São Paulo (LAWFUEL) – The global law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce the opening of its office in São Paulo, Brazil, attaining a strategic foothold in one of the most important financial and commercial hubs in Latin America. This move extends the Firm’s impact through its five offices in the region responding to the growing demand in the areas of infrastructure, energy, project finance, capital markets, banking, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate in Latin America.
In addition to São Paulo, the Firm has offices in Rio de Janeiro and Vitória, Brazil, and in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico. The venture, known as Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Thompson & Knight LLP, will enhance the Firm’s Latin American practice and fortify its burgeoning Brazilian presence.
“Our new office establishes a crucial service portal for current and prospective clients in Brazil. From Rio de Janeiro, Vitória, and now São Paulo, we have the local presence and legal experience to deliver a comprehensive portfolio of services to our clients throughout Brazil and Latin America. It is personally rewarding to see our vision become a reality right in the heart of such a rising business community,” says Pete Riley, the Firm’s Managing Partner.
Partners Alexandre R. Chequer and Bruno Werneck were relocated to São Paulo from Rio de Janeiro. Together with local Felipe H. Kim and Flávia Andraus Troyano, these attorneys are establishing the new office and recruiting more talent for expansion of the venture. The office will be managed by Chequer.
“The opening of the São Paulo office further strengthens the Firm’s commitment to serving leading businesses in Latin America,” says Chequer. “Our current clients in Brazil will greatly benefit from our expansion into São Paulo, and we look forward to serving them from our new offices.”
Chequer is a Partner in the Firm’s International Energy Practice Group. His practice focuses on project development, representing clients in energy, ethanol, renewable energy, oil and gas, heavy industries, project finance, mergers and acquisitions, business transactions projects, and arbitration. His expertise includes infrastructure projects in upstream, midstream, and downstream energy; negotiation for the structuring of projects with host countries; exploration and production; pipeline projects; and LNG, gas power plant, refinery, petrochemical, ethanol, and renewable projects in Latin America and Africa. Chequer, a native of Brazil, is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English and is regularly recognized for his superior legal services by Chambers Global and Latin Lawyer.
Werneck is a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He focuses his practice on corporate, finance, and regulatory matters, including mergers and acquisitions, project development, corporate agreements, joint ventures, project finance, and the restructuring of debt and assets. Werneck has vast experience advising multinational and Brazilian companies in regulated sectors, especially in the energy and mining sectors, and in the representation of private equity and pension funds. Also a native of Brazil, he graduated from the University of São Paulo and has a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University Law School.
Kim is Senior Counsel in the Corporate Practice Group. Prior to joining the Firm, he worked as General Counsel for Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) and as Chief Legal Officer for Telecom Italia America Latina where he was responsible for all strategic legal matters related to investments in Latin America, including, in Brazil, ownership in Brasil Telecom and TIM. His expertise includes mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, project finance, corporate reorganizations, private equity, capital markets, and banking. Kim graduated from the University of São Paulo and has a Master of Laws degree from New York University School of Law. He is fluent in Portuguese and English.
Andraus, who recently joined the Firm, is in the Corporate Practice Group. She focuses her practice on corporate, finance, and capital markets, including acquisition and project finance, mergers and acquisitions, project development, corporate agreements, joint ventures, and debt and equity issuances. Andraus has also worked as the legal-financial manager of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), a Brazilian steel company highly active in the market, and has vast experience in advising both smaller companies and larger corporations, financial institutions, and private equity funds. Also a native of Brazil, she graduated from the University of São Paulo and has a Master of Laws degree from Panthéon-Assas University. Andraus is fluent in Portuguese and English.
