Pinheiro Guimarães > Rio de Janeiro, Brazil > Firm Profile

Pinheiro Guimarães
AV RIO BRANCO 181
27TH FLOOR
20040-918 RIO DE JANEIRO, RJ
Brazil

Brazil > Banking and finance Tier 1

Pinheiro Guimarães is a top choice for high-profile domestic and cross-border financings. The firm acts for a broad range of leading private and institutional creditors, including banks, governments and development agencies, as well as corporate borrowers. This includes regular involvement on some of the largest structured, project and acquisition financings on the market. Lead partners Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães and Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães N respectively lead the team from the firm’s offices in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Other key partners include Ivie Moura Alves for structured syndicated loans and debt capital markets and Fábio Yanitchkis Couto for distressed debt situations. Roberta Pimentel is particularly active in infrastructure, energy and natural resources-related financings.

Practice head(s):

Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães N; Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães

Key clients

Citibank

Itaú BBA

Credit Suisse

BTG Pactual

International Finance Corporation (IFC)

JP Morgan

Santader

HSBC

Banco Votorantim

Bradesco

Goldman Sachs

Klabin

General Motors

XP Investimentos

Saxo Bank

Banco Itaú

Ioschpe

B3 – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão

Suzano Papel e Celulose

Globo Group

Andrade Gutierrez

Enel

Moneda Asset Management

Redwood Capital Management

Rimrock Capital Management

Rede D’Or

EDF Energies Nouvelles

Vale

Work highlights

  • Advised a syndicate of lenders led by Goldman Sachs, Temasek, Bain Capital Credit, Crestline and Oaktree in connection with a €750m loan granted to payments company SumUp Holdings Luxembourg.
  • Advised Vale on a R$11.5bn secondary public offering of non-convertible subordinated participating debentures.
  • Assisting several banks, including Banco BNP Paribas Brasil, Banco Bradesco and Banco BTG Pactualon, on the R$7bn debt restructuring of Biosev and Biosev Bioenergia.

Brazil > Capital markets Tier 1

Pinheiro Guimarães is well known for high-end transactional work. The firm’s strong market reputation extends to debt and equity capital markets, where it regularly represents listed companies, financial institutions and investment funds on their largest listings. This includes issuer and underwriter support on major cross-border IPOs, secondary offerings, private placements and real estate and agribusiness certificates. Highly respected partners Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães N and Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães lead the team from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, respectively. Ivie Moura Alves provides a ‘multidisciplinary ability in ECM and DCM operations‘, while Cristina Tomiyama is noted for her ‘technical ability, and mapping and coordination of details‘. The firm’s deep bench of younger partners includes Mariana Silveira Martins Jost, who brings ‘technical vision and differentiated depth‘.

Practice head(s):

Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães N; Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães; Paula Pessôa; Ivie Moura Alves

Testimonials

‘Great involvement of partners and greater focus on more relevant operations, creating a market differential by avoiding the commoditisation of operations. They are able to combine recognition in terms of traditionalism in the market with legal innovations and interest in vanguard discussions. Keeping talent and absence of splits and significant losses of partners in the sector in recent years.’

‘Francisco José Pinheiro Guimaraes –  frequent and differentiated participation; Cristina Tomiyama – technical ability, and mapping and coordination of details; Ivie Moura – multidisciplinary ability in ECM and DCM operations; Mariana Jost – technical vision and differentiated depth.’

Key clients

Citibank

Itaú BBA

Credit Suisse

BTG Pactual

Santander

Bradesco BBI

Organizações Globo

XP Investimentos

HSBC

Votorantim

Rede D’Or

JP Morgan

B3 – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão

Iopche

Neoenergia

Enel

Suzano Papel e Celulose

Pátria Investimentos

CTG

Diagnósticos da América (DASA)

GP Investimentos

Banco Safra

Klabin

Group Boticário

International Finance Corporation – IFC

Grupo Gran (Graal Participações & GranBio)

Vale

Positivo

Estapar

Sicredi

CSN

BRFoods

UBS

Work highlights

  • Advising Vale on its secondary public offering, with restricted placement efforts, of R$11.5bn in non-convertible subordinated participating debentures.
  • Advised on the issuance by B3 – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão of $700m in sustainability-linked notes.
  • Advising Rede D’or São Luiz and Delta FM&B Fundo de Investimento em Ações on Rede D’or’s R$4.8bn primary and secondary public share offering.

