Pinheiro Neto Advogados > Rio de Janeiro, Brazil > Firm Profile

Pinheiro Neto Advogados > The Legal 500 Rankings

Brazil > Banking and finance Tier 1

Pinheiro Neto Advogados' ‘huge technical and market knowledge' makes it one of the first destinations for ground-breaking transactional and regulatory matters. The firm remained busy during 2021 and 2022 in the booming payments and fintech space, where it has advised on some of the market’s largest transactions, including the IPO of digital bank Nubank. On the financing side, the team also assists major banks on a range of products, including debt capital markets, project and acquisition finance, and real estate and agribusiness debentures. Bruno Balduccini is one of the lead regulatory partners, while Jose Luiz Homem de Mello brings ‘extensive experience' in transactional matters. Fernando Ruiz de Almeida Prado is a key contact for structured products, while Yuka Ono heads the active Japan desk. Recently promoted partners Tatiana Mello Guazzelli and Raphael Palmieri Salomão are also developing strong reputations.

Brazil > Capital markets Tier 1

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.

City focus - Brasilia > Litigation Tier 1

Praised for its ‘dedication and commitment to achieve successful outcomes for clients’, the dispute resolution team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados is often retained by large national and international companies from an array of industries, including mining, banking, IT, construction and life sciences. The group handles a busy caseload, which includes matters related to public and constitutional law, corruption allegations, and corporate and commercial disputes. Names to note in the practice include mining law and government relations expert Carlos Vilhena; Leonardo Rocha e Silva, who focuses on complex litigation before the appellate courts; José Alexandre Buaiz Neto, whose expertise spans bribery investigations, competition law and compliance issues; and litigator Vicente Coelho Araujo.

Brazil > Competition and antitrust Tier 1

Noted for its ‘personalised and agile service‘, Pinheiro Neto Advogados has a well-established reputation in Brazil, and its competition department remains at the forefront of the market. With comprehensive coverage in this field, the team is a popular choice for major domestic and international companies in merger reviews and investigations before CADE. The firm also stands out for its ability to represent clients in judicial litigation, still a relatively nascent area in Brazil; the antitrust group’s origins in the litigation department make it particularly well placed for these cases. Also of note is the firm’s highly regarded M&A department, which ensures a regular flow of merger filings, including in multi-jurisdictional deals. Cristianne Zarzur is a well-known competition expert in the market; her expertise covers merger control, anti-competitive practices and compliance. Antitrust and international trade specialist Renê Medrado, competition and compliance expert José Alexandre Buaiz Neto, and Leonardo Rocha e Silva in Brasília are also key senior figures in the team. Daniel Costa Rebello and associate Alessandro Pezzolo Giacaglia are additional names to note. In a rare move, the firm hired former CADE official Amanda Athayde in July 2022.

Brazil > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Praised by clients for its ‘deep legal knowledge, excellent negotiation skills and relevant deal flow’, Pinheiro Neto Advogados continues to advise buyers, sellers, private equity funds, venture capital firms and financial institutions on blockbuster M&A deals in a variety of industries. The team has reported a recent uptick in transactional mandates within the technology, education, energy, oil and gas, healthcare, agribusiness and infrastructure sectors, which are all undergoing a consolidation process in the country. In terms of technology and innovation, the firm has adopted new software solutions based on data analytics and machine learning to support decision-making in many of its core practice areas. Its D&I programme promotes internal and external actions, with an emphasis on gender equality, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, people with disabilities, religious freedom, and financial and geographic diversity. On this front, it supports Ismart – Instituto Social para Motivar, Apoiar e Reconhecer Talentos, a non-profit that assists young people from low-income backgrounds by offering them scholarships in prime schools and access to vocational programmes from elementary to higher education levels. As a result, many law students linked to this entity joined the firm as interns. Furthermore, the firm, which was the first in the market to offset its entire carbon footprint, has been offering advice on a pro-bono basis since its inception in 1942. Focused on private equity and M&A transactions, Carlos Alberto Moreira Lima Jr manages the group, which also features managing partners Alexandre Bertoldi and Fernando Alves Meira, the latter of whom excels in cross-border deals. Marcelo Viveiros de Moura is experienced in M&A in the oil and gas space, while Henry Sztutman and Miguel Tornovsky are trusted by several private equity firms. Other core members of the team include Joao Marcelo Pacheco, Fernando Zorzo, whose experience covers corporate reorganisations involving listed companies, Eduardo Paoliello Jr., Vânia Marques Ribeiro Moyano and Joamir Müller Romiti Alves, who is highlighted for his ‘excellent negotiation skills’. Camila Carvalho Gomes and Thiago José da Silva were promoted to partner in early 2022. Since publication, Tiago Eler Silva and Cauê Rezende Myanaki have been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.

