Corporate / M&A / Infrastructure

Rodrigo Vella is one of Vella Pugliese Buosi e Guidoni Advogados founding partners, co-managing partner of the firm, and a member of Dentons’ Global Board and Global Advisory Committee. He is also local co-head of the Corporate and Finance practice and head of Denton’s Healthcare and Lifesciences practice for Latin America and the Caribbean.

With 25 years of experience, his practice focuses on corporate, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, project finance, capital markets and real estate matters. Rodrigo has deep experience in mergers and acquisitions transactions, particularly in roll-up acquisitions, project finance and complex commercial transactions around the world for national and international companies and groups of a wide range of industries, particularly in private equity, infrastructure, health and education. Rodrigo’s international experience includes working at Proskauer Rose and Cleary Gottlieb. Rodrigo is licensed both in Brazil (Sao Paulo and Brasilia) and in the United States of America (New York).

Rodrigo is recognized as one of the leading corporate lawyers in Brazil by Chambers and Partners Latin America and Chambers Global and Latin Lawyer. Clients state, “he is an outstanding professional who is very committed to cases and always in touch with clients” (Chambers Latin America) and an “Experienced M&A lawyer who provides strategic insight to our business” (Chambers Global).

Rodrigo is the leading partner in several deals involving some of the firm’s top key clients: such as NotreDame Intermédica (one of Bain Capital’s Brazilian portfolio companies), Patria Investimentos (affiliated to the Blackstone Group), Total (one of  the "supermajor" oil companies), Harvard Management Company (which manages Harvard University's endowment and related financial asset), Fresenius Medical Care (world leader in dialysis products and services) and Kroton (world’s largest educational private company).

Rodrigo is co-editor of “International Business Transactions with Brazil”, a book published in the United States by Juris Publishing, Inc. in 2008, and author of several essays and publications on corporate law.

Fundação Estudar Scholar and Mentor; Endeavor Mentor; Personal & Professional Coach; Member of the Brazilian Bar Association (Sao Paulo and Brasilia chapters) Member of the New York State Bar Association; Member of the American Bar Association – ABA; and Member of the International Bar Association – IBA.

Partner – Corporate / M&A / Infrastructure

Fundação Dom Cabral, 2009, Senior Management Development Program; Georgetown University, 2004, LL.M.; Fundação Estudar Scholar, 2003; Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, 2001, Specialization in Tax Law; Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, 1998, Bachelor of Law (JD).