Brazil > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Singled out for its ‘exceptional technical quality and negotiation skills', Pinheiro Guimarães has considerable experience in sophisticated M&A transactions involving clients of all sizes, from publicly traded companies to start-ups. Drawing on the firm’s banking and finance tradition, the group is well positioned to handle high-end deals in the financial services sector; private equity investments, and M&A involving listed companies, which generally have additional regulatory challenges, are other notable areas of strength for the team. Its busy workload not only features domestic and cross-border M&A, but also public offerings, joint ventures, spin-offs and corporate reorganisations across a range of industries. Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães steers the Rio de Janeiro-based team on complex M&A deals, and Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães oversees M&A, private equity and corporate law matters handled by the São Paulo office. Fellow co-head Marcelo Lamy Rego is noted for his ‘in-depth knowledge of corporate law, Brazilian legislation and comprehensive view of all kinds of legal challenges'. Rodrigo Marcilio is trusted by private equity funds and large corporations in both sell and buy-side transactions. Large-cap M&A and distressed deals are key areas of activity for Sérgio Ramos Yoshino. Maria Amélia Lisbão Senra is noted for her transactional track record in the financial, healthcare and retail sectors.  Also recommended, René Mostardeiro Brunet is a key contact for cross-border M&A and private equity deals, and Carolina Cardoso Ramalho brings together experience in corporate finance and business transactions. The firm has made significant investments in technology, including the implementation of AI tools to facilitate research, legal precedent analysis and due diligence exercises in the context of transactions.

Practice head(s):

Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães N.; Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães; Marcelo Lamy

Testimonials

‘Exceptional technical quality and negotiation skills.’

‘Marcelo Lamy is certainly one of the best corporate lawyers in the country. Carolina Cardoso Ramalho has excellent technical knowledge.’

‘Highly specialised in corporate, capital markets and international transactions. Excellent team, very available, hands-on and flexible. They are distinguished from the large firms that operate in international M&A or capital markets due to their proximity to the client and work as a single team.’

‘Marcelo Lamy is very experienced and has in-depth knowledge of corporate law, Brazilian legislation and a comprehensive view of all kinds of legal challenges and issues. Excellent negotiator and strategist.’

Key clients

BTG Pactual

Brookfield

Citibank

HSBC

GP Investments

Itau Unibanco

Gávea Investimentos

International Finance Corporation –

IFC

Organizações Globo

BHG – Brazil Hospitality Group

Sendas Distribuidora

Credit Suisse

Enel

Principia Capital Partners

Goldman Sachs

EB Capital

DNA Capital

EDF

GTIS Partners

Graal Participações

BIONEXO

Participações Industriais do Nordeste

Cellera Farma

Air Bus / Helibrás

Arla Foods

Wilson Sons

CM Hospitalar / Grupo Viveo

Consigaz

Partners Group

Grupo de Moda Soma

Macquarie Capital

Klabin

Rede D’Or

Rock World (Rock in Rio)

B3 – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão

CBSM – Companhia de Soluções de Marketing (Dotz)

CBOE Global Markets

BeeTech Global

Group 1 Automotive

Grupo Alfa

Work highlights

  • Advised Sendas Distribuidoras on the $1bn acquisition of Extra Hiper by Sendas Distribuidora (Assaí).
  • Assisted CSN Cimentos in the acquisition of equity interest representing 100% of the capital stock of LafargeHolcim (Brasil).
  • Acted as Globo’s legal counsel with respect to the sale of 100% of the capital stock of Comercial Fonográfica RGE and its affiliates, which are the operational entities behind the Som Livre musical label.

Brazil > Projects and infrastructure Tier 3

Best known for its strong capabilities in the banking and finance space, Pinheiro Guimarães provides multidisciplinary advice on project finance and development to a host of industrial and infrastructure-sector clients, including players from the energy, telecoms, oil and gas, mining and transportation segments. The broad service offering also covers the structuring, development and implementation of energy projects, notably those involving renewable sources, which is an area of increased focus for the department. Co-head André Sigelmann is skilled at handling project development, financing and M&A in the pulp and paper, power, and oil and gas industries. Fellow co-leader Roberta Giamattey Pimentel Fonseca has considerable experience in the structuring of energy and infrastructure financing alternatives in the international and domestic financial and capital markets. Bridge and long-term financings for solar photovoltaic projects are areas of recent activity for Marcela Taquette Vaz.

Practice head(s):

André Sigelmann; Roberta Giamattey Pimentel Fonseca

Key clients

EDF Renewables

Rio Energy

EDP Energias do Brasil

Eneva

Brookfield Energia Renovável

Neoenergia

China Three Gorges Brasil Energia

Proton Energy

Total Eren

Echoenergia Participações

BTG Pactual

Andrade Gutierrez

Itaú BBA

International Finance Corporation

Interamerican Development Bank

Banco Citibank

Itaú Unibanco

Credit Suisse

Santander

XP Investimentos Corretora de Câmbio, Títulos e Valores Mobiliários

XP Vista Asset Management

Banco Modal

Voltalia

Banco da Amazônia

Work highlights

  • Advised CSN Mineração, as issuer, on the issuance and public offering with restricted placement efforts of non-convertible unsecured infrastructure debentures in the amount of R$1bn.
  • Assisted EDF Renewables in the implementation of six wind farms within the Serra do Seridó complex in the state of Paraíba.
  • Assisted Banco Itaú BBA and Banco BTG Pactual, as underwriters, in the issuance and public offering with restricted efforts of non-convertible secured infrastructure debentures by Parintins Amazonas Transmissora de Energia.

