and infrastructure projects, and has witnessed a recent growth in deals pertaining to the healthcare sector, and matters involving wealth planning and succession issues. Practice head Fernando Azevedo Sette is a key contact for private wealth management. Luís Ricardo Miraglia, who is often retained by mining and energy clients, and Ana Paula Terra Caldeira, whose areas of activity include M&A and corporate financing, are other key practitioners. Frederico Bopp Dieterich leads on infrastructure-related transactions, while Thiago Assumpção Henriques has been particularly busy advising healthcare companies. In a relevant development in 2021, Eleonora Santiago Carneiro Quadros joined the firm from Portela, Lima, Lobato & Colen Advogados.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Labour Tier 1

Drawing on the firm's national footprint, Azevedo Sette Advogados acts for leading domestic and multinational clients in the entire spectrum of labour matters. In addition to providing legal advice on HR practices and employment contracts, the practice is also equipped to assist with labour-related due diligence in the context of M&A transactions and represent companies in contentious matters, including individual and collective claims. Social security and labour law specialist Leila Azevedo Sette oversees the Belo Horizonte team alongside Luanna Vieira de Lima Costa and Gustavo Magalhães Assis, both of whom have substantial experience in transactional matters.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Natural resources and regulation Tier 1

Offering multidisciplinary advice covering transactions, public law, dispute resolution and environmental issues, the energy and natural resources department at Azevedo Sette Advogados assists clients with the gamut of natural resources and regulatory matters. The firm has a strong following in the mining sector, advising domestic and international clients in relation to M&A deals, project development and compliance. It is also equipped to handle mandates pertaining to the energy sector, demonstrating particular strength in the power segment, namely renewables. Leonardo Pereira Lamego leads on work pertaining to mining and environmental law; he is seasoned in environmental permitting, litigation and administrative actions. Gabriela Salazar Silva Pinto is another key contact for mining companies, while Svetlana Maria de Miranda specialises in environmental matters.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Led by João Capanema, Azevedo Sette Advogados' litigation and arbitration practice in Belo Horizonte is sought by domestic and international companies involved in environmental, intellectual property, real estate, mining, insurance, competition and corporate disputes. The team is also noted for its longstanding experience in contractual issues, consumer law and product liability cases. Leonardo Farinha Goulart is the key point of contact for clients from the mining and automotive sectors, while Marcos Augusto Leonardo Ribeiro is the go-to lawyer for engineering and construction matters. Felipe Moraes, who recently joined from Mattos Engelberg Advogados, brings a wealth of experience in arbitration proceedings concerning energy companies, infrastructure projects and concessions.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Tax Tier 2

Demonstrating strength in both tax consultancy and litigation, Azevedo Sette Advogados acts for a diverse client roster that includes domestic and international companies from the healthcare, mining, construction, telecoms, retail and agribusiness sectors, among others. Practice head Leandra Guimarães regularly handles corporate transactions involving complex tax elements. Clarissa Cerqueira Viana Pereira and Bruno Felippe Almeida have a wealth of experience in tax planning and strategic litigation. The team is equipped to represent clients before the superior courts in Brasília, and is adept at handling state, municipal and federal administrative matters.

City focus - Brasilia > Tax Tier 2

From Brasília, Azevedo Sette Advogados maintains a balanced tax practice, covering a range of contentious and non-contentious matters, including administrative and judicial litigation. Its client base includes major Brazilian and international companies operating across a broad range of sectors. Senior associate Maíra Konrad de Brito has significant experience in complex tax matters. She works alongside litigation and arbitration expert Rodrigo Badaró de Castro, who works in the firm's Brasília and Goiânia offices. Associate Sara Crislaine Soares Guimarães is another name to note.

