With a ‘very confident and well-grounded’ interdisciplinary team, Cescon Barrieu advises domestic and international mining companies and financial institutions on a variety of regulatory, litigation and transactional matters. Known for its ‘highly qualified staff’ and strong regulatory background, the Belo Horizonte-based group has notable expertise in tailing dam issues, including crisis management and regulatory advice on construction, operation and decommissioning. The transactional arm of the practice continues to grow, with notable activity in M&A, joint ventures, and financing deals. The practice is co-led by mining veteran Marcelo Mendo de Souza, whose experience spans regulatory, litigation, environmental and transactional matters, and Paula Azevedo De Castro, a specialist in dam safety regulations and crisis management. Also at the helm of the department, Maurício Pellegrino De Souza focuses on M&A and administrative proceedings, as well as regulatory, environmental and contentious mandates, while Daniel Ribeiro Pettersen handles mining real estate and contractual matters.

Pinheiro Neto Advogados draws on strong relationships with government bodies, industry associations, financiers and mining companies to advise on complex corporate and financing transactions in the mining sector. The department is particularly active in high-value M&A, covering tax structuring, due diligence, and asset and share deals negotiations, as well as investment and debt transactions involving mining assets. The team also ‘get[s] to the root of the problem’ in regulatory mandates, crisis management, and litigation concerning mining rights and tailings dams. On the ESG front, it is recognised for ‘bring[ing] innovative solutions’ to support the energy transition and decarbonisation efforts in mining. Practice head Roberta Stettinger Rossi Bilotti Demange, who is based in São Paulo, advises companies and financial sponsors on regulatory and M&A matters. Senior associate Marina Bertucci Ferreira, based in Brasília and praised for her ‘impeccable knowledge of mining regulations’, is active in regulatory, M&A and financing matters. Former practice head Carlos Vilhena left the practice in January 2025.

The ‘attent[ive], knowledge[able] and professional’ team at Veirano Advogados is a trusted adviser to key mining companies and financing institutions on high-value, cross-border transactions, including M&A, capital raisings and financings. The team also handles regulatory mandates, administrative proceedings, and project due diligence and planning, with notable activity in critical minerals like lithium, graphite and niobium. Practice head Pedro Garcia possesses wide-ranging expertise in M&A, financings, commercial contracts, real estate and environmental matters involving the mining sector. Beatriz Paulo de Frontin, who joined from BMA Advogados in January 2024, focuses on environmental matters within the sector. Associates Antonio Albani and Bianca Wajnberg both advise on regulatory matters; Albani is particularly active on transactions and projects, while Wajnberg focuses on contracts and due diligence.

Mining companies, investors and financial institutions trust Mattos Filho’s ‘customer-focused approach’ and ‘technical quality’ in transactional matters, ranging from cross-border M&A and project financing to joint ventures, investments, royalties transactions and commercial agreements. The collaborative team also handles ESG-related and regulatory matters, contributes to policy-making, and is particularly active in critical minerals matters, notably involving lithium. Brasília-based Adriano Drummond Trindade, ‘knowledgeable’ of mineral policy and regulations, advises on project development, M&A, financings, as well as contractual and ESG-related matters. Bernardo Môcho, based in São Paulo, and Rômulo Sampaio, in Rio de Janeiro, frequently support the practice in project financing and environmental matters, respectively.

Mining companies and investors turn to William Freire Advogados for its ‘innovative solutions’ in regulatory, transactional, compliance and crisis management matters. Backed by ‘in-depth knowledge’ of the sector, the boutique firm also represents mining companies before regulatory agencies and in mining title processes. The ‘intelligent and creative’ Tiago De Mattos, based in São Paulo, is a key figure in the practice, handling processes before regulatory bodies, disputes, contract negotiations and business modelling. Founding partner William Freire, based in Belo Horizonte, is an ‘experienced and resilient’ authority in Brazilian mining law. Also in Belo Horizonte, Bruno Costa – who became a partner in February 2024 – advises on mining rights, administrative defences and mineral asset management and due diligence.

Combining ‘technical excellence, client proximity and a strategic and personalised approach’, Azevedo Sette Advogados advises national and international mining companies on transactions and projects. The practice is led by Leonardo Pereira Lamego, who focuses on the intersection between environmental and mineral matters, handling permits, legal auditing, compliance, due diligence and litigation, and Gabriela Salazar Silva Pinto, who specialises in transactional work. Associate Svetlana Maria De Miranda also advises on environmental matters. All lawyers mentioned are based in Belo Horizonte.

Demarest Advogados leverages its ‘extensive knowledge of the sector’ to advise mining extraction companies on transactional and corporate matters, counselling on cross-border M&A, investments and tax matters. With regulatory expertise, the team also represents companies before the National Mining Industry and advises on mining rights. Practice co-head Izabella Pardinho Reis provides ‘exceptional advice’ on mining transactions and regulatory issues, with experience in due diligence, concessions, agreements and judicial litigation. Fellow co-heads Thiago Maia and Paulo Coelho da Rocha assist with M&A, private equity transactions and joint ventures, with Rocha also advising on corporate governance.

The ‘well-experienced and practical’ team at Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice Advogados advises mining companies, investors and financiers on transactional, regulatory, as well as project structuring and financing matters. Its work in M&A, joint ventures, and capital markets is complemented by regulatory consulting and expertise in administrative, civil, and labour litigation. The practice is co-led by Pedro Henrique Jardim, who is active in both regulatory and transactional matters, and Liliam Fernanda Yoshikawa, who handles project investments and corporate governance and has contributed to industry discussions on lithium regulations. Associates Yves Crivelini and Gabriela Vasconcellos Carvalho provide support on regulatory, transactional and financing mandates.

Regulatory boutique Rolim Goulart Cardoso Advogados focuses on preventive consulting, advising national and international mining companies on regulatory and environmental matters. The team provides legal opinions, advises on mining rights, contracts, and due diligence, and also represents clients in administrative and judicial litigation. Based in Belo Horizonte, practice head Thiago Pastor Alves Pereira and senior associate Marcus Vinicius Neves Vaz are specialists in mining and environmental law, showcasing experience in both advisory and contentious matters.