Renowned Brazilian powerhouse firm Pinheiro Neto Advogados sits at the top of the domestic market and proves to be a stand-out performer in our research this year with 76 listings for its lawyers across 30 different practice areas.

M&A work is an area that firm shines in, with eight listings for its specialists in the space. They have demonstrated their expertise and experience advising domestic and international clients on corporate transactions including takeovers, acquisitions and IPOs. It is no surprise then that the firm is also strong in the area of competition law, with five lawyers winning a listing for their work advising clients on compliance and contentious matters.

The firm also proves that it is a heavyweight regarding tax and banking law, with six listings apiece for their corporate tax and banking specialists, who distinguish themselves advising on tax regulations, financing matters and regulatory issues in the Brazilian market.

The firm is home to an impressive total of seven Global Elite Thought Leaders who excel across a range of fields. Standout names include Júlio César Bueno, who is distinguished by his expertise in construction disputes, and Luís Antônio Ferraz Mendes who has a thorough understanding of complex labour and employment issues. Ricardo Simões Russo is a go-to for foreign investment proceedings. Bruno Balduccini is highlighted for his longstanding banking practice and Alexandre Bertoldi is highly-sought after for large-scale M&A transactions. Angela Fan Chi Kung receives acclaim for her stellar reputation in the life sciences sector, while Carlos Vilhena stands out as a mining specialist.

Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados

Full-service outfit Mattos Filho Veiga Filho Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados is a longstanding fixture in the Brazilian legal market. This year, the firm achieves a total of 74 listings across 25 practice areas, demonstrating the breadth of its expertise.

The firm performs exceptionally well in the capital markets field, with five lawyers recognised in our corresponding chapter for their splendid track record advising clients on an array of matters from debt and financing transactions to securitisations.

Corporate tax is an area in which the firm particularly excels, achieving an impressive 14 listings in our corresponding chapter. These individuals are highlighted for their extensive experience advising clients on tax regimes, administrative proceedings and complex disputes. The firm further demonstrates its full offering with several nominations in our competition, energy, M&A and private funds chapters.

The firm is home to 30 Thought Leaders including seven Global Elite Thought Leaders. Standout players include seasoned corporate tax lawyer Roberto Quiroga Mosquera, as well as Giovani Loss who is recognised as a market-leader in the energy sector. Lina Pimentel Garcia is a go-to environmental lawyer while Marcelo Mansur Haddad is distinguished by his stellar insurance practice. Jean Marcel Arakawa is highly sought-after for debt and equity deals, and Paulo Marcos Rodrigues Brancher comes highly esteemed as a top-notch IT and telecoms specialist. João Ricardo de Azevedo Ribeiro earns praise for his broad corporate governance expertise and Sólon de Almeida Cunha stands among the most prominent labour and employment lawyers in Brazil.

Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados

Machado Meyer Advogados is a standout business law firm with offices across Brazil as well as a foothold in New York. The firm achieves 42 listings in 17 practice area chapters this year, illustrating its strong capacity as a full-service powerhouse.

The firm’s spectacular transactional offering is demonstrated by its 15 listings across our M&A, capital markets and corporate tax chapters. These lawyers are highlighted for their significant experience in tax planning, transactional due diligence and negotiating high-value deals on behalf of private and public corporations.

The firm is highly sought-after for project development and financing matters with nine listings in our banking and project finance chapters as well extensive recommendations in the construction and real estate space.

Machado Meyer is home to an impressive 11 Thought Leaders, including three Global Elite Thought Leaders who come highly commended by peers and clients alike. Raquel Novais is a first-rate name for contentious and non-contentious corporate tax matters while Nei Schilling Zelmanovits is a go-to for clients in the financial services industry seeking finance and regulatory advice. Roberta Danelon Leonhardt is highlighted for her profound knowledge of environmental law, while José Virgílio Lopes Enei and Jose Ribeiro do Prado Jr draw praise for their market-leading project finance expertise.

