William Freire - Advogados Associados

Founding Partner: William Freire

Senior Partners: Ana Maria Damasceno, Bruno Costa, Tiago de Mattos Silva, Marcelo Azevedo and Paulo Honório de Castro Júnior

Lawyers: Agata Silva, Ana Clara Teixeira, Bianca Barbosa, Brenda Aguiar, Bruno Feitosa, Bruno Malta, Débora Pôssa Pereira, Dédalo Cardoso, Fernanda Nunes, Flávia Canabrava, Flávia Rincon, Giovanna Carvalho, Giulia Almeida, João Costa, Kauê Gomes, Letícia Cavalli, Lucas Prates, Luciana Gomez, Luisa Freitas, Mariana Cavalieri, Mariana Renan, Mateus Soeiro, Nara Lage, Oder Neto, Otávio Vilela, Pâmella Pires, Rodrigo Pires, Sofia Cunha, Solrana Amorim, Thales Souza, Thayna Campos, Urick Soares, Victor Ferreira and Wendell Ferreira.

Number of partners: 6

Number of other lawyers: 34

Contacts:

Mining Law: Dr Tiago de Mattos and Bruno Costa

Environmental Law: Dr Marcelo Azevedo

Tax Law: Dr Paulo Honório de Castro

Dispute Resolution: Dr Ana Maria Damasceno

Firm Overview:

For more than 30 years, William Freire Advogados Associados has been a leading law firm, specialised in mining, environmental, tax, dispute resolution and land matters and in some sectors of the economy, notably mining, steel industry, metallurgy, energy, infrastructure, forestry, agribusiness and construction, offering unrivaled specialised legal assistance to national and international clients throughout the development of their activities in Brazil. The expertise and excellence of its team guarantees the quality, agility and efficiency in the solutions to their clients.

Main Areas of Practice:

Mining Law:

■ Drafting of opinions and consultations

■ Mining law due diligence to evaluate the regularity and the risks related to mining titles

■ Mining law due diligence

■ Strategic management of mineral assets

■ Assistance in acquisition, disposal and leasing negotiations of mineral rights

■ Drafting of mining contracts, such as acquisition, disposal and leasing of mineral rights, agreements with the land’s owners

■ Assistance in the establishment of mining companies, Brazilian or foreign

■ Drafting of administrative and legal defences in collection CFEM (Financial Compensation for Exploiting Mineral Resources)

■ Advice on environmental licensing related to mining projects

■ Assistance in the establishment of mineral servitude

■ Monitoring and advising on the new regulatory framework for mining

■ Judicial action in Brazil

Environmental Law:

■ Environmental crisis management: accidents, difficulties with environmental agencies, communities and public prosecutors

■ Environmental due diligence

■ Legal assistance in obtaining, maintaining and renewing environmental licenses

■ Advice on Terms of Adjustment of Conduct with environmental agencies and public prosecutors

■ Attending clients at public hearings

■ Drafting of defences (administrative and judicial) and assessment of environmental damage

■ Legal assessment of the environmental viability of mining, industry and energy projects

■ Consultancy for regularisation of environmental compensation

■ Advising processes of environmental management certification

■ Judicial action

Tax Law:

■ Legal services to companies in tax law, whether in advisory or litigation

■ Litigation practice includes administrative defence motions and appeals, as well as judicial suit aiming on cancellation of tax credits issued by municipal, state and federal authorities

■ Advisory in all subjects of tax law, including foreign trade, focusing on prevention of disputes by reviewing internal procedures

■ Tax planning

■ Mapping, negotiation and enjoyment of tax incentives

