CHAMBERS & PARTNERS LEGAL PUBLISHERS CHAMBERS LATIN. AMERICA Latin America s Leading Lawyers for Business. The Client s Guide

Transcription

1 Vieira, Rezende_5pp_2010_LAT 17/11/09 11:07 Page 1 CHAMBERS & PARTNERS LEGAL PUBLISHERS CHAMBERS LATIN AMERICA Latin America s Leading Lawyers for Business 2010 The Client s Guide w w w. c h a m b e r s a n d p a r t n e r s. c om

2 Guerreiro is ranked in Chambers Latin America 2010 as follows: BRAZIL BANKING & FINANCE Banking & Finance Guerreiro Ambrósio Luis Barbosa This group recruited Luis Ambrósio from Lefosse Advogados to boost its strength in banking and finance. With the firm s solid reputation for M&A and tax work, the team has a substantial base to develop its banking and finance practice, particularly in the project finance, pension funds and private equity areas. In one recent standout engagement, it represented Intel Capital as creditor on a shares convertible loan for Neovia Telecomunicações. Traditionally a Rio de Janeiro player, the firm also has an office in São Paulo. COMPETITION/ANTITRUST Competition/Antitrust Guerreiro Up-and-coming individuals Nunes Araújo Lima Viviane Vieira, Rezende The antitrust department here is seen to be closely connected to the firm s strong corporate practice. However, the department also has its own sources of work. Its workload includes a large proportion of compliance consultancy. The firm represents clients in the medical, gas and tobacco industries. Viviane Nunes Araújo Lima is a solid performer and is praised for her availability. CORPORATE/M&A Corporate/M&A Guerreiro Barbosa Marcelo Barbosa Guerreiro Cláudio Barbosa Rezende Fabio Barbosa Vieira Paulo Guerreiro This firm is an important player in the midmarket, but also handles an increasing volume of high-end deals for high-profile national clients from various industries. Sources say that Marcelo Barbosa gives terrific advice and although young is a first-class lawyer with great potential. Partner Fabio Rezende is described as a driven, proactive, highly efficient professional, who is calm under testing conditions. Paulo Vieira is also highlighted by peers, while Cláudio Guerreiro is described as a technically flawless lawyer with superb negotiation skills. The firm advised Fiago Participações on the restructuring process of equity interests held by the controlling shareholders of Telemar. It also advised Odebrecht and Camago Corrêa on corporate transactions. DISPUTE RESOLUTION Dispute Resolution Guerreiro Good service and fast response make this firm a popular choice for clients. It is representing AgCert International in an arbitration before the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce concerning greenhouse gas reductions. Mauro Tortorelli heads a reliable and efficient team.

3 Guerreiro ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES: OIL & GAS Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas Guerreiro Partner to watch Ribeiro Davila Daniela Barbosa VRBG took a huge stride into the oil and gas arena when it merged with boutique firm Ribeiro & Barreto in October This brought to the firm a compact team with a solid and active presence in the oil and gas sector thanks largely to its close working relationship with Petrobras. The lawyers accumulated industry knowledge makes for a strong practice, with Daniela Ribeiro Davila leading in this area. Ribeiro Davila has also been made partner of the firm. REAL ESTATE Real Estate Guerreiro Up-and-coming individuals Camargo Jr José Luis Barbosa This Rio de Janeiro-based outfit has a particular focus on rural land acquisitions. It regularly acts for families, and also assists major national clients. Its attention to detail, solid knowledge and commitment are highlighted by clients, with one commenting: What I like most is the involvement of partners, even during weekends. In one highlight, it advised Agrifirma Brasil Agropecuária on the acquisition of 12 farms in Bahia. Department head José Luis Camargo Jr led on this deal. Clients say he is always fully aware of what is going on in a transaction and totally committed. TAX Tax Guerreiro Nunes de Oliveira Luiz André Vieira, Rezende Tax: Litigation Associates to watch Ladeira Kingma Breno Barbosa This mid-sized firm s tax team handles both consultation and litigation. Direct taxation and matters at the federal level form the core of the work, while a growing flow of litigation is allowing the firm to show its flexibility. Clients are pleased with the top quality of the work on offer here praise that has bolstered the firm s overall reputation greatly. A transactional highlight was assisting Litel Participações with a USD4.9 billion capital increase in Valepar, and all related tax issues. On the contentious front the team represented Unimed Leste Fluminense in administrative proceedings to very positive effect. Luiz André Nunes de Oliveira is greatly admired for his tax expertise, which partly stems from his background as legal and tax counsel at one of Brazil s largest mining logistics companies. Breno Ladeira Kingma is wise and discreet, and is proving critical to the firm s litigation capabilities.