Brazil > Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Tier 1

The ‘highly qualified‘ arbitration team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados is a recognised market leader for complex, high-value and cross-border disputes. The team routinely represents multinational companies operating in a variety of industries, such as oil and gas, energy, telecoms, insurance and healthcare, involved in high-stake arbitrations arising from M&A and corporate governance agreements, construction contracts, infrastructure investments, PPPs and concessions. With over three decades of experience in dispute resolution, Gilberto Giusti is singled out for his arbitration work related to civil, commercial, corporate, securities and construction disputes. Major cases involving construction and infrastructure projects in Brazil and Latin America are core strengths for Júlio César Bueno, who excels in cross-border disputes involving power plants and mining facilities. Renato Stephan Grion ‘is extremely competent in arbitration proceedings‘, most notably ICC arbitrations. Rodrigo Persone P. Camargo has combined expertise in litigation and arbitration, while Pedro Barradas Barata stands out for his work in arbitration proceedings concerning financial services and life sciences players. Thaís Fernandes Chebatt focuses on dispute resolution involving infrastructure, construction and engineering contracts.

Brazil > Dispute Resolution: Litigation Tier 1

A go-to destination for Brazilian and international clients engaged in high-stakes litigation and ‘one of the best law firms in Brazil‘, Pinheiro Neto Advogados is recognised for its strength in handling high-profile civil and commercial cases. The firm, whose track record in this field exceeds seven decades, provides assistance to clients from a range of industries, including technology and financial services players. A reference in the national market, Celso Cintra Mori maintains a broad dispute resolution practice, handling civil, commercial and administrative cases throughout the country. Focused on domestic and cross-border proceedings, Gilberto Giusti is counsel of choice for clients engaged in corporate, securities and construction disputes. Rodrigo Carneiro, who has a background in the oil and gas sector, is another name to note for corporate and securities cases. Litigator Vicente Coelho Araujo in Brasilia specialises in appellate matters before the Brazilian higher courts, and Luis Claudio Furtado Faria showcases significant experience in class actions and litigation involving energy and financial services clients. Eider Avelino Silva is extremely active in the department, both in the context of domestic and cross-border disputes. At the associate level, Gianvito Ardito stands out for his involvement in class actions.

Energy and natural resources > Mining Tier 1

Highlighted for its ‘excellent knowledge of the mining sector’, Pinheiro Neto Advogados acts for a strong client base comprised of market-leading mining companies with investments and projects located in Brazil and overseas. The firm’s longstanding reputation in this space sees it frequently acting in various public and private M&A deals, debt transactions and alternative financing, including royalties and streaming transactions. The Brasília-based team is also well positioned to advise clients in complex regulatory matters, crisis management, litigation and environmental permitting. More recently, the practice has been focusing on guiding mining and metals sector clients throughout their cultural transformation triggered by the ESG, decarbonisation and energy transition agendas. With extensive experience in mining policy and regulation, Carlos Vilhena ‘is an excellent professional with vast knowledge and recognition in Brazil and other countries‘. Marina Bertucci Ferreira is another name to note at the associate level; she is often seen advising clients on the development of policies and the impacts of public policies on specific projects. Since publication, senior associate Filipe Morais Cunha left the firm in December 2022.

Brazil > Environment Tier 1

Pinheiro Neto Advogados enjoys a strong reputation in the market, given its ability to handle high-profile environmental litigation (involving civil, administrative and criminal liability) across the country. Covering all aspects of environmental law, the group is a trusted advisor to a range of clients engaged in contentious matters arising from contaminated sites, tailings dam-related incidents, health and safety issues and environmental regulations, among others. In addition to administrative and judicial litigation, the team is well positioned to assist in environmental licensing, take-back plans, projects with environmental implications, and regulatory matters. Furthermore, the department collaborates with the firm’s infrastructure, banking and capital markets practices to advise clients on ESG issues, green financing and lenders’ liability. Antonio José Monteiro is a veteran in environmental law in Brazil, and has a wealth of experience in matters related to agribusiness and biotechnology. Werner Grau Neto is particularly sought after by energy and mining companies implicated in environmental cases, and is a key contact for climate change and ESG mandates. The ‘extremely competent‘ Alexandre Outeda Jorge has a strong track record in class actions and negotiations with public entities and regulatory agencies. Other individuals to note for consulting and litigation matters include Luis Celso Cecilio Leite Ribeiro and Natalia Azevedo de Carvalho. Andre Vivan de Souza is active in environmental licensing, carbon markets and public civil actions, while Paula Susanna Amaral Mello is recommended for sustainability issues.

