Azevedo Sette Advogados has a strong track record in the mining space, advising major local and international industry players on the gamut of matters. On the advisory front, the firm is well placed to advise on concession agreements, PPPs, commercial contracts, and M&A, while on the contentious side practitioners are adept in litigation and arbitration proceedings involving mining and environmental issues. Practice leader Leonardo P. Lamego has a wealth of experience in environmental licensing, legal auditing, compliance, due diligence and litigation. Also part of the core team, Svetlana Maria De Miranda is a key contact for environmental law mandates, while Gabriela Salazar Silva Pinto focuses on contentious matters in the mining sector.
Natural resources and regulation in Brazil
Azevedo Sette Advogados
Responsables de la pratique:
Leonardo P. Lamego
Principaux clients
Vale
Samarco
Large Mining Company
Yamaná Gold
J. Mendes
Sintertec Minerais Industriais
Nexa Resources
Jaguar Mining
Amg Brasil
Andrade Gutierrez
Empresa De Mineração Badin
Graphcoa
Vale
Austin Powder
Principaux dossiers
- Assisted VALE in the negotiation of a comprehensive environmental settlement agreement regarding the tailings dam collapse in Brumadinho.
- Advised SAMARCO on fines applied by IBAMA regarding the 2015 tailings dam collapse in Mariana.
- Advises Sintertec Minerais Industriais on the negotiation and preparation of mining agreements executed by the company with commercial partners and landowners for the performance of its activities.
Cescon Barrieu
One of the first ports of call in Belo Horizonte for major mining clients, the team at Cescon Barrieu stands out for its extensive experience in financing transactions in this space. On the transactional front, the firm also fields strong credentials in M&A deals and joint ventures; crisis management, judicial litigation and administrative disputes also feature on the workload. Marcelo Mendo Gomes De Souza specialises in mining, regulatory and environmental matters, while Frederico Viana Rodrigues is a key contact for project finance and corporate transactions. Paula Azevedo De Castro and Maurício Pellegrino De Souza are other key individuals, who regularly assist mining clients.
Principaux dossiers
William Freire Advogados
Boutique firm William Freire Advogados is well positioned to advise on all aspects of mining law, including M&A deals, regulatory issues, environmental and real estate-related matters. The practice is also well equipped to handle litigation and administrative disputes before regulatory bodies. William Freire and Tiago De Mattos, who act for industry players in crisis management, corporate matters, and litigation, jointly oversee the group. Bruno Costa and Ana Maria Damasceno are the key names to note at associate level.
Freitas Ferraz Advogados
The ‘professional’ and ‘detail-oriented’ team at Freitas Ferraz Advogados is particularly active in project finance transactions and in the acquisition of hydroelectric power plants and mining assets. Compliance work and litigation also feature on the group’s impressive workload. Practice head Thiago Riccio, whose ‘strong knowledge of environmental and regulatory matters’ is highlighted by clients, is often engaged in power and ore purchase agreements, project finance and development. Associate Marcela Assis, lauded for her ‘diligence, detailed execution and high-level technical knowledge’, provides practice-wide support and is skilled in due diligence work.
Responsables de la pratique:
Thiago Riccio
Les références
‘The team at Freitas Ferraz Advogados provides a personalised and detailed service, taking into account the commercial, regulatory and legal variables that can impact decision-making. The lawyers stand out for the level of detail and care with which they handle matters, as well as for the ease and simplicity of communication.’
‘Thiago Riccio has excellent technical knowledge of the energy sector, from regulatory issues linked to energy generation to commercialisation in the free market. Marcela Assis also has good technical knowledge of the energy sector, with emphasis on regulatory issues and regulatory bodies in the sector; she stands out for her availability and good communication.’
‘Extremely detailed analysis and investigation. Extremely diligent and flexible team.’
Principaux clients
Horizonte Minerals
América Energia
Aliança Geração de Energia
CEI – Energética Integrada
BEI – Brasil Energia Inteligente, CEI Solar Empreendimentos Energéticos and Recimap Geração de Energia Elétrica
Atmo Comercializadora de Energia
CF Combustíveis
Brito Energética
SUMA Brasil – Serviços Urbanos e Meio Ambiente
HY Brazil Energia
Viasolo Engenharia Ambiental
Gameleiras Energias Renováveis
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Horizonte Minerals on the regulatory and environmental aspects relating to Araguaia Nickel’s $633m funding package.
Rolim Goulart Cardoso Advogados
Rolim Goulart Cardoso Advogados' natural resources and regulation department brings together the firm’s energy, mining, environment and telecoms practices. With a strong track record in the energy sector, the group regularly assists concessionaires with tariff review procedures and advises on renewable energy generation. Mining and environmental law are other notable strengths for the team; members support clients with litigation, preventive consultancy and due diligence work. Thiago Pastor Alves Pereira focuses on litigation involving environmental and mining matters, while Fabio Appendino is a reference for corporate work. Maria João Rolim(São Paulo), Rodrigo Azevedo Greco (Brasília) and Ticiane Moraes Franco (Lisbon) support the Belo Horizonte-based partners.
Responsables de la pratique:
Maria João C. P. Rolim; Thiago Pastor Alves Pereira; Fabio Appendino; Rodrigo A. Greco; Ticiane Moraes Franco
Les références
‘A team of highly qualified lawyers. The exemplary conduct and integrity demonstrated by professionals confirm the firm’s solid reputation.’