4 Guerreiro LEADERS AMBRÓSIO, Luis Recommended in Banking & Finance Practice Areas: Luis has significant experience in Brazilian structured financing, banking law and debt restructuring, having acted in leading cases, including the first major successful debt restructuring under the new Brazilian insolvency regime. He acts for banks and financials institutions in recovery and restructuring and specialises in strategic planning and advisory work in respect of distressed companies. He also has extensive experience in syndicated lending, acquisitions financing and infrastructure finance. Career: Partner, Lefosse Advogados (2006 to 2008); managing associate, Lefosse Advogados ( ); foreign stagiaire, Linklaters London ( ) and associate, Pinheiro Neto Advogados ( ). Personal: University of São Paulo, LLB (1997). BARBOSA, Marcelo Corporate/M&A Area. Practice includes: mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate transactions; structuring of investment funds; joint ventures and associations; administrative litigation before the Brazilian Securities Commission. Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo Bar Associations; International Bar Association. Career: Qualified in Co-founded the firm in Publications: Articles on several topics of corporate law. Personal: Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) Law School (LLB, 1994); Columbia University School of Law (LLM, 1997); lecturer on corporations law at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro; has taught corporate law at UERJ (2000/02). CAMARGO JR, José Luis Recommended in Real Estate Practice Areas: Corporate and real estate. Practice includes: mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, foreign investments and contracts. Focus on infrastructure and agribusiness sector. Extensive experience on sale and acquisition of land (either rural and urban). São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Bar Associations. Career: Joined the firm as Partner in General Counsel of Vesper Telecom SA ( ) and member of Pinheiro Neto Advogados ( ). Personal: Catholic University of São Paulo, LLB. GUERREIRO, Cláudio Corporate/M&A Area. Head of Natural Resources Area. Practice includes: mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate transactions, general corporate matters, administrative litigation before the Brazilian Securities Commission, mining development projects, logistic and water and sanitation infrastructure construction. Brazilian Bar Association. Career: Qualified in Senior Partner of the firm since General Counsel ( ), Head of Corporate Law Department ( ) and Legal Counsel ( ) of Vale SA. Officer of Urucum Mineração SA ( ). Publications: Articles on topics of corporate law. Personal: Law School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LLB, 1978). Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro (LLM, 1979). LADEIRA KINGMA, Breno Recommended in Tax Practice Areas: Tax, litigation and financial law. Brazilian Bar Association. Career: Joined the firm in 2003 (currently a senior associate). Professor, International Tax Law Specialisation at UFF (2007) and UCAM (2006). Professor, Tax Law Specialisation at UERJ ( ). Co-Founder and Director of GDT-RIO. Publications: Environmental Tax Law (2006); Tax Foreclosure (2008), among others. Personal: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LLB). Posgraduate course at UFF. NUNES ARAÚJO LIMA, Viviane vlima@vrbg.com.br Recommended in Competition/Antitrust Practice Areas: Competition law. Career: Master s degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO) School of Law. Deputy Dean of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC- RIO) School of Law ( ). General Counsel of Opportunity Asset Management ( ). Publications: Renovar - A Saga do Zangão, Uma Visão Sobre o Direito Natural several articles published by: Global Competition Review; Euromoney; Latin Lawyers, Valor Econômico News paper. Personal: Jurisprudence and Commercial Law Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO) School of Law. Editorial Directress from IBRAC (Brazilian Institute of Studies of Competition Consumption, and International Trade). IBA Member. Specialization in American Constitutionalism and Federalism from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, NUNES DE OLIVEIRA, Luiz André landre@vrbg.com.br Recommended in Tax Practice Areas: Head of Tax Area. Practice includes: tax planning, consulting and litigation. Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo Bar Associations; International Fiscal Association; Regional Accounting Council. Career: Qualified in Law; Accountancy. Joined the firm in Head of the Tax Department of Vale ( ). Publications: Articles on several topics of tax law. Personal: Tax law specialisation at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. REZENDE, Fabio frezende@vrbg.com.br Corporate/M&A. Practice includes: general corporate matters, foreign investments, telecoms, and contracts. Has handled acquisitions of companies and undertakings of various sorts by domestic and overseas clients. Brazilian Bar Association; Portuguese Bar Association; International Bar Association. Career: Qualified in Founding Partner of Guerreiro in Legal consultant to the Inter-American Investment Corporation ( ). Publications: Articles on topics related to aviation law, corporate law and privatisation. Personal: Law School of the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (LLB, 1992) and the University of Virginia School of Law, USA (LLM, 1996). VIEIRA, Paulo paulovieira@vrbg.com.br Practice Areas: Partner in commercial law, in general. Focuses: (i) acquisition of private and publicly held companies; (ii) banking, corporate finance and project finance in infrastructure areas; (iii) preparation of companies to receive private equity investments; (iv) represent private equity funds in the negotiation of their investments; (v) preparation of companies for pre-ipo and post-ipo (corporate governance and regulatory matters relating to C.V.M). Highlights: co-ordinated the privatisation of major companies (including C.V.R.D., CPFL and the Port of Santos), working for both the government and investors. Acted as negotiator for the acquisition and sale of major Brazilian companies. Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil. Cambridge University Law Society. International Bar Association. Member of the board of directors of CESA - Center of Studies of Brazilian Law Firms. Career: Joined Castro, Barros, Sobral e Xavier Advogados in Founding Partner of Guerreiro Advogados in Personal: Born May Attended the Law School of the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Bachelor of Laws) and Cambridge University, England (Master of Laws). Professor of Commercial and Banking Law at the Law School of the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