Brazil > International trade Tier 1

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has a ‘spectacular‘ practice with ‘knowledge of cases of great complexity‘. The dedicated team has been involved in trade remedies investigations since the early 1990s. The lawyers have strong track records advising domestic manufacturers and exporters on sunset reviews, as well as public interest proceedings and safeguard investigations. Their expertise also covers WTO disputes and support in related customs and international trade litigation before the administrative and judicial courts. The firm’s credentials are built around a strong connection with multiple industries, including energy, natural resources, chemicals, manufacturing, automotive, food and fashion. Clients, including major multinationals and trade associations, praise the team’s ‘excellent professionals‘ including practice heads Mauro Berenholc and Renê Medrado, and associate Cora Mendes. Since publication, João Rafael L. Gândara de Carvalho has been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.

Brazil > Life sciences Tier 1

The well-established life sciences practice at Pinheiro Neto Advogados assists and advises clients in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, food and food supplement, cosmetics, agribusiness and healthcare industries. At the forefront of this practice, the firm has recently assisted clients related to the National Immunisation programme for the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. Multidisciplinary in its offering, the team is also engaged in transactional work, covering acquisitions, distributor and licensing agreements, clinical trials, research and development, technology transfers, and more, drawing on the strength of the firm’s leading corporate and M&A practice. Angela Kung, a co-founder of the life sciences practice at the firm, maintains a focus on regulatory and transactional work that is complex in nature, covering all segments of the life sciences industry, including emerging technologies. At the non-partner level, senior associate Nicole Aun is also a key member of team, closely involved in technology transfer projects in the pharmaceuticals sub-sector within the context of public and private partnerships. Laura Oliveira Barboza is also of note; she focuses on IP and administrative issues. Since publication, Camila Martino Parise has been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.

Brazil > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

The ‘excellent' multidisciplinary team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados brings ‘deep technical knowledge and extensive experience in the field’. The firm handles the full range of contentious and non-contentious issues, including DIP financings, judicial and extra-judicial reorganisations, and distressed sales and acquisitions, regularly representing creditors and investors in the country’s largest cases. The team also has notable experience acting on the debtor side in restructuring matters. Among the partners, Luiz Fernando Valente de Paiva is ‘extremely capable and experienced in insolvency proceedings; his name is well known in the industry, including with judges'. Giuliano Colombo is ‘an excellent lawyer and a great person who has probably the very best reputation of any Brazilian restructuring lawyer in the US market'. Thiago Braga Junqueira is noted for his ‘unique strategic vision' and ‘active participation in the process of building solutions'.

Tax > Customs Tier 1

Tax > Tax advisory Tier 1

Pinheiro Neto Advogados offers ‘vast experience‘ in contentious and non-contentious tax matters, with a deep bench of lawyers who are ‘always available to provide solutions for each case‘. The specialised practice has an excellent track record representing clients in tax disputes at the municipal, state and federal levels. Key litigators include the hugely experienced Sérgio Farina Filho, Luiz Roberto Peroba Barbosa, the ‘extremely dedicated and committed‘ Carlos Henrique Tranjan Bechara, and Tércio Chiavassa. The firm’s dominant corporate and M&A practice gives it an extremely strong profile in advisory issues, including tax structuring on transactional and restructuring matters, with Ricardo Luiz Becker, Giancarlo Chamma Matarazzo, the ‘excellent and engaged‘ Luciana Rosanova Galhardo, and Emir Nunes de Oliveira Neto among those with good credentials on the transactional side. Mauro Berenholc is a lead partner for customs law, and Cristiane Matsumoto and Marcos de Vicq de Cumptich are active on the social security side. Since publication, João Rafael L. Gândara de Carvalho and Vinicius Pimenta Seixas have been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.