Brazil > Compliance Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados' compliance practice benefits from the strong reputation and knowledge of key partner Isabel Franco, who has extensive experience in anti-corruption and compliance. The team also draws on the expertise of Glaucia Ferreira, who has notable experience in conducting sensitive investigations and due diligence reports, and Luiz Eduardo Salles, whose broad practice spans economic law, international trade and compliance. The team is regularly sought for assistance in internal investigations, corporate crisis management, integrity due diligence processes and compliance training by its client base of Brazilian and international companies operating in a broad range of sectors. Ingrid Bandeira Santos, Lucas Mandelbaum Bianchini and Giuliana Sampaio Alves Mascari Bonilha are key contacts at the associate level.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 2

With particular strength in regulatory and contentious matters, Azevedo Sette Advogados counts some of the leading domestic and international mining players among its clients. The practice, which is located in the Belo Horizonte office, is also active in joint ventures and M&A transactions involving mining assets, where the team acts on both the buyer and seller side. Leonardo Pereira Lamego heads the environmental and mining department, which also includes Gabriela Salazar Silva Pinto, who specialises in mining transactions and agreements.

Brazil > International trade Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados' international trade practice is 'extremely knowledgeable, efficient and composed of real team players'. It has established itself as a strong choice for advice on trade remedies and WTO law, trade sanctions and import/export controls. The firm has represented clients in significant matters involving trade partners such as the US, China, Canada, India and Australia, and also advises on domestic measures and investigations. Practice head Luiz Eduardo Salles is very well respected in the market and has represented Brazil before the WTO. He is backed by an experienced team of associates, including Ingrid Bandeira Santos and Lucas Bianchini, who represent a mix of exporters and domestic petitioners and importers.

Tax > Customs Tier 2

City focus - Recife > Leading firms Tier 3

Azevedo Sette Advogados established an office in Recife in 2013 under the leadership of Marcelo Padilha Cabral, who draws on over 15 years of experience in corporate, real estate and litigation. In addition to the Northeast, the firm also has broad geographic coverage across the country thanks to its extensive office network. Its client base is equally broad, and the Recife-based team has recently assisted companies operating in the technology, real estate and entertainment sectors, among others, in corporate, M&A, litigation and arbitration. Associate Renato Veras Salgado is a key member of the team, often advising on the office's major mandates.

Brazil > Public law Tier 3

With multiple offices across Brazil, Azevedo Sette Advogados fields a team with solid experience in the area of public procurement, privatisations, concessions, PPPs and regulatory issues. Administrative proceedings also feature on the firm's workload, which is further populated by high-profile judicial litigation involving public administration matters. The public law department, which is predominantly based in Belo Horizonte, is often retained by companies operating in the construction, mining, telecoms and financial services sectors, but is also well equipped to advise public-sector entities. Frederico Bopp Dieterich and Leonardo Moreira Costa de Souza, who both have significant experience in administrative law, infrastructure projects and PPPs, form the core senior team.

Brazil > TMT: Cybersecurity and data privacy Tier 3

Led by Luiz Augusto Azevedo Sette and IP specialist Ricardo Barretto Ferreira, the data protection team at Azevedo Sette Advogados advises on the mitigation of risks in the context of data breaches, launch of new products and services, and international data transfers. The department - which works under the umbrella of the information technology, media and telecommunications group - has been particularly active assisting Brazilian and foreign companies in relation to compliance with the new obligations imposed by GDPR and LGPD. Lorena Pretti Serraglio is a key individual for LGPD compliance programmes.

Brazil > TMT: Tech, innovation and digital business Tier 3

Bringing together multidisciplinary expertise across regulatory issues, compliance, corporate, tax and dispute resolution, Azevedo Sette Advogados is skilled at assisting clients with the drafting and negotiation of software agreements, licensing matters, IT outsourcing, SaaS contracts and cloud computing services. Co-head Ricardo Barretto Ferreira handles both non-contentious matters and litigation, while fellow co-leader Luiz Augusto Azevedo Sette focuses on M&A transactions involving the technology sector.

