Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper > Sao Paulo, Brazil > Firm Profile

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper > The Legal 500 Rankings

Brazil > Real estate Tier 1

The ‘top-flight‘ real estate lawyers at Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper ‘know the business dynamics of the local markets in Brazil‘. The team continues to play an important role in Brazil’s real estate market, not only in transactions and development projects, but also in the country’s regulations. This was demonstrated by partner Rafael Jordão Bussière, who returned to the firm following a stint working for the Brazilian government, which included a role in modernising the legal framework governing the sale of federal land. Other key partners include practice co-heads Bernardo Buarque Schiller, who is especially experienced in strategic property developments, and Ivandro Ristum Trevelim, who advises on transactional and construction issues. Managing partner Fabio Perrone Campos Mello is also active in this area. June 2021 saw the arrival of Maria Eduarda Bérgamo to the firm from BMA – Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão.

Brazil > Insurance Tier 2

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper has an increasingly strong presence in the market. Practice head Marcella Hill has built up an experienced team with good credentials in insurance and reinsurance-related corporate, regulatory and claims work. The growing practice includes Jaqueline Suryan, who handles a mix of insurance, pensions and healthcare regulatory matters, as well as litigation claims. The corporate and regulatory side of the practice was further strengthened in 2020 when of counsel Mariana Cavalcanti Jardim joined in Rio de Janeiro from Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga Advogados.

Brazil > Compliance Tier 3

Highlighted for its ‘great availability, innovative ideas, punctual delivery and prompt help‘, Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper covers the gamut of compliance services. Its client base is equally broad, including companies operating across the construction, energy, technology and life sciences sectors, among others. Recent mandates keeping the team busy include sensitive internal investigations triggered by allegations via company hotlines. Practice head Ricardo Caiado Lima has notable experience in compliance audits and integrity due diligence, as well as corporate investigations and criminal litigation. He and senior associate Ana Júlia Andrade Vaz de Lima and associate André Lacerda Sampaio Ferraz are praised as ‘excellent, attentive and studious‘. Data protection specialist Paula Mena Barreto and associate Poliana Szernek are also noted. The firm was given a further boost in August 2021 with the arrival of compliance, white-collar criminal law and cybersecurity expert Antonio Tovo from Souto Correa Advogados.

Brazil > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Highlighted for its ‘excellent availability, innovative ideas, punctual delivery and prompt help‘, Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper balances an active corporate practice, regularly providing advice to clients on mergers, acquisitions, reorganisations and joint ventures, with an emphasis on buy-side, mid-market M&A. Energy and oil and gas-related deals often feature in the team’s workload, though its expertise spans multiple sectors. The firm’s cooperation with DLA Piper and its extensive office network provides several benefits, including in the field of technology and efficiency, where the firm makes use of a number of programmes – including Kira Systems – to improve efficiency. In the area of diversity, the firm hired D&I company Tree Consultoria in 2020, and participates in a women mentoring programme. Senior partners Fabiano Gallo and Marcus Vinicius Bitencourt lead the team, which includes M&A, real estate and securities expert Fabio Perrone Campos Mello, Carolina Marcondes Sant’Angelo, who acts for household name companies on corporate and commercial matters, and associate Rodrigo Pires Mattos. The team expanded further in July 2021 with the hire of Oduvaldo Lara Júnior from Rolim, Viotti, Goulart, Cardoso Advogados. Since publication, Renata Amorim and Camila Caetano Cardoso were promoted to partner, announced December 2021.

Energy and natural resources > Hydrocarbons Tier 3

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper fields a specialised oil and gas team, which is regularly instructed by international clients operating in Brazil or seeking to enter the market. Recently, the team has been particularly active assisting major oil companies in bidding procedures, M&A transactions, operational agreements, and in the development of offshore and onshore projects. Since publication, the team saw a major change with the departures of former practice head David Meiler and Bárbara Bittencourt, and the arrivals of Marcelo Frazão and Alexandre Calmon from Tauil & Chequer Advogados, in October 2021.

Tax > Tax advisory Tier 3

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper has a noteworthy standalone tax team led out of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo respectively by joint leaders Humberto Marini and Alex Jorge (who also works in New York). The firm’s consultancy support extends to direct and indirect taxation, as well as tax planning and structuring. The litigation side regularly represents clients in high-level judicial and administrative proceedings. Key practitioners include Rosana Gonzaga, who has strong expertise in indirect tax issues, and stands out in particular for her work in the energy and mining sectors. Tax litigator Renato Lopes and partner Victor Kampel also have good reputations.

