Azevedo Sette Advogados > Sao Paulo, Brazil > Firm Profile

Azevedo Sette Advogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

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

The team at Azevedo Sette Advogados is a popular choice for corporate and commercial matters in the Minas Gerais market; areas of particular strength include advising on M&A,  joint ventures and infrastructure projects, as well as drafting contracts. Companies from the energy, mining, infrastructure, finance and pharmaceutical sectors feature on the group’s client roster. A trio of partners leads: Fernando Azevedo Sette, who is praised for his negotiation and leadership skills, has expert knowledge on commercial and financial contracts; alongside him, Luis Ricardo Miraglia and Ana Paula Terra Caldeira major on M&A, foreign investments, and corporate mandates relating to the mining and technology sectors. Frederico Bopp Dieterich and Bruna Bouissou, both of whom have extensive experience in infrastructure projects, and M&A and corporate law specialist Roberto Ribas Wilson are additional partner-level names to note. Eduardo Monteiro was promoted to the partnership in January 2022.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Dispute resolution Tier 1

A strong choice for both litigation and arbitration matters, Azevedo Sette Advogados demonstrates considerable experience in consumer, corporate, real estate, environmental and mining-related disputes. The group’s client roster is composed of domestic and foreign corporations, who highlight the lawyers’ ‘extreme technical skill and availability’. The department is coordinated by a capable trio: João Capanema, who is well versed in litigation and arbitration arising from civil, environmental, IP and real estate issues; Felipe Moraes, who often handles arbitration proceedings and mediation for infrastructure, construction and energy clients; and Leonardo Farinha Goulart, who focuses on litigation involving the steel and mining sectors. The ‘very competent and technical’ Marcos Augusto Leonardo Ribeiro is another key partner-level name of note.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Labour Tier 1

Azevedo Sette Advogados assists major domestic and foreign companies, financial institutions and insurance brokers in a variety of employment mandates. The group is well versed in both contentious and non-contentious matters, with areas of particular strength including collective labour disputes, union negotiations, due diligence for M&A transactions, employment contracts and settlement agreements. Leila Azevedo Sette, who has extensive experience in labour, social security and corporate matters, co-heads the department; alongside her, Luanna Vieira de Lima Costa and Gustavo Magalhães Assis excel in transactions involving labour relations and social security issues.

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

Azevedo Sette Advogados has a strong track record in the mining space, advising major local and international industry players on the gamut of matters. On the advisory front, the firm is well placed to advise on concession agreements, PPPs, commercial contracts, and M&A, while on the contentious side practitioners are adept in litigation and arbitration proceedings involving mining and environmental issues. Practice leader Leonardo P. Lamego has a wealth of experience in environmental licensing, legal auditing, compliance, due diligence and litigation. Also part of the core team, Svetlana Maria De Miranda is a key contact for environmental law mandates, while Gabriela Salazar Silva Pinto focuses on contentious matters in the mining sector.

City focus - Belo Horizonte > Tax Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados is routinely instructed by domestic and international companies in the mining, oil and gas, steel, agribusiness, automative and real estate segments seeking assistance in a variety of contentious and non-contentious tax matters. Litigation and administrative disputes constitute a key strength for the group, whose non-contentious offering covers tax planning, periodic tax reviews and due diligence relating to foreign investment projects in Brazil. The department is jointly led by seasoned tax and corporate practitioner Leandra Guimarães and Clarissa Cerqueira Viana Pereira, who handles tax planning and litigation matters. Partner Bruno Felippe Almeida is another name to note for strategic tax matters.

City focus - Brasilia > Tax Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados' Brasília office offers comprehensive tax services, encompassing contentious and non-contentious matters, special regimes, and tax incentives. Covering municipal, state and federal tax, the team is well equipped to handle proceedings before the superior courts. Practice co-head Rodrigo Badaró de Castro is often engaged in arbitration and litigation, with a special emphasis on the telecoms and technology sectors, while fellow co-leader Maíra Konrad de Brito possesses notable experience in tax consulting, planning and contentious issues. Sara Crislaine Soares Guimarães is further recommended for complex tax matters.

Brazil > Compliance Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados is sought out for its expertise in consulting services aimed at preventing, detecting and combating corruption and money laundering. The firm fields a team of anti-corruption and anti-bribery experts equipped to assist with risk assessments, internal investigations, due diligence and compliance training. Anti-corruption expert Isabel Franco leads the team alongside Glaucia Ferreira, both of whom are ‘very experienced’ in the coordination of sensitive investigations and compliance due diligence. Luiz Eduardo Salles brings together experience in compliance, economic law and international trade. Other noteworthy individuals include associate Viviane Prospero Joao and recently promoted partner Lucas Mandelbaum Bianchini.

