Mr Ricardo Russo > Pinheiro Neto Advogados > Sao Paulo, Brazil > Lawyer Profile

Leveraging bench strength in banking, financing and capital markets transactions, as well as across public law issues and regulated industries, Pinheiro Neto Advogados is well positioned to assist clients engaged in local and cross-border project finance deals, such as those involving funding through public banks, project debentures and international bond offerings. Recently, the firm has been engaged in major project finance transactions in the sanitation, power, public lighting, oil and gas, and water segments, but has been equally retained by clients in project development, administrative contracts, concessions and PPPs, particularly in the transport sector (ports, airports, highways and railways). On the contentious front, the team is also regularly seen acting in the resolution of conflicts related to construction agreements. Practice head Ricardo Russo steers the team on a range of high-value project finance matters involving banking and capital markets instruments. Júlio César Bueno, who possesses considerable international experience, is a key contact for construction and engineering contracts, dispute resolution and public procurement. Clients operating in the infrastructure, oil and gas, and energy sectors regularly turn to Ricardo Coelho for assistance with financing matters and M&A, while Thaís Fernandes Chebatt is noted for her experience in contractual modelling for construction projects. Marcello Lobo is singled out for his comprehensive knowledge of the oil and gas industry, where he advises on M&A, joint ventures and financing transactions.

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has a multi-faceted capital markets practice, which stands out for the number and the quality of its transactions. 2021 saw the firm advise on almost 30 equity offerings, including its representation of Nu Holdings on the high-profile $2.8bn Nubank IPO, involving a dual listing on the NYSE and Brazil. Transactional debt work, including agribusiness and real estate instruments, was similarly busy for the practice, and advice to investment funds also features regularly in its workload. The team’s regulatory credentials were demonstrated through its work for Laqus Depositária de Valores Mobiliárias on the establishment of a new Central Securities Depository for agribusiness securities. The ‘highly specialised partners‘ include Ricardo Russo, Tiago A. D. Themudo Lessa and the recently promoted Rafael Gaspar for debt products. Henrique Lang, Guilherme Sampaio Monteiro, Jose Luiz Homem de Mello and Fernando Zorzo are among the lead partners on the equity side.