Brazil > TMT: Cybersecurity and data privacy Tier 3

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper provides a wide range of advice, spanning data protection and cybersecurity regulatory matters, data transfers and M&A due diligence. The team is jointly led by Paula Mena Barreto in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo-based Ricardo Caiado Lima. Barreto has significant experience in the implementation of privacy policies and management of data breach incidents, while fellow co-head Lima specialises in cybersecurity compliance issues and preventive measures. Data protection and privacy matters are also among Manoela Quintas Esteves‘ areas of expertise; she handles both consulting and contentious matters. In August 2021, Antonio Tovo – who specialises in compliance, cybersecurity and white-collar criminal law – joined the firm.

Brazil > Banking and finance Tier 4

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper is a strong choice for regulatory banking and transactional finance advice. The firm’s association with DLA Piper gives it exposure to cross-border matters, including significant acquisition and project financings. Other areas of expertise include asset-backed securitisations, debt restructurings and export finance. The team is jointly led by the versatile Roberto Vianna do R Barros, who has strong regulatory expertise, and Jorge Gallo, who is also noted for his debt capital markets work.

Brazil > Capital markets Tier 4

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper has a good track record advising issuers and underwriters, and has built up solid relationships with key domestic and international banks and financial institutions. The firm is especially active on the debt side, with expertise in bond offerings and debentures, often linked to the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors. The firm’s equity capital markets expertise was demonstrated through its role advising 3R Petroleum on its R$555m IPO. Lead partners Roberto Vianna do R Barros and Jorge Gallo have strong credentials on domestic and international listings.

Energy and natural resources > Electricity (and renewable energy)

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper not only has the ability to assist clients throughout all steps of project development related to non-renewable and renewable energy sources, but is also well versed in M&A transactions involving power assets. Recently, the practice has been particularly active advising on investments in net metering projects and portfolios, self-production projects, and in the negotiation of PPAs and connection agreements. Department head Fabiano Gallo is proficient in renewable energy and transactional matters. He receives key support from a team of associates, which includes Flavia Cerutti, whose experience encompasses project development, electricity regulations and operation agreements.

Tax > Tax litigation Tier 4

Brazil > TMT: Media Tier 4

The media and entertainment practice at Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper handles an array of non-contentious and contentious matters, including licensing agreements, IP enforcement and free speech-related litigation. Assisting clients with the launch of new products, such as streaming tools and apps, is a core area of activity for the department, which is led by Paula Mena Barreto, who focuses on production and advertising agreements, and regulatory matters pertaining to the media sector.

Brazil > Environment Tier 5

Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper is adept in a broad array of non-contentious and contentious environmental matters, including administrative proceedings, environmental risk assessments, crisis management, licensing matters and due diligence in relation to transactions. Rafael Jordão Bussière is now coordinating the department following the departure of former practice head Theo Keiserman de Abreu. Gabriela de Carvalho e Mello often advises clients in the energy, infrastructure, logistics, real estate and pharmaceutical industries on environmental liabilities and administrative law. Since publication, the firm added Paulo de Bessa Antunes and Vilmar Gonçalves to its environment and ESG practice; the partners joined in October 2021 from Tauil & Chequer Advogados.

Brazil > Dispute Resolution: Litigation Tier 6

Covering the full array of litigation services, Campos Mello Advogados in cooperation with DLA Piper is equipped to represent clients at all court levels, including the superior courts in Brasília. Due to its cooperation with DLA Piper, the firm often provides pre-litigation advice and legal opinions to a host of international clients. Felipe Hermanny, whose experience includes commercial litigation and arbitration, leads the São Paulo team. Vinicius Pereira is an ‘essential asset in any legal process’ according to clients; he is based in Rio de Janeiro and specialises in contractual disputes in the financing, real estate and energy sectors. Credit recovery and contentious insolvencies are key areas of focus for Leandro Rinaldi in Rio. Since publication, the practice was further bolstered by the arrival of João Marçal Martins from Tauil & Chequer Advogados, in October 2021.

Brazil > Intellectual property

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