Aroeira Salles Advogados

Aroeira Salles is a leading Brazilian law firm advising international clients in relation to all stages of their operations and investments in Brazil. Our strategic presence in the key commercial centres in Brazil and active London office means that we are ideally placed to assist our clients across a number of areas.

Key practice areas

Projects: We have extensive experience advising on major projects in Brazil. Our expertise covers a range of areas including infrastructure, services and industrial projects. We provide comprehensive support from the inception to completion of a project including in relation to procurement, drafting and negotiation of contracts, project support, and dispute resolution.

We have particular expertise in relation to construction and infrastructure projects where our practice covers all sectors including energy, social infrastructure, oil & gas, transport and water & waste.

Corporate & Commercial: Aroeira Salles advises its clients on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters. The firm’s expertise includes the drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, transactions and corporate governance. Aroeira Salles also provides specific support to overseas companies in relation to setting up and running a business in Brazil. Our lawyers also add significant value by advising clients on company and commercial law matters that affect the day-to-day operation of their businesses.

Public & Administrative Law: Our expertise in this area includes public concessions and PPPs, negotiation and management of public contracts, and public procurement. We also represent our clients in major disputes involving public law. We have significant experience advising clients in respect of internal and external audits of public projects as well as representing clients in proceedings before the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) and other control institutions.

Dispute Resolution: Aroeira Salles has a broad disputes practice providing full support across a range of areas. We represent our clients in leading cases including in the Supreme Federal Court and Superior Court of Justice in Brazil. The firm has significant expertise in relation to disputes in the construction and infrastructure sector. We represent our clients in administrative and judicial proceedings as well as in relation to alternative methods of dispute resolution such as arbitration, mediation and dispute boards.

Investigations and White Collar Defence: Aroeira Salles has extensive experience advising on civil and criminal investigations, as well as defending clients in public civil, improbity and collective actions. We guide our clients throughout all phases of these complex, high-stakes proceedings, from the initial allegation to the final resolution.

Projects are often subject to auditing by control institutions, which can lead to investigations initiated by public prosecutors. Such investigations can relate to the improper use of public funds as well as corruption, money laundering and organised crime.

We help clients to navigate government investigations and lead negotiations with enforcement authorities. We also design and conduct internal investigations to resolve internal issues with efficiency and discretion. Our practice also includes acting in relation to the defence of clients in criminal proceedings.

Anti-corruption and Compliance: We advise our clients on the implementation of effective compliance systems through an individualised approach which takes in to consideration the specific values and culture of the company. We undertake a comprehensive analysis of the documentation as well as visit the company and interview key representatives to understand the specific risks involved with the business. We also support our clients in putting together guidelines, policies and procedures, and undertake training and provide consultancy to the members of the company responsible for compliance.

We also assist our clients in relation to crisis management and internal investigations as well as the negotiation of leniency agreements and plea bargains.

Procurement: We advise on public and private procurement processes, including the interpretation of rules of participation, preparation of documents and bids, and negotiation of contracts, among other things. We use our knowledge and experience to support our clients in complying fully with the requirements in the invitation to tender (edital). Where necessary, we also assist our clients with the preparation of objections to the invitation to tender, administrative appeals, responses to appeals filed by competitors, as well as representing clients in litigation.