Brazil > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

Pinheiro Guimarães is noted for its ‘essential pro-business perspective for the client’, ‘excellent lawyers’ and aptitude for ‘highly complex operations and legal issues’. The practice has a good track record in representing creditors in judicial reorganisations and debt restructurings, including advice on DIP financings and distressed sales and acquisitions. Gustavo Mota Guedes is the lead partner for related litigation; he works closely with Guilherme Vaz, who is highlighted as ‘a highly versatile practitioner, who delivers top-notch service to clients with respect to commercial arbitration, court litigation, and bankruptcy issues’.

Practice head(s):

Gustavo Mota Guedes; Guilherme Vaz

Testimonials

‘We have a relationship of trust with the firm, especially with its partner Plínio Pinheiro Guimarães, and the service is always excellent.’

‘Pinheiro Guimarães is one of the most qualified and sophisticated firms on the market. It is always a choice for highly complex operations and legal issues. This status was achieved by a team of excellent lawyers, always available and close to the client’s needs.’

‘Guilherme Vaz is a highly versatile practitioner, who delivers top-notch service to clients with respect to commercial arbitration, court litigation, and bankruptcy issues.’

‘Well trained and act with an essential pro-business perspective for the client. It should be noted that the partners are accessible and are always available to help the client.’

‘Bruno Lardosa and Guilherme Vaz work with an extremely important pro-business perspective to conclude deals.’

Key clients

Itaú Unibanco

Andrade Gutierrez

Itaú BBA

CarVal Investors

Guggenheim Partners

Banco Votorantim

Merrill Lynch International

Citigroup

Empresa de Energia São Manoel

International Finance Corporation

Stallone Investments Group

Quadra Gestão de Recursos

Elera Renováveis

Vale

Globo Comunicação e Participações

DEG Deu Deutsche Investitions

Victoria Capital Partners

Work highlights

  • Representing a creditor holding a total claim of over $514m, which represents over 70% of the total claims in the bankruptcy proceeding of Oceanair Linhas Aéreas (Avianca Brasil) and AVB Holding.
  • Representing Vale, a major shareholder, in Samarco Mineração’s R$50.5bn judicial reorganisation.
  • Assisting Quadra Gestão de Recursos, as arranger of a R$435m debtor-in-possession financing to the debtors in Moreno Group’s judicial reorganisation.

Tax > Tax advisory Tier 5

The experienced tax team at Pinheiro Guimarães provides strong support on the firm’s large flow of transactional mandates. This includes domestic and international tax planning advice on M&A, capital markets and restructuring deals. Daniela Viana Cordeiro de Melo Fassheber jointly leads the tax team with São Paulo-based partner Rafael Xavier Vianello, with both primarily focused on non-contentious issues. Other key lawyers include partner Estevan Leal and senior associate Thiago Paranhos Neves, who leads the tax litigation side of the practice.

Practice head(s):

Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães; Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarães; Daniela Viana Cordeiro de Melo Fassheber; Rafael Vianello

Key clients

Brookfield Holding

Globo Comunicações e Participações

Reserva (Tiferet Comércio de Roupas)

EDP do Brasil

Neoenergia

Brookfield Shopping Centers

EDF em do Brasil Participações

Parâmetro Comércio e Participações

Banco Itaú BBA

Klabin

Banco Citibank

Banco BTG Pactual

Brookfield Energia Renovável

Enel Green Power Brasil Participações

Sociedade de Ensino Superior Estácio de Sá

Cielo

Track & Field

Wilson Sons Group

Grupo Soma

Reserva (Tiferet Comércio de Roupas)

Península Participações

Banco Citibank

C&A

Graninvestimentos

IMC

Grupo Mateus

Braskem

Ambev

Arpex Investimentos

Vale

Work highlights

  • Advised B3 on the tax issues linked to its $700m issuance of sustainability-linked notes.
  • Acted as Brookfield’s legal counsel for the R$1.6bn sale of Brapa Participações, which currently holds significant assets in the agricultural and cattle-raising businesses.
  • Advising Globo Comunicação e Participações on the tax impacts of its $254m sale of Comercial Fonográfica RG.

Pinheiro Guimarães was established in 1922. With a presence in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Pinheiro Guimarães represents a wide variety of both Brazilian and foreign clients and is assisted by a full staff of legal support personnel.