Tax > Tax litigation Tier 1

Brazil > TMT: Cybersecurity and data privacy Tier 1

Pinheiro Neto Advogados’ cybersecurity and data protection group is a popular choice for multinational and domestic clients in the financial services, healthcare and insurance industries. The full-service firm advises and consults on all manner of aspects related to the LGPD with a multidisciplinary approach. Outside of compliance programmes, the team also advises on increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges, assisting clients in managing risk and data breach remediation actions. In particular, social media clients trust the team to advise them in breakthrough matters, such as open banking technology in Brazil. Litigation is another area in which the team shines, representing companies in a number of high-profile cases involving free speech, privacy, and liability for third-party content and disclosure of user data in the Supreme Federal Court. André Zonaro Giacchetta and José Mauro Decoussau Machado are go-to individuals in the team for litigation matters. Larissa Galimberti is a technology transaction and data protection expert, with extensive experience in structuring new products, services and platforms for e-commerce. Ciro Torres Freitas is also highly specialised within the field, and advises some of the top global technology clients. In broader developments, the firm opened a Tokyo office in 2019, which is a strategic advantage for Asia-based clients.

Brazil > TMT: Tech, innovation and digital business Tier 1

The technology practice at Pinheiro Neto Advogados advises on a range of regulatory and corporate matters for foreign clients seeking guidance in the Brazilian market. It represents clients from a wide range of industries, including medical diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, financial services, e-commerce and fintech, adopting a multidisciplinary approach in its advice, covering transactional, IP, regulatory and litigation mandates. Recent highlights for the department include acting for a number of social media giants including Facebook and Twitter. As part of its Asia-wide strategy, the firm recently announced the opening of its Tokyo office, bolstering the firm’s regional technology and digital business capabilities there. Litigation specialists André Zonaro Giacchetta and José Mauro Decoussau Machado are of note within the team, with specialisms in technology transfers and software licensing, and IP, advertising and unfair competition, respectively. Larissa Galimberti stands out as a technology expert and is trusted by clients for her new product, platform and services structuring expertise, particularly for financial services and life sciences clients. Ciro Torres Freitas focuses his practice on advisory and contentious support to digital and internet businesses in relation to data protection and privacy.

City focus - Brasilia > Public law and regulation Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados is a popular choice for companies from the healthcare, infrastructure, energy and mining industries seeking assistance with PPPs, privatisations, concessions and public contracts. Another area of particular strength for the practice is dispute resolution, where it acts on complex and sensitive cases before local governments, regulatory agencies and the superior courts. As part of its broad offering, the team also handles compliance and environmental matters, bribery allegations and administrative improbity claims and competition law issues. Marcelo Alfredo Bernardes is a key contact for infrastructure projects and administrative disputes. Carlos Vilhena focuses on mining projects and government relations work. Other key names in the department include Leonardo Rocha e Silva, an antitrust expert with experience in proceedings before the CADE; appellate litigator Vicente Coelho Araujo; and José Alexandre Buaiz Neto, an expert in anti-bribery and compliance matters.

City focus - Brasilia > Tax Tier 2

In Brasília, the tax team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados covers a range of contentious and non-contentious matters, including administrative and judicial disputes at state and federal levels, direct and indirect taxation issues, and import and export taxes. The group is particularly known for its expertise in transfer pricing-related disputes, and often collaborates with the firm’s corporate team to handle tax planning and fiscal matters related to M&A deals and capital markets products. Tax litigator Luiz Paulo Romano is a key contact for disputes before the CARF and the Brazilian Supreme Court. He is supported by senior associate André Torres Dos Santos, who is skilled in complex tax litigation.

Brazil > Compliance Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados‘ expertise in leniency agreements sets it apart. Its compliance and corporate crimes team also draws on the multidisciplinary expertise of a range of professionals to assist clients in a diverse mix of matters. This includes improbity proceedings; implementation of compliance, anti-money laundering and other internal policies; independent investigations; and advice in the context of M&A transactions. At the partner level, Jose Alexandre Buaiz Neto brings knowledge of antitrust, anti-corruption and litigation; Ricardo Pagliari Levy adds a range of expertise in public law and corporate compliance; Vicente Coelho Araujo handles complex litigation from the Brasília office; Daniel Costa Rebello acts in complex investigations, particularly in the technology, healthcare and life sciences sectors; and Mário Panseri Ferreira handles the criminal aspects of clients’ cases. Lourival Lofrano Júnior, who specialises in compliance and corporate criminal law, was promoted to counsel in January 2022. Since publication, Natalia Genina Lugero De Almeida has been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity (and renewable energy)

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has multidisciplinary knowledge in practice areas key to the successful completion of transactions involving power and renewable assets, privatisations and auctions in the Brazilian electricity sector. Its varied client roster is predominantly made up of corporations and investors engaged in power generation, distribution, transmission and trading, which often turn to the firm for assistance with tenders for new hydroelectric uses and construction of new transmission lines, private auctions, M&A transactions, corporate restructuring and project finance. The team is also well positioned to act for large power consumers and the CCEE on a number of regulatory matters. The firm has continued to diversify its power practice, and has recently seen an uptick in work related to energy transition, self-production and distributed generation projects. José Roberto Oliva Júnior is a go-to counsel for a number of domestic and international clients, including traditional and renewable power producers, utilities, trading companies and large consumers; he specialises in project finance, M&A and regulatory matters in the power sector. José Carlos Altomari Teixeira is proficient in power-related M&A, administrative litigation and privatisations.

