Noted for its ‘knowledge of the industry and recent decisions by CADE’, the ‘highly qualified, objective and accessible’ antitrust practice at Mattos Filho is a key port of call for domestic and international heavyweights from the worlds of energy, telecoms, technology, life sciences and financial services, among other sectors. Covering the entire spectrum of competition law matters, the team particularly stands out for its proficiency in complex merger control proceedings; conduct matters, including high-profile cartel and dominance investigations, as well as leniency negotiations, antitrust compliance and lawsuits involving competition issues are other key areas of activity for the department. Marcio Soares is a name to note in the Rio office who maintains a broad practice covering merger reviews, investigations into anti-competitive conduct, antitrust lawsuits and compliance. Based in São Paulo, Lauro Celidonio Neto and Renata Fonseca Zuccolo Giannella have negotiated hundreds of M&A transactions before CADE, and are also well placed to undertake behavioural work. In the same office, Michelle Machado often acts in merger control and leniency negotiations, while associate Ana Carolina Bittar is particularly skilled in unilateral conduct matters and cease-and-desist agreements (TCCs). A key driver behind the firm’s competition practice in Brasília, Eduardo Frade draws on his former experience at several public management agencies to advise clients on merger clearances, cartels, abuse of dominant position cases and antitrust compliance.
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Phone
+55 21 3231 8120 / +55 11 3147 2701
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Profile

Work Department

Antitrust / Corporate Investigations

Position

Partner

Career

Marcio has extensive experience in competition matters, representing domestic and foreign clients from various sectors of the economy in approving corporate transactions (mergers) before the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade), as well as in investigations of anticompetitive conduct – especially cartels and abuse of dominant position – negotiating leniency agreements and cease-and-desist agreements (TCCs), antitrust lawsuits, competition compliance and general advice.

Marcio serves as co-chair of the Working Group on International Cartels of the International Bar Association’s (IBA) Antitrust Committee and is a member of the International Committee of the Antitrust Section of the American Bar Association (ABA). He is also a board member of the Brazilian Institute for the Study of Competition, Consumption and International Trade (Ibrac). Marcio is a guest professor in Fundação Getúlio Vargas’s graduate program in Rio de Janeiro, and has written a number of articles on antitrust law published in Brazil and abroad.

Languages

Portuguese and English

Memberships

Co-Chair of the Cartels Working Group at the Antitrust Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA); Member of the Brazilian Institute of Competition, Consumer Affairs and International Trade Law Review (IBRAC)

Education

Bachelor of Laws – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Postgraduate Degree in Private Law – Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Master of Laws (LL.M.) – Columbia Law School

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘MF is a firm that sets itself apart from others as it has agility and perceives companies' challenges very easily. The work is delivered with high quality and the difference is delivering material that meets the client's needs, especially in terms of format.'

  • ‘Michelle Machado- exceptional and super proactive partner, who plays a clear leadership role and possesses strong antitrust knowledge.'

  • 'Ana Bittar - very competent and diligent senior associate; demonstrates great knowledge of the antitrust area.'

  • ‘The team is highly qualified, objective and accessible. They have a lot of knowledge of the industry and recent decisions by CADE.'

  • ‘The firm is willing to find solutions and offer alternatives to the technical situations presented, at the same time anticipating risks and offering paths.'

  • 'Lauro Celidonio endeavours to understand our business in depth and thus provide suitable legal advice.'

Key clients

  • Naspers
  • Amgen
  • Darling Ingredients
  • Globo
  • Visa International
  • Liberty Mutual Insurance
  • A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S
  • Suzano
  • Novozymes
  • Winity Telecom (Patria Investimentos portfolio company)
  • Stellantis
  • Shell
  • Bayer
  • SALIC

Work highlights

Advised Novozymes on its merger with Chr. Hansen to create a world-class biotech company.
Advised Visa International on its $1bn acquisition of Brazilian unicorn Pismo.
Advised Brazil’s largest multimedia group Globo on its investment in Eletromidia.