Pinheiro Guimarães is one of the most active Brazilian legal advisers assisting in domestic and international capital markets debt and equity offerings, syndicated loans, trade finance, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border lease transactions, structured finance, project finance and procurement, private equity, securitisations of exports and other receivables, bankruptcy and corporate reorganisations, litigation, arbitration and tax.

Lawyers are fluent in several languages and many of them hold LLM degrees from the law schools of major universities in Brazil, the US and Europe. A significant number of Pinheiro Guimarães lawyers have worked at top tier law firms abroad and in international organisations. 18 of them are admitted to practice in both Brazil and New York.

Principal areas of practice
Banking and finance:  Pinheiro Guimarães has extensive and widely recognised experience in local and cross-border financing transac­tions. Its lawyers represent a wide range of clients that include both private and institutional lenders, governments and development agencies, multilateral organisations and corporate borrowers. Pinheiro Guimarães acts as counsel to both lenders and borrowers in connection with syndicated loans, refinancing transactions, import financing, export prepayment and other trade-related debt transactions, local and cross-border financial leases, securitisations, credit-linked debt and acquisition financings. A significant part of the practice involves representing clients undertak­ing project finance (infrastructure and industrial projects) deals, structured finance products and debt restructuring (including bankruptcy proceedings and judicial and extrajudicial reorganisations).

It also assists financial institutions in developing banking and treasury products and in regulatory and compliance matters, including administrative proceedings and the reorganisation of financial groups, before the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM).

Capital markets: Pinheiro Guimarães provides legal advice on primary and secondary public securities offerings in both the Brazilian and international capital markets (shares, shares certificates and debt securities). It also assists clients in carrying out filings and cancellations of public company registrations; securities listings and delistings; administra­tive proceedings and consultations with the CVM and BM&FBOVESPA; investments in the Brazilian capital and financial markets by local and foreign investors; and structuring stock option plans.

It is also actively involved in developing and setting up investment funds, including hedge funds and structured funds such as private equity funds and credit rights investment funds (FIDCs), as well as in different derivative transactions (including hedging transactions involving swaps, futures and options linked to foreign exchange, interest rates and commodity indices and prices) and products. Pinheiro Guimarães also advises clients on compliance and trading rules, filings and reporting require­ments and administrative and disciplinary procedures.

 Corporate and M&A: Pinheiro Guimarães provides legal assistance in the incorporation of companies and other entities for the development of business activities in Brazil. Such assistance includes drafting corporate documents (such as investment agreements, joint venture agreements, shareholder and quotaholder agreements), and counselling on all corporate issues involving different corporate entities in Brazil. On a regular basis, Pinheiro Guimarães handles securities repurchase transactions; foreign investments structure and divestments; transactions involving asset sales and debt assumptions; and turn-around investments and invest­ments in overleveraged or distressed Brazilian companies. It is also actively involved in M&A transactions, transfers of control, corporate restructuring transactions and designing and negotiating private equity investments and private equity funds.

Tax: Pinheiro Guimarães advises clients in developing and carrying out integrated tax strategies with respect to their activities in connection with capital markets, start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, structured finance, asset restructurings and e-business. It engages in the development of financial and banking products, tax-efficient investment alternatives, and derivatives transactions. Tax lawyers at Pinheiro Guimarães have expertise in international and cross-border transactions and international tax treaties, therefore being well positioned to provide its clients with sophisticated advice on structured tax transactions, tax derivatives products, tax planning and the most effective use of tax credits and tax sparing rules.

Litigation and arbitration: Pinheiro Guimarães has a competent and growing number of lawyers dedicated to handling complex commercial and financial matters under litigation or subject to arbitration proceedings. In the area of credit recovery — including summary collections, judicial recovery and bankruptcy proceedings — it has seen its practice grow in recent years, to a point where it includes a significant number of clients in Brazil as well as many offshore creditor groups. A growing number of dispute resolution proceedings consist of commercial arbitration, both local and international.

Project procurement: Pinheiro Guimarães is a recognised leader in the development and implementation of projects in various industries, such as energy, oil and gas, and pulp and paper. It provides legal advice on all aspects of the development and implementation of projects, including devising the most appropriate structure for the project (corporate, regulatory and tax-wise), tax incentives participation in public auctions, joint ventures, project agreements, financing regulatory and environmental matters, claims management and dispute resolution.

Insolvency and restructuring: In the area of credit recovery — including summary collections, judicial recovery and bankruptcy proceedings — the firm has seen its practice grow in recent years to include a significant number of clients in Brazil as well as many offshore creditor groups, such as bondholders, commercial and investment banks, investment funds and multi-lateral organisations.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Rio de Janeiro Plinio Pinheiro Guimarães Nplinio@pinheiroguimaraes.com.br+55 21 4501 5000
São Paulo Francisco José Pinheiro Guimarãesfjpg@pinheiroguimaraes.com.br+55 11 4501 5000
Partners : 39
Associate Lawyer : 60
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