Rodrigo Figueiredo da Silva Cotta, founder and co-managing partner at Salomão Advogados, has extensive experience in complex dispute resolution, encompassing both litigation and arbitration, as well as advisory work. He frequently acts in high-value cross-border matters, with a focus on the oil and gas, maritime, energy, infrastructure, and engineering sectors, and is particularly recognised for his expertise in contractual disputes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Rio de Janeiro Elite
Profile
Work Department
Expertise | Arbitration Environment International Commerce Litigation Strategic Litigation | Industry | Agribusiness Aviation Civil Engineering Consumer and Retail Energy Infrastructure Insurance and Reinsurance Maritime and Port Oil and Gas Real State Sport and Entertainment
Position
Partner
Career
Rodrigo Cotta is recognized for his work in complex dispute resolution, arbitration, and advisory services. He has worked in cases of foremost domestic and international relevance, having already been cited in publications such as Valor Econômico and The New York Times.
Recognized by the Análise Advocacia ranking in 2020 and 2021 and named as a Rising Star by The Legal500 in 2021. In the current 2025 edition, he was included as a partner at Salomão, Kaiuca, Abrahão, Raposo, and Cotta in the Shipping area. Since the 2023 edition, the Leaders League publication has highlighted Rodrigo in the areas of Maritime Law, Dispute Resolution: Civil and Commercial Litigation, and Restructuring and Insolvency. In 2025, was recognized as an Up and Coming professional in the Shipping area by the Chambers and Partners ranking
Bachelor’s degree in Law from UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro); specialist in Maritime Law from UERJ (Rio de Janeiro State University); specialist in Arbitration from ESA-OAB/RJ (Escola Superior de Advocacia – Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro section); specialist in Civil Procedure from UCAM (Universidade Candido Mendes); specialist in Arbitration and M&A from Boston University; master’s student (LL.M) in Transnational Commercial Practice at CILS (Center for International Legal Studies), Austria; MBA in Agribusiness and Environment from IBMEC/RJ (Instituto Brasileiro de Mercado de Capitais).
Languages
English | Portuguese | Spanish
Memberships
He is an arbitrator at CBMA (Brazilian Center for Mediation and Arbitration) and member of ABDM (Brazilian Association of Maritime Law).
Content supplied by Salomão Advogados
Key clients
- BPC - JSC BELARUSIAN POTASH COMPANY
- Minerva S.A.
- Baker Hughes
- Eleva Química
- Soter
- ONS – Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico
- Fugro
- OceanPact Serviços Marítimos
- Grupo Petrópolis
- Cosan
- Norte Energia
- Vibra Energia
- Belov Engenharia S.A.
Work highlights
Acting for UP Offshore in a civil indemnity lawsuit against PETROBRAS for the early termination of the charter party concerning the vessel UP CORAL on the grounds of the alleged non-renewal of the CAA (charter certificate).
Advises SAF Botafogo on a dispute with its controlling entity, which, in turn, arises from a corporate conflict within the Eagle Group (the controlling shareholder of SAF Botafogo).
Represents JSC Belarusian Potash Company - BPC, a Belarusian company responsible for supplying 20% of all fertilisers to the Brazilian market, in a dispute over unpaid cargoes, with Brazilian companies citing economic sanctions against Belarus.