Carlos Martins Neto, founding partner and co-head of the M&A practice at Moreira Menezes Martins Advogados, has built a reputation as one of the go-to corporate specialists in the Rio de Janeiro market. With a client base that ranges from publicly traded corporations and private oil and gas operators to top-tier international private equity funds such as Bain Capital, he is trusted for his ability to navigate high-value, cross-border M&A transactions and complex corporate reorganisations. His experience also covers capital markets, real estate transactions and business contracts.

Paulo Eduardo Penna, founding partner of Novotny Advogados, is highly regarded for his expertise in transactional matters. He leads high-value, cross-border M&A deals for a broad client base that includes private equity funds, publicly held companies, mid-sized enterprises, venture capital funds, and institutional investors across sectors such as technology and real estate. His practice also covers joint ventures, shareholder agreements, and asset and share purchase transactions.

Mello Torres‘ corporate and M&A partner Vinícius Alvarez has built an impressive track record advising on high-value cross-border M&A, private equity, and venture capital transactions, acting for both Brazilian and international clients. His practice also extends to supporting start-ups on both the buy and sell side, as well as advising on a wide range of corporate matters under Brazilian law. Most recently, Alvarez played a key role in a landmark deal, assisting Suzano in its R$1.83bn acquisition of 70,000 hectares of land in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Over the course of his career, senior partner Pedro Avvad has built extensive transactional expertise as both a tax lawyer and a corporate and M&A practitioner. As head of the corporate and M&A practice and leader of FreitasLeite Advogados’ Rio de Janeiro office, Avvad leverages his financial and accounting expertise to advise buyers and sellers, including private equity funds, publicly listed companies, and strategic investors across sectors such as energy, technology, pharmaceuticals, and sports. He excels in high-value M&A and financial and private equity investments.

Helen Gaudio Valente Figurelli, partner at Castro Barros Advogados, has extensive experience in corporate law, M&A, private equity, and capital markets. She advises clients across a wide range of industries, including hospitality, agribusiness, and retail, and handles the full spectrum of transactional mandates, with particular expertise in joint ventures and corporate reorganisations.

Claudio Miranda leads the corporate and M&A practice at Chalfin, Goldberg & Vainboim Advogados, bringing deep expertise across corporate law, banking, capital markets, and bankruptcy. He regularly advises on multijurisdictional M&A transactions for clients active in diverse industries, including technology and insurance. Miranda’s role often spans the full transaction lifecycle, from initial due diligence to deal completion, while his experience also extends to private equity investments, corporate restructurings, and real estate transactions.

Gerson Stocco de Siqueira, founding partner and head of the corporate and M&A practice at Gaia Silva Gaede Advogados in Rio de Janeiro, has more than 30 years of experience handling M&A transactions. His work also covers shareholder agreements and corporate restructurings for clients in sectors such as energy and retail. Most recently, he advised Unimed-Rio Cooperativa de Trabalho Médico do Rio de Janeiro on the voluntary sale of its health plan beneficiary portfolio to Unimed do Estado do Rio de Janeiro – Federação Estadual.

Leading Mello Torres' corporate department in Rio de Janeiro, Clovis Torres brings extensive transactional expertise to high-value financing and M&A deals. His practice centres on the mining sector, where he leverages prior in-house counsel experience at a prominent industry player. Torres also acts for major financial institutions in a variety of financing structures, with notable strength in project finance transactions.

Victor Hugo Brito, corporate and M&A partner at BBL Advogados, has extensive experience advising companies and investment funds on a broad range of transactional matters, including M&A, venture capital, and private equity investments. His practice focuses on structuring complex corporate transactions, conducting contractual reviews and due diligence, and providing strategic guidance on regulatory and corporate governance issues. Brito has developed particular strength in the technology, education, healthcare, and fintech sectors.

Alexandre Bittencourt Calmon, co-head of the corporate and M&A practice at COSRO, is a go-to adviser for international clients in both the conventional and renewable energy sectors. He is particularly recognised for his strong track record in high-value transactions within the oil and gas industry, where he acts as a trusted counsel to leading hydrocarbons players such as ONGC Campos and Perenco Petróleo e Gás. Notably, he recently advised Perenco on its $1bn acquisition of Petrobras’ entire interest in the Cherne and Bagre Fields.

Sérgio Campinho, founding partner of Campinho Advogados, brings four decades of experience in corporate and M&A matters. He is trusted to advise on the full spectrum of corporate mandates, ranging from M&A transactions and complex privatisations of publicly listed companies to restructuring and insolvency proceedings. His clients include leading players in the healthcare, logistics, and telecoms sectors.