‘Excellent service, with focus and promptness.’
Principaux clients
Telefônica Brasil
FCA – Fiat Chrysler
Coca-Cola FEMSA
Algar Group (Algar Holding and Algar Telecom)
AngloGold Ashanti
ArcelorMittal Brasil
Brazilian Nickel
Bunge Brasil
Claro Nxt Telecomunicações
Votorantim Cimentos
CNH Industrial
Companhia de Geração e Transmissão de Energia Elétrica do Sul do Brasil (CGT ELETROSUL)
Companhia de Transmissão de Energia Elétrica Paulista (CTEEP)
Consórcio UHE Guilman Amorim (ArcelorMittal and Samarco)
Copel Telecomunicações
Helibras – Helicópteros do Brasil
Embratel
Grupo Integração Minas
Helexia
Horizons Telecom
Huawei do Brasil Telecomunicações
Kinross Brasil Mineração
Magneti Marelli
Mosaic Fertilizantes
Norte Brasil Transmissora de Energia
Oi
Operador Nacional do Sistema Elétrico (ONS)
Piauí Níquel Metais
State of Minas Gerais Development Agency (CODEMGE)
The Brazilian Association of Competitive Telecommunications Service Providers (TelComp)
The National Union of Mobile and Personal Phone and Mobile Services Companies – Sinditelebrasil
TSEA Energia
Principaux dossiers
- Assisted Telefônica Brasil in the 5G auction held by the national regulatory authority (ANATEL).
- Assisted Helexia in its new contract signed with Vivo.
- Advised Vallourec do Brasil on the construction of the Vallourec Sumitomo steel complex at Jeceaba, Minas Gerais.
Sion Advogados
Singled out for its availability and aptitude for problem-solving, the ‘extremely skilled’ team at Sion Advogados assists mining and energy companies with due diligence work to ensure compliance with regulations. The department has additional expertise advising domestic and foreign clients on M&A transactions and the implementation of projects. Founding partner Alexandre Sion oversees the group and leads on key energy and infrastructure matters. Bernardo Pessoa specialises in litigation, arbitration and M&A deals involving the mining, energy, infrastructure, logistics and real estate sectors.
Responsables de la pratique:
Alexandre Sion
Les références
‘The team is extremely skilled and capable of assisting the client in any area of law. The lawyers are always available, able to solve problems and guide the client towards the best decision.’
‘The team is always available and very technical and efficient.’
‘Sion Advogados is a differentiated firm, as the partners have in-depth knowledge of the mining and energy sector resulting from their work in large capital-intensive projects. All demands entrusted to the team are met within the agreed deadline and with exceptional quality, in addition to being objective and important for decision-making.’
Principaux clients
Alcoa
Anglo American
Aperam Inox
BHP Billiton
BP Bunge Bioenergia
ISA CTEEP
Equatorial Energia
State Grid
Ipiranga Produtos de Petróleo
Largo
Scheffer Agro Group
Serra Verde Mineração
Sibelco
Yamana Gold
Tavernard Advogados
The ‘highly qualified’ group at Tavernard Advogados brings together experience in public law, energy, mining and environmental disputes. The practice stands out for its strong credentials in environmental law matters, advising on collective damages claims, infractions and application of the forest code. The team is regularly instructed by public entities and companies operating in the energy and infrastructure sectors, who appreciate the lawyers’ ‘knowledge, diversity, speedy responses, transparency and professionalism’. Department head Murilo Melo Vale, signalled as ‘highly qualified and experienced’, focuses on public procurement, compliance and dispute resolution relating to natural resources and public utilities – namely energy, water, and sewage.
Responsables de la pratique:
Murilo Melo Vale
Les références
‘The firm stands out for providing excellent legal solutions; its highly qualified team is specialised in complex and dynamic markets. The partners stand out for their knowledge, and the team for its diversity, speedy responses, transparency and professionalism.’
‘The team is highly qualified and experienced, namely Murilo Melo Vale, who acts quickly, offers innovative and effective legal solutions and focuses on the specificities of each case.’
‘Everything was conducted with all the expected priority and in accordance with our expectations. Murilo Melo Vale is a reference in public law, regulatory and environmental matters. Together with his team, Murilo stands out for his strategic vision, excellence, transparency, and speed of returns.’
Principaux clients
Ministério da Economia (União) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
Estado de Minas Gerais
Concert Technologies
Horta Engenharia
Serra Azul Engenharia
Eletronorte
BNDES
Way Carbon Soluções Ambientais e Projetos de Carbono
Consórcio Amazonas-Minas
Consórcio Pelotas
GI Energy Engenharia
Companhia de Desenvolvimento de Minas Gerais (CODEMGE)
CAM Engenharia
Rocket Importadora
Planex – Consultoria de Planejamento e Execução
Precavida
Biomig Materiais Médico-Hospitalares
Inelto
Principaux dossiers
- Assisted Ceres Inteligência Financeira in the development of methodology for evaluating the performance of state-owned companies.
- Assisted Tetra Mais Consultoria Econômica e Ambiental in the elaboration of the State Mining Plan, commissioned by the State of Minas Gerais.
- Assisted BNDES with coordinating CEASAMINAS and CEAGESP’s privatisation study project.