Brazil > Insurance Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has notable experience advising insurers, reinsurers and major policyholders on strategic, regulatory and commercial issues. Clients praise the team for its ‘high technical knowledge and willingness to work’ and the lawyers’ ‘availability to support client demands’. Its high-level advice to policyholders was demonstrated through its assistance to Pfizer in negotiating critical insurance issues linked to its Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Brazil. The firm also has good credentials for M&A deals, joint ventures, financings, bancassurance structures and product launches. Lead partners include Diogenes Mendes Gonçalves Neto for complex regulatory and contentious issues, and corporate partners Bruno Balduccini, Fernando Mirandez Del Nero Gomes and Carlos Eduardo Gazineu de Azevedo. Senior associate Raíssa Lilavati Barbosa Abbas Campelo is also well regarded.

Brazil > Labour and employment Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has an ‘excellent' employment team, whose lawyers ‘answer questions individually, quickly and assertively’. The practice provides strong support to the wider firm on related M&A, restructuring and outsourcing matters. Coupled with this is an impressive standalone workload covering a range of issues, from the development of internal employment policies through to trade union negotiations and high-profile collective and individual dismissal claims. The highly experienced Luís Antônio Ferraz Mendes has over 30 years’ experience in the market, while Thais Galo has particularly significant expertise in employee recruitment, dismissal and compensation matters. The highly regarded Mauricio Froes Guidi is ‘always thinking about complete and feasible solutions'.

Brazil > Projects and infrastructure Tier 2

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.

Brazil > Real estate Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has ‘great resources‘ and is noted for its ability to execute transactions and ‘real estate securitisations of greater complexity‘. The firm’s market-leading full-service capabilities cover a range of related areas, including corporate, finance, regulatory, capital markets and litigation matters. The firm is especially popular with leading funds, banks and investors, including Tishman Speyer, Proterra and BTG Pactual. Lead transactional partners include the ‘excellent‘ Luciano Garcia Rossi, the ‘very communicative and available‘ Franco Grotti, and the recently promoted Fabio Rocha Pinto e Silva (who ‘brings together deep technical knowledge with broad business skills‘). Senior associates such as Marianna Morselli, Gustavo Freitas and Martina Zajakoff  also attract high praise. Luis Celso Cecilio Leite Ribeiro is highly experienced in contentious and non-contentious environmental issues, while Júlio César Bueno handles a wide range of real estate disputes.

Brazil > TMT: Media Tier 2

Pinheiro Neto Advogados features a multidisciplinary media and entertainment practice that is a go-to choice for clients seeking advice on project financing, acquisitions and joint ventures, licensing and marketing, media rights, and regulatory matters. Its broad service offering covers the majority of media sectors, including digital and new media, social media, advertising, visual arts, and sports. José Mauro Decoussau Machado stands out for his track record in media-related IP litigation and transactional work. Raphael de Cunto focuses on the technology and the gaming industries. Senior associate Gustavo Gonçalves Ferrer and Márcio Junqueira Leite are other names to note for commercial litigation, IP, and general media and entertainment mandates.

Brazil > Wealth and succession planning Tier 2

Clients praise the technical ability of Pinheiro Neto Advogados' private client and wealth practice, which benefits from the firm’s full-service offering. Collaborating with the wider firm’s corporate, tax and litigation teams, the offering is multidisciplinary in nature when tackling client issues such as domestic and international asset structuring, family corporate governance, philanthropy, wills, and similar instruments for HNWIs and families. Celso Cintra Mori is a key contact in the team for litigation and disputes. Flávio Belliboni is a family and estate planning expert, regularly handling complex and sensitive family law matters. Pythagoras Carvalho is also highly regarded, as is Marcos Chaves Ladeira.

