Banking and Corporate Law

The Firm’s primary concern is providing adequate legal orientation to companies and individuals regarding incorporation, reorganization and dissolution of various legal entities, as well as advising minority stockholders. In this area, the Firm evaluates and verifies the legal and economic feasibility of corporate restructuring processes, such as mergers, splits and amalgamations. Legal assistance in alienation or acquisition of companies or shares is also provided.

Legal advice is offered to foreign companies interested in doing business in Brazil, either through branch offices, subsidiaries or joint venture companies, advising from incorporation steps to the several funding alternatives.

Tax Law

A clear understanding of the national tax system – which is indeed complex and subject to frequent modifications - is essential to successful businesses. In this practice area, the Firm analyzes the consequences of various tax and fiscal strategies and obligations on a company day-to-day operations. This information is vital to the accurate planning of activities. Procedures and operations are also revised to suggest alternative approaches, which may include restructurings, to avoid undue taxation.

The Firm provides services within all court levels, both in Federal and State jurisdictions, addressing all taxes in Brazil, including social contributions. In the administrative level, the Firm may represent to the Tax and Duties Administrative Court in São Paulo and to the Taxpayers Board in Brasília - as well as to the administrative courts of other States.

Business Law

Legal assistance is provided for all types of business relationships. Any contracts, memoranda or commercial agreements may be drafted and revised, always following legal guidelines and with special attention given to potential conflicts of interest.

Administrative and Antitrust Law

The Firm is able to render legal services before all federal administrative bodies and other governmental offices, in connection with the profusion of administrative rules relevant to the clients’ activities. Assistance is also offered for any kind of public bids. It also advises companies in connection with antitrust rules and may defend them before the antitrust federal bodies.

Civil Law and Succession

The Firm advises on matters of civil law, including marriage and pre-nuptial arrangements, as well as on inheritance rights.

Real Property Law

Legal assistance is provided for real estate dealings in general. Legal documentation is prepared or analyzed regarding sales, purchasing, rental, leasing, division of land into lots, conveyance of assets, partnerships, donations, payments in kind and other relevant procedures. The legal status of real estate property or title-holders is evaluated, aiming to identify limitations or obstacles which may jeopardize negotiations.

Labor Law

The Firm provides a wide range of legal advice in this area, offering orientation to employers in connection with labor procedures, preventative actions and measures aiming more secure work relationships – whether individual or collective.

It offers representation in administrative and judicial labor litigation, defending its clients in Regional Labor Courts or in union negotiations. This representation covers all levels of legal proceedings from Regional Labor Courts to the Superior Labor Court.

Intellectual Property and Internet

The Firm provides solutions to any intellectual property questions, such as those involving copyrights. The Firm is also involved in matters connected to Internet copyright law, providing legal representation in litigation under this theme. It also handles the registration of trademarks and patents, as well as drafts and requests registration of technolgy transfer agreements.

The Firm closely follows the legal implications of activities carried out on the Internet. In this capacity, it not only is able to offer legal advice, but also provides legal representation in this area. Among the services offered in this practice area, the Firm prepares and examines documents connected to electronic contracts (cryptography, digital signatures and certifying authority), e-commerce, domain copyright and registration, sales reports via Internet, legal domicile and sites, information security and correspondence inviolability.

Consumer Law

The Firm offers preventative advice as well as representation in litigation connected to consumer rights questions. It also closely monitors the evolution of the doctrine and jurisprudence of this important segment, always with an eye on the guidelines established by the Consumer Defense Code.

International Law

The Firm has skilled professionals to provide all services mentioned hereinabove in an international, cross-border perspective, i.e., when a foreign party is present, from the incorporation of Brazilian subsidiaries, analysis of possible international tax benefits, granting of stock option plans, as well as drafting and revising all kinds of international agreements, encompassing international trade, leasing, sales representation, trademarks or patents licensing and other business arrangements in an international economy more and more connected. The Firm issues legal opinions, answers inquiries regarding various matters and represents companies before international bodies.