Donald Baker > White & Case LLP > Sao Paulo, Brazil > Lawyer Profile

White & Case LLP has a diverse practice across jurisdictions and transaction types. It consistently operates at the top of the market, particularly in Brazil, where it is long-established and has one of the leading São Paulo teams. It has advised on a series of recent equity offerings in Brazil, including a sizeable market share of secondary and follow-on offerings, and has experienced further growth in liability management engagements. It remains active in M&A-driven transactions and restructuring-related matters; the firm is debtor counsel to a large number of Brazilian corporates. Donald Baker is the market leader in São Paulo amongst international firms, having opened the office there in 1997 and developed outstanding links to Brazilian corporates and financial institutions. John Vetterli is global head of capital markets and has a long track record in Latin America offerings, having been located in Sao Paulo earlier in his career. John Guzman is another prominent figure in São Paulo, having led teams on a multitude of headline deals, while Rafael Roberti is an up-and-coming name and ‘a leader in transactions‘, along with Bibiana Jaimes. In Miami, Karen Katri was elected to the partnership in 2023; and in Sao Paulo Beatriz Barros is an up-and-coming associate of note. All named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

White & Case LLP has a dedicated Latin America M&A practice, which has achieved considerable growth over the past five years. The team is primarily centred in Houston and has a major focus on energy and power transactions. Financial services and an increasing number of technology deals are also core to the practice, with the team working on a series of growth capital transactions, particularly in fintech. Real estate transactions connected to the nearshoring arena in Mexico are also fortifying the practice. The team has a fine record in Brazil, Mexico and Chile, along with a growing presence in Peru, Costa Rica and other smaller economies. William Parish is a leading Latin America M&A practitioner in energy and power, as is Rodrigo Dominguez, who is also building the group’s presence in growth capital and technology transactions. Emilio Grandío is another key member of the team, both in Latin America M&A and private equity, as is associate Luisa Muskus. In São Paulo, Donald Baker is at the pinnacle of the profession among international practitioners, bringing his reputation and expertise to a range of deals, notably in the technology and growth capital fields. All named individuals are based in Houston unless stated otherwise.