Energy and natural resources > Hydrocarbons Tier 3

‘One of the most prestigious law firms in Brazil‘, Pinheiro Neto Advogados showcases a deep understanding of regulatory matters surrounding the exploration, development, production, refining, distribution and trading of oil, natural gas and its by-products. Brazilian and international clients active in all segments, including service providers and equipment suppliers, regularly turn to the team, which has notable strength in high-value transactions involving oil and gas assets. Based in the Rio de Janeiro office, Marcello Lobo is counsel of choice for many oil and gas clients engaged in high-end M&A and financing transactions with relevant regulatory implications. Marcelo Viveiros de Moura, whose experience in this industry spans more than three decades, is a key contact for domestic and cross-border deals. Regulatory matters, corporate reorganisations and joint ventures are all areas of expertise for Francisco Werneck Maranhão, whose track record also features M&A in the oil, gas and utilities sectors. Recently promoted partner Raphael Moraes Paciello is another key individual in Rio for transactions and regulatory mandates in this space.

Brazil > Intellectual property Tier 3

With a 'pragmatic business-oriented approach’, the IP practice at Pinheiro Neto Advogados advises on complex litigation, administrative and contractual matters in the field, with a particular strength in trade mark prosecution. The team is sought out by digital and technology-focused companies with, or looking to establish, operations in Brazil, where clients can also benefit from the firm’s full-service structure. José Mauro Decoussau Machado is notable for his expertise in matters at the intersection of IP and technology, praised for his ability to ‘challenge or build a bridge between status quo and current business models’. Litigation matters are the focus for André Zonaro Giacchetta and Carlos Strasburg, particularly in cases involving ISP liability, technology transfers, software licensing and copyright. The team is notable for its expertise in matters that combine technology, entertainment and IP, with Larissa Galimberti and Márcio Junqueira Leite in particular excelling in these areas.

Brazil > Public law Tier 3

The full-service public law team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados attracts praise for its ‘technical knowledge’ of issues concerning PPPs, privatisations and government tenders for public concessions. On the public procurement front, its practitioners showcase strength in all stages of tender procedures in a range of sectors, including transportation, healthcare, defence and sanitation. In addition to advising on government contracts, public utilities concessions and regulatory matters, co-head Ricardo Pagliari Levy is also well versed in administrative and judicial litigation. Fellow co-leader Marcello Bernardes has a strong background in infrastructure project development and litigation with the public administration. Names to note at the associate level include Elina Cunha Friedl, who assists private companies in doing business with federal, state and municipal public entities; and Samuel Lopes Parmegiani, who focuses on public procurement and anti-corruption compliance. Heloisa Figueiredo Ferraz handles both government contracts and administrative proceedings.

Brazil > Transport: Aviation Tier 3

Pinheiro Neto Advogados has a ‘very specialised, efficient team with technical knowledge about aircraft financing and leasing’. The firm has well-established relationships with several major banks, export credit agencies, lessors and airlines, which instruct the firm on a variety of related transactions, often involving complex corporate or structured components. Key finance partners Adolpho Julio de Carvalho and Fernando Ruiz de Almeida Prado have a combined almost 60 years of experience. The recently promoted Caroline Guazzelli Queiroz Gomes is highly regarded.

Brazil > Transport: Shipping Tier 3

The experienced team at Pinheiro Neto Advogados is noted for its ‘advisory and litigation capabilities in maritime law’. The firm is particularly active in oil and gas-related maritime issues, and also has considerable credentials in traditional dry and wet shipping claims, including accidents and cargo disputes. Litigator Luis Claudio Furtado Faria is highlighted as ‘a very complete lawyer who combines extensive experience in litigation and maritime law with a very commercial and pragmatic approach’. Marcello Lobo and Ricardo Coelho handle a broad range of non-contentious shipping matters.

Brazil > White-collar crime and investigations Tier 3

Leveraging its full-service capabilities, Pinheiro Neto Advogados is able to deploy multidisciplinary teams to assist clients with the gamut of white-collar criminal law matters; moreover, it is noted for its ‘holistic view, deep knowledge, business understanding and objectivity’. The team can regularly be found assisting executives and corporates with state and federal investigations and also has a notable track-record in administrative and judicial litigation. The practice grew organically in January 2022 with the promotion of Lourival Lofrano Júnior to counsel. Other names to note include Mário Panseri Ferreira, who is responsible for the criminal practice at the firm and who has over 20 years’ advisory and litigious experience; José Alexandre Buaiz Neto, whose broad practice takes in anti-corruption and compliance, competition and litigation; litigator Vicente Coelho Araujo; and corporate investigations expert Daniel Costa Rebello. Since publication, Natalia Genina Lugero De Almeida has been raised to the partnership – with effect from January 2023.