BRAZIL

CORPORATE AND M&A (INCLUDING ‘COMPLIANCE’)

Corporate and M&A (including ‘compliance’) – ranked: tier 5

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados’ corporate and M&A practice focuses on the natural resources (particularly oil and gas) and infrastructure sectors, with an impressive track record advising on the purchase and sale of assets and equity stakes in these industries. It also has an active distressed M&A practice. Rogério Sobral de Miranda, Paulo Valois Pires and Guilherme Schmidt attract praise. Clients include PetroRio, ExxonMobil and Total.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment – ranked: tier 5

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

A specialist in environmental licensing, Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados is recommended for oil and gas matters. It is defending Saneamento e Energia Renovável do Brasil in three public civil actions filed by the public prosecutor’s office, and assisted Açúcar Guarani in obtaining an operating licence for an industrial unit. Marcio Silva Pereira left for BMA – Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão in August 2017, leaving Paulo Valois and Rogério Miranda in charge of the practice.

PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Projects and infrastructure – ranked: tier 3

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Paulo Valois Pires and Rogério Miranda are the names to note at Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados. Alongside its energy sector work, the group is assisting Terminal Portuário do Mearim in relation to the redefinition of the Mearim Port Terminal project. Other recent work includes advising GPC Química on the preparation of guidance concerning the decommissioning and withdrawal of certain equipment from an industrial unit in Rio de Janeiro.

TAX

Tax – ranked: tier 6

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Oil and gas companies turn to Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados for a range of tax advice, from litigation to transactional support. Practice head José Gustavo Fernandes Braga was part of a team advising Royal Dutch Shell on the Brazilian tax aspects of its acquisition of BG Group.

BRAZIL: ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

ELECTRICITY

Energy and natural resources: electricity – ranked: tier 3

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados is noted for its expertise in the development of power projects and commercial transactions in the sector. A highlight in 2017 was advising Shell on the regulatory structure of a power trading company. The firm is also assisting Barcarena Geração de Energia and LMP Energy Participações e Consultoria in negotiations for the construction of a 600MW thermoelectric power plant. Rio de Janeiro based Guilherme Schmidt and Celina Ozorio are recommended. Alexei Macorin Vivan7 joined in January 2018 from now-defunct firm Vivan Law, and is based in São Paulo.

HYDROCARBONS

Energy and natural resources: hydrocarbons – ranked: tier 1

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

Brazilian oil and gas heavyweight Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados stands out for its excellent relations with other petroleum-rich Portuguese-speaking countries. Recent work highlights include advising ExxonMobil Exploração Brasil on the acquisition of a 33% stake in the BM-S-8 block from Statoil Brasil Óleo e Gás, and assisting Total with corporate, contractual, tax and regulatory matters concerning a new joint venture project with Petrobras. Paulo Valois Pires is ‘very experienced’. Antônio Luís de Miranda Ferreira, Sonia Agel and Rogério Sobral de Miranda are also recommended. Leading lawyer Luis Fernando Pacheco joined from Veirano Advogados in May 2018.

Leading lawyers

MINING

Energy and natural resources: mining – ranked: tier 4

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados

The mining group at Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados has a strong record in greenfield projects, and benefits from an excellent international network. Rogério Sobral de Miranda is responsible for the department following Márcio Silva Pereira’s departure for BMA – Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão in August 2017.