5 Guerreiro VIEIRA, REZENDE, BARBOSA E GUERREIRO FIRM OVERVIEW Number of partners worldwide: 11 Number of other lawyers worldwide: 39 AREAS OF PRACTICE: Corporate % M&A % Tax & Litigation % Anti-trust/Competition % Banking & Finance % Telecommunications & IT % Energ y % Litigation % Real Estate % Labour % THE FIRM: The firm was established in 1995 and has offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Practice areas cover all aspects related to development of business activities, including corporate, M&A, tax, litigation, competition, banking and finance, labour, capital markets, infrastructure, real estate, mining and natural resources. The partners of the firm come from a wide variety of backgrounds, which translates into a more consistent capacity to understand the needs of different sorts of clients. MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE: Antitrust/Competition: The firm has advised a number of significant international transactions, with compliance to Brazil antitrust laws and regulations representing clients before the antitrust enforcement authorities. Banking & Finance: The firm covers a broad range of banking and financial activities, including international loan transactions, corporate and project finance, and leasing operations. Energy & Telecommunications: Work undertaken on infrastructure projects ranges from general corporate advice to counselling in specific regulatory matters. Corporate & Contracts: Guerreiro advise its clients in a number of commercial contracts related to their activities, starting from the discussion of the most suitable contract structure to the negotiation of the terms and language of the relevant agreements. The corporate matters respond for the largest individual practice of the firm, which has gained outstanding reputation among its clients and peers. The firm s expertise in corporate restructuring, formation and incorporation of business entities, drafting and negotiation of joint venture and shareholders agreements is extremely solid. M&A: The M&A Team has represented clients interested in several business areas within Brazil, including banking, agriculture, mining, technology, energy, telecommunications, water and others. has acted for buyers and sellers in transactions that have adopted the most sophisticated forms. The firm s role as M&A adviser includes the discussion of the possible legal structures for the transaction, the conduction of legal due diligences, drafting and negotiation of the relevant documentation. Real Estate: The firm advised a major national telecom company in the acquisition of property as part of its expansion into 27 Brazilian states.vieira, Rezende, Barbosa eguerreiro has also advised a major agribusiness firm in the acquisition of 12 farms in the State of Bahia, totaling approximately an total amount of 77, ha. Tax: The firm s Tax Department has advised domestic and international clients in connection with tax planning and litigation matters. The practice LATIN AMERICA OFFICES BRAZIL Av. Presidente Wilson, º andar, Rio de Janeiro Tel: Fax: vrbg@vrbg.com.br Website: Rua Iguatemi, ºandar, São Paulo Tel: Fax: vrbgsp@vrbg.com.br ASSOCIATED OFFICES PORTUGAL Teixeira de Freitas, Rodrigues e Associados, Av. da Republica, 32-4 andar, Lisboa Tel: Fax: ANGOLA Faria de Bastos, Sebastião e Lopes, Advogados, Rua dos Enganos, 1-8 andar, Luanda Tel: Fax: focuses on the review of the structure of corporate transactions and the respective tax implications, and the protection of clients interests in both administrative and judicial proceedings. Litigation: After starting its Litigation Practice some years ago as part of the Tax Practice, and the addition of a new partner, expert in civil and commercial litigation, the firm has definitely boosted its litigation area, which has shown significant growth over the last years. Labour: The firm has recently brought a new partner to be the head of its Labour Practice, whose significant experience and reputation in the area has provided the firm with a rapid flow of new cases, granting the firm the status of a corporate full-service house. INTERNATIONAL WORK: Guerreiro has a solid base of foreign clients and local clients with activities abroad. Since the Brazilian privatisation program (when the firm, then newly founded, developed a leading role), and during the further relevant investment cycles in Brazil, the firm has advised key players, and interacted with several international financial institutions and law firms.also, most of our partners and associates have studied abroad and/or worked at foreign firms. LANGUAGES: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. CLIENTS The firm s clients include foreign companies, financial institutions, pension funds and multilateral agencies conducting business in sectors such as banking and capital markets, insurance, power generation, transmission and distribution, oil and gas, mining, steel, telecommunications, information technology, real estate, railroads, ports, airports, logistics, water and sewage. Guerreiro has clients in Angola, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US.