Veirano Advogados

Veirano Advogados stands out as a key player in the Brazilian legal market with an impressive 39 listings across 21 different practice areas in this edition, illustrating its exceptional offering across the full spectrum of commercial and corporate law.

The firm demonstrates its strong position as a go-to for M&A and governance services, with eight listings in our corresponding chapters. The team excels at advising on foreign investment, commercial contracts, due diligence and high-value transactions.

The firm also shines in the labour and employment space with four lawyers noted for their remarkable expertise advising clients on a plethora of contentious and non-contentious workplace matters including compensation, benefits, collective bargaining agreements and terminations.

Veirano Advogados also sees its first-tier practitioners highlighted in our competition, data, energy, life sciences and mining chapters, further demonstrating its full-service offering.

The firm claims 12 Thought Leaders, including an impressive total of six Global Elite Thought Leaders. Standout practitioners include Ricardo Veirano, who is a pre-eminent figure in the areas of capital markets, corporate governance and M&A. Luiz Guilherme Migliora and Rosângela Delgado are regularly engaged in high-stakes product liability defence proceedings, while Ana Caetano is a leading name for complex trade and customs issues. Ana Carolina Barretto is widely admired for her profound expertise in project financing as well as her strong focus on construction law. Maria Luisa “Isa” Soter da Silveira and Gabriela Lessa come highly esteemed as corporate immigration specialists and Fábio Luiz Barboza Pereira is distinguished by his profound knowledge spanning the gamut of IT issues.

Demarest Advogados

Full-service firm Demarest Advogados was established more than 70 years ago and is recognised today as a dominant force in the Latin American market with four offices spread across Brazil along with a posting in New York. The firm achieves an impressive 36 listings across 16 practice areas this year, demonstrating the breadth of expertise on offer.

M&A and corporate governance is an area of strength for Demarest, with its highly-sought after team achieving 11 listings in our corresponding chapters. The group’s expertise runs the gamut of related matters including public and private deals, shareholder activism and regulatory compliance.

Trade and Customs is another area in which the firm excels, with four lawyers highlighted for their outstanding work on anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and trade remedies matters.

The firm also earns multiple listings in the areas of arbitration, commercial litigation, competition and labour and employment, further demonstrating its wide-ranging expertise.

Key individuals at the firm include José Setti Diaz and Paulo Frank Coelho da Rocha who stand out for their market-leading transactional expertise. Global Elite Thought Leader Luiz Fernando Henry Sant’Anna is distinguished by his encyclopaedic understanding of environmental law while Tatiana Campello is recognised for her top-tier franchise and IP work. Cássia Fernanda Pizzotti comes highly esteemed for her top-notch labour and employment practice.

Tozzini Freire Advogados

Distinguished full-service firm Tozzini Freire Advogados demonstrates the strength and depth of its offering this year with a total of 25 listings across 17 different practice areas.

The firm secures acclaim in the business crime defence space, with three lawyers highlighted for their top-notch work advising domestic and international clients from a variety of sectors in white-collar crime proceedings.

Environmental and forestry law are also areas of strength for the firm, with its practitioners earning a total of four listings across our corresponding chapters, highlighting their stellar reputation when it comes to advising clients on complex environmental regulations, transactions and project compliance issues.

The firm’s corporate expertise is also particularly impressive, and earns four listings in our M&A and corporate governance chapters for the team’s breadth of experience advising clients on corporate transactions, governance and finance matters.

Standout names at the firm include Marcelo Calliari, who comes highly commended for his strong competition practice. Shin Jae Kim is a go-to business crime defence specialist in with a splendid reputation in the domestic market. Elysangela de Oliveira Rabelo Maurer achieves acclaim as a Global Elite Thought Leader for her exceptional work advising on transactional and regulatory matters in the life sciences sector. Vladimir Miranda Abreu and Vera Kanas excel across the full gamut of forestry investment and trade & customs law.