João Paulo Ferraz Vasconcellos, head of the corporate practice at boutique firm Leoni Siqueira Advogados, is a seasoned corporate and M&A lawyer trusted by clients across diverse sectors, including energy, oil and gas, food and beverages, and real estate. His work is primarily focused on mid-market transactions involving private companies, and he also brings notable expertise in joint ventures and shareholder agreements.

Founding partner and co-practice head of the corporate and M&A practice of Moreira Menezes Martins Advogados, Mauricio Moreira Menezes possesses considerable experience in corporate matters, M&A, capital markets, business contracts and restructuring mandates. Menezes is engaged by clients from a variety of sectors, though he is particularly active within the energy, oil and gas, and hospitality spaces. In addition to his transactional expertise, Menezes also represents clients in commercial disputes.

Boasting extensive experience in M&A and capital markets, Guilherme de Oliveira Santos of Castro Barros Advogados is instructed by clients from a range of sectors, including entertainment, logistics, retail, financial services and agribusiness. Santos lends his expertise to both buy- and sell-side mandates and has notable experience advising new market entrants on acquisitions. In addition to his transactional capabilities, he also provides support on corporate governance and strategic partnerships.

Mariana Gonçalves Robertson Pinto Campinho, partner at Campinho Advogados, has broad expertise in transactional matters, including M&A and capital markets, and also advises on corporate restructuring, succession planning, compliance, and disputes. While her practice is particularly strong in the aviation and logistics sectors, she also acts for clients across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, transport, insurance, beverages, retail, and commerce.

Marcelo Leonardo Cristiano is the founding partner of Marcelo Cristiano Advogados, which was established in August 2024. Cristiano brings almost three decades of experience to the table, advising technology, real estate, healthcare, infrastructure and energy clients on structuring capital investments. His expertise extends to tax and wealth management consulting work, as well as corporate reorganisations, private equity and joint ventures.

Rafael Frota Indio do Brasil Ferraz, corporate partner at Bhering Cabral Advogados, advises on a wide spectrum of corporate mandates, including business structuring, reorganisations, M&A, corporate contracts, shareholder agreements, and compliance matters. He is particularly recognised for his expertise in defending the interests of minority shareholders within complex capital structures, while also guiding high-net-worth individuals through tax planning and wealth management strategies.

José-Ricardo Pereira Lira, founding partner of Lobo & Lira Advogados, brings more than 30 years of experience in business structuring and corporate contract drafting. His work primarily encompasses advising clients on high-value commercial real estate developments and transactions. Lira regularly acts for real estate developers as well as a wide range of investors in both commercial and residential projects.

Eduardo Tranjan, co-head of Escritório Villemor Amaral’s corporate and M&A practice, brings extensive experience advising clients in the energy and natural gas sector, with a strong focus on the midstream and downstream segments. He is highly skilled in M&A transactions, frequently guiding clients through the purchase and sale of equity interests, particularly in the electricity, logistics, and oil and gas industries.

A partner at Lobo & Lira Advogados, Juliana Zielinsky is a transactional lawyer with a primary focus on commercial real estate matters. She advises on high-value acquisitions and development projects, with particular expertise in the shopping centre sector, where she assists in structuring and coordinating the legal framework of transactions. Zielinsky is also experienced in negotiating business contracts.

With expertise in data protection, contracts and succession planning, Beatriz Costa plays a vital role in Marcelo Cristiano Advogados' corporate and M&A practice. She has been involved in transactions across a variety of industries, and also assists with corporate structuring matters.

Leading the corporate and M&A practice at Lima ≡ Feigelson Advogados, Ursula Mata-Xavier is relied upon by both established market leaders and fledgling start-ups, spanning a range of sectors including mining, technology, transport and retail. Mata-Xavier is equally well-versed in negotiating M&A transactions as she is coordinating venture capital deals, most notably Series A funding rounds. With prior experience acting in-house for mining, telecoms and insurance companies, Mata-Xavier also consults on matters of corporate governance.

Juliana Bhering Cabral Palhares, founding partner of Bhering Cabral Advogados, advises on corporate matters and offshore transactions across diverse sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, and real estate. She is a trusted adviser to high-net-worth individuals and prominent families, guiding them on asset management, tax and succession planning, and wealth preservation. Palhares is also frequently sought after by boards of directors of family holding companies.