Brazil > Corporate and M&A Tier 4

With broad geographic coverage and a strong presence in both São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Azevedo Sette Advogados has a varied and active corporate and M&A practice. Major blue-chip companies operating in the region turn to the team, which has recently been especially active in deals in the healthcare, energy, infrastructure and natural resources industries, acting on both the buy and sell side. Corporate reorganisations, commercial agreements and regulatory matters are also areas of strength for the department. Senior partner Fernando Azevedo Sette and Luiz Augusto Azevedo Sette, who draws on his former experience as general counsel for Microsoft, jointly lead the team. Ana Paula Terra Caldeira, Frederico Bopp Dieterich, M&A and capital markets expert Alessandra Martins de Souza, who made partner in 2020, and Luís Ricardo Miraglia, who is particularly active in the energy and mining sectors, are also names to note. Eleonora Santiago Carneiro Quadro joined the firm from Portela, Lima, Lobato & Colen Advogados in August 2021.

Brazil > Projects and infrastructure Tier 4

Azevedo Sette Advogados receives regular instructions from construction, mining, telecoms and financial services clients in relation to public bids, concessions, and PPP projects. With multiple offices in the country, the firm is prepared to advise on infrastructure projects across different states, project finance and administrative contracts. Co-head Frederico Bopp Dieterich is based in Belo Horizonte and focuses on PPPs, financing transactions and regulatory matters. Fellow co-head Leonardo Moreira Costa de Souza leads on work pertaining to infrastructure and real estate projects from the São Paulo office. Bruna Bouissou is another name to note in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil > Real estate Tier 4

Azevedo Sette Advogados is notable for its role advising developers on contentious and non-contentious real estate matters. In 2020 the team was particularly active in the logistics, mining and agribusiness sectors. The department saw the departure of former partner Bruno Costa, who joined Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados, though in other key developments the firm promoted partner Alessandra Lima Ganz and also hired new partner Henrique Antonelli. Ganz and Antonelli now jointly lead the team from São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, respectively.

Brazil > Environment Tier 5

Azevedo Sette Advogados offers legal support to large international and domestic companies across a variety of sectors, including mining, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and forestry, among others. Its broad service offering covers advisory and litigation matters involving environmental regulations, compliance, licensing issues and due diligence in the context of transactions and project development. Department head Leonardo Pereira Lamego has longstanding experience in mining and environmental law. He is based in Belo Horizonte, and assists clients engaged in environmental litigation. Other key individuals in the environmental group include the 'exceptional' Svetlana Maria de Miranda and Cynthia de Souza Cardoso, who has significant expertise in energy-related matters.

Tax > Tax advisory Tier 5

Azevedo Sette Advogados has a versatile tax practice, with experienced lawyers based across its Brazilian network. Key partners include Leandra Guimarães, Mauricio Pernambuco Salin and Rodrigo Badaró de Castro, who respectively lead the team from the firm's Belo Horizonte, São Paulo and Brasília offices. The firm offers a broad mix of strategic tax planning, social security and litigation advice, with cases handled at the municipal, state and federal levels. Clients include an impressive mix of blue-chip multinationals and major domestic companies.

Brazil > Dispute Resolution: Litigation Tier 6

Azevedo Sette Advogados regularly acts before federal and state courts, administrative authorities and regulatory agencies. Primary fields of expertise include litigation involving consumer law, credit recovery, corporate disputes, civil liability, as well as insurance and environmental claims. Ricardo Azevedo Sette specialises in civil and commercial matters. Consumer lawsuits and construction disputes are key specialisms for Marcos Augusto Leonardo Ribeiro, while Paulo Ciari de Almeida Filho is a name to note for labour and IP litigation. Leonardo Platais Brasil Teixeira is a key point of contact for technology clients. Other names to note include João Capanema, Felipe Moraes, Leonardo Farinha Goulart and Rodrigo Badaró de Castro.