Brazil > Corporate and M&A: Mid-market Tier 2

With a strong footprint in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Azevedo Sette Advogados demonstrates strength advising buyers and sellers – ranging from privately held companies to multinationals, and family offices – on middle-market M&A and smaller deals of national significance. Typical mandates for the team, which is well versed in cross-border matters, also include corporate reorganisations and commercial agreements. The group is spearheaded by Fernando Azevedo Sette in Belo Horizonte, a name to note for mining, construction and engineering clients who possesses over two decades’ experience in M&A, commercial contracts and succession planning, and Luiz Augusto Azevedo Sette in São Paulo, who is singled out for his knowledge of the TMT sector. Luis Ricardo Miraglia, who is particularly active in energy and mining-related transactions, Roberto Ribas Wilson, and recently promoted partner Eduardo Monteiro Moreira César are other key individuals in Belo Horizonte. Natasha Midori Hinata, who sits in the São Paulo office, was promoted to the partnership in January 2023.

Brazil > International trade Tier 2

Azevedo Sette Advogados has an ‘extremely professional, responsive and competent’ team that ‘offers expert technical advice on trade remedies and customs matters while ensuring sound strategic counsel in an overarching approach’. Clients include domestic and international companies, such as major food producers and manufacturers, as well as trade associations and sovereign governments. The firm’s comprehensive service offering encompasses WTO disputes, trade remedies claims, import/export controls, trade sanctions, foreign trade policy, and domestic and international litigation. Practice head Luiz Eduardo Salles possesses ‘expert knowledge of trade remedies and WTO processes’. Recently promoted partner Lucas Bianchini has a strong track record in international trade, WTO, antitrust and competition. Senior associate Ingrid Bandeira Santos is also developing a good reputation in this space.

Tax > Customs Tier 2

City focus - Recife > Leading firms Tier 3

Azevedo Sette Advogados‘s Recife office acts for domestic and international clients – including companies and individuals – in a host of transactional and contentious matters, ranging from M&A to contractual issues, litigation and arbitration. Especially popular among players from the construction, education, retail and technology sectors, the group is spearheaded by Marcelo Padilha Cabral, who is noted for his combined experience in M&A, commercial agreements, real estate matters and litigation. These are also core areas of activity for associate Renato Veras Salgado.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 3

Led by Leonardo Pereira Lamego, the practice at Azevedo Sette Advogados offers assistance to domestic and international clients across the entire spectrum of Brazilian mining law matters. On the transactional front, the Belo Horizonte-based group is often engaged by buyers and sellers in joint ventures and deals involving mining assets. It is also well placed to assess the legal implications and economic risks of potential and current mining projects developed in Brazil. Practice head Lamego has over two decades of experience in environmental and mining law. The department also includes Ana Paula Terra Caldeira, a key contact for M&A and commercial agreements within the mining industry, and senior associate Svetlana Maria De Miranda, an environmental law specialist. Associates Fernanda Nunes and Gabriela Nasser, who bring together experience in litigation, administrative proceedings and regulatory matters, are also part of the core team.

Brazil > Public law Tier 3

With a strong presence in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Azevedo Sette Advogados is well equipped to handle public projects in a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, transport, mining, energy and sanitation. Its offering is equally broad; typical mandates range from privatisations and public tenders to administrative litigation and concession contracts. Frederico Bopp Dieterich, who possesses over three decades’ experience advising on the regulatory and administrative aspects of public projects, jointly oversees the department with real estate group head Leonardo Costa de Souza. Bruna Bouissou is another core member of the team, with a strong background in PPPs, concessions, and contractual matters.

Brazil > TMT: Cybersecurity and data privacy Tier 3

The privacy and data protection group at Azevedo Sette Advogados offers both consultancy and litigation services as part of its wider TMT practice. Typical mandates range from assisting in the elaboration and implementation of data compliance programmes to advising on internet and tech-related privacy issues. Judicial and administrative proceedings also feature in the workload managed by the subgroup focused on civil litigation. Department leader Ricardo Barretto Ferreira Da Silva is experienced in contentious and non-contentious matters in all areas of TMT, namely internet, telecoms and IT. Lorena Pretti Serraglio left the firm in October 2023.

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

The TMT practice at Azevedo Sette Advogados handles a wide range of mandates, encompassing data protection, internet law, IT agreements, IP, and dispute resolution. The team works in close collaboration with the firm’s regulatory, tax, antitrust, corporate and compliance groups to provide the full array of legal services to clients from the IT, payment services, e-commerce and cloud computing sectors.  The department is led by a capable trio: Ricardo Barretto Ferreira, who handles contentious and transactional matters in the technology segment; Luiz A. Sette , who leverages his former in-house experience at a Big Tech firm to advise on commercial deals in this space; and Danielle Chipranski Cavalcante, who oversees litigation work involving media and IT players.

Brazil > Wealth and succession planning Tier 3

High-net-worth individuals and family businesses routinely seek Azevedo Sette Advogados‘ assistance in wealth and estate planning matters, succession litigation, cross-border asset reorganisations and tax issues. Fernando Azevedo Sette and Rafael Bassoli offers strategic advice on succession planning and corporate transactions. Tax planning and litigation are key areas of expertise for Leandra Guimarães and Mauricio Pernambuco Salin. Other noteworthy individuals include Alessandra Ganz and Henrique Antonelli.

Brazil > Environment Tier 4

Primarily based in Belo Horizonte, the environmental team at Azevedo Sette Advogados is seen with great regularity advising clients from the mining, energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, industrial and forestry sectors in relation to environmental compliance, risk assessments and licensing matters. Administrative proceedings are another area of activity for the group, which is coordinated by Leonardo Pereira Lamego, whose environmental law expertise covers due diligence in the context of transactions and projects, investigations and negotiations with public prosecutors. Senior associates Svetlana Maria De Miranda and Cynthia De Souza Cardoso are also part of the core environmental team.

Brazil > Projects and infrastructure Tier 4

A popular choice for local and foreign clients – including concessionaires – from the logistics, energy, waste management, water, sanitation and social infrastructure segments, Azevedo Sette Advogados is often engaged in public tenders, privatisations, PPPs and concessions. Drawing on its national footprint, the team is well positioned to advise on infrastructure projects across Brazil, but maintains a particularly strong base in Belo Horizonte and strategic presence in São Paulo. Frederico Bopp Dieterich and Bruna Bouissou are the key points of contact in Belo Horizonte for financing, corporate and contractual matters, while Leonardo Moreira Costa De Souza and Natasha Midori Hinata, the latter of whom was promoted to partner in January 2023, are based in the São Paulo office.

Brazil > Real estate Tier 4

Azevedo Sette Advogados has a ‘great reputation and credibility’ in real estate work, with active teams in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. Singled out for its strong track record in real estate litigation, the team also advises domestic and international investors and developers on acquisitions and development projects. The practice’s experience covers many key areas, including industrial, residential and commercial properties, as well as the logistics, retail, hospitality, agribusiness and forestry sectors. Alessandra Ganz in São Paulo jointly leads the group with Belo Horizonte-based Henrique Antonelli, who is commended for his responsive approach.

Tax > Tax advisory Tier 5

The well-balanced tax team at Azevedo Sette Advogados supports an impressive range of international clients in their tax planning and litigation issues. Typical instructions include advising on tax compliance and optimisations, the recovery of tax credits, the tax treatment of foreign investments and interstate trade. Social security issues and special regimes are other areas of expertise for the practice that also regularly represents clients in state, municipal, and federal litigation. Leandra Guimarães heads up the Belo Horizonte-based tax team, where Clarissa Cerqueira Viana Pereira is a name to note for tax consulting, planning and litigation matters. Mauricio Pernambuco Salin handles non-contentious work from São Paulo, while Rodrigo Badaró de Castro leads on tax litigation from Brasília.

Brazil > Dispute Resolution: Litigation Tier 6

With offices in key business hubs across Brazil, Azevedo Sette Advogados is equipped to represent clients before the main courts, administrative authorities and regulatory agencies in the country. The group is regularly instructed on mining and environmental claims, and also acts in contractual, shareholder, tax and consumer claims, among others. Head of the dispute resolution practices in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Paulo A. Ciari de Almeida Filho is trusted by clients from the insurance, retail, technology and telecoms sectors. Also in São Paulo, Danielle Chipranski Cavalcante focuses on civil litigation and lawsuits in the TMT space. In Belo Horizonte, João Capanema, Marcos Augusto Leonardo Ribeiro and Leonardo Farinha Goulart handle an array of contentious matters, ranging from mining and real estate disputes to IP, competition and environmental claims.