Duarte Garcia, Serra Netto e Terra Advogados

Composed of some of the nation’s most renowned attorneys in their practice areas, Duarte Garcia, Serra Netto e Terra is a law firm with 34 partners and 32 associates located in São Paulo, Brazil. Duarte Garcia also has an office in Brasília and maintains associations with law firms in Portugal. Led by Mário Sérgio Duarte Garcia, Marcelo Terra, Mário de Barros Duarte Garcia and Luis Eduardo Serra Netto, the firm has an experienced and successful litigation practice at all levels of jurisdiction, with relevant experience petitioning for the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and Superior Court of Justice (STJ). Duarte Garcia is likewise highly regarded for its legal advisory practice in the areas of Real Estate, Infrastructure and M&A, being frequently honoured by clients, other lawyers from around the country, international and national legal publications, and ranking organisations.

Administrative and infrastructure: Duarte Garcia has wide-ranging experience advising clients on public bids, public service concessions, public-private partnerships, privatisations, and use of public properties. The firm has a long run portfolio related to privatisations, defence on civil public actions and other enforcement measures in administrative and civil sanctions. Civil

Litigation and arbitration: The civil practice provides advice relating to the negotiation and drafting of contracts in general. Representation in judicial proceedings involving matters of civil and corporate law. The firm also has considerable experience in arbitration proceedings as active members of the State of São Paulo Trade Federation Arbitration Commission, the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce, of the US-Brazil Chamber of Commerce and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Compliance and white-collar crime: The team is highly specialised working side-by-side with other practices to provide customised assistance in the implementation of compliance programs, enforcement of compliance policies, private investigations and defence on criminal matters. The white-collar team is experienced in advising and defending clients from police investigations and dawn-raids to petitioning in all levels of jurisdiction.

Corporate and M&A: Duarte Garcia advises in all areas of corporate and commercial law, including due diligence, incorporation of companies, M&A transactions, joint ventures, foreign investment.

Environment: The expertise of the environmental practice includes administrative and judicial litigation in addition to assistance regarding environmental restrictions and licensing imposed by federal, state and local laws.

Labour: Auditing for liability contingencies, negotiation of collective bargaining with work class associations and defence in labour courts are among the expertise of the labour practice. The team is highly specialised in labour claims relating to the health care industry, construction and real estate sectors.

Real estate: Assistance in land use and occupancy regulations, planning and structuring real estate transactions regarding residential, industrial and commercial developments, shopping centres, hotels, multi-use property and others. The firm also advises clients in the emission of financial instruments relating to the real estate market. The team is able to assist clients in the emission of all sorts of financial solutions directed to the property sector such as real estate securities and securitisation products.

Urban: Duarte Garcia has an interdisciplinary team focused on urban law and land occupation issues, having experts in both administrative law and the real estate particularities of municipal regulations. The firm assists clients in all stages of licensing and obtainment of urban authorisations in the administrative and judicial spheres.

Tax: The work of this practice includes tax litigation, preventive assistance and advice as to taxes concerning industrial, commercial and service activities. The firm particularly stands out for its record in tax disputes that affect a large variety of clients playing important roles in the real state and service sector, as a result of its intense practice in both administrative and judicial Courts. It is highly known for the successful implementation of tax strategies in a broad range of commercial and corporate operations.