Lawyer Rankings

Brazil > Banking and finance

Pinheiro Neto Advogados‘ broad finance practice remains at the forefront of market trends in the sector, with strong skill-sets in syndicated lending, trade finance, project finance, debt transactions, fintech, banking M&A and regulatory matters, among other areas. In a major headline deal, the firm was selected by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group to advise on the $435m sale -by subsidiary MUFG Bank- of its stake in Banco Bradesco; group co-head José Luiz Homem de Mello teamed-up with Fernando Mirandez Del Nero Gomes, Guilherme Sampaio Monteiro and Flavio Veitzman to lead that transaction. Homem de Mello was also at the helm for the firm’s advice to Banco Indusval on the sale of an ownership interest in Guide Investimentos to a subsidiary of Fosun International. Also on the bank M&A-side, high-profile department co-head Bruno Balduccini assisted State Street with its acquisition of Natixis Brasil. On the lending front, the firm advised a six-bank syndicate on a loan to SJC Bioenergia, which involved a significant restructuring component – Ricardo Russo led that work. In addition, the firm excels in regulatory matters, such as derivatives specialist Fernando Ruiz de Almeida Prado‘s ongoing advice to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association on regulatory issues. Tiago Araujo Dias Themudo Lessa is another key name in a group that also counts Caixa Econômica Federal, PagSeguro and Santander Group among its representative clients.

Brazil > Projects and infrastructure

One of the best firms for large energy and infrastructure projects in Brazil is Pinheiro Neto Advogados. In a case in point, the team advised the Port of Rotterdam on entering into a partnership agreement with the state of Ceará for the joint operation of the port of Pecém. On the financing side, it assisted Citibank -as onshore collateral agent and account bank, settlement bank and local debenture book-keeper- in relation to the funding of the CELSE  thermoelectric plant, one of the largest in Latin America and the Caribbean. Highly recommended practitioners include Ricardo Coelho, Júlio Bueno  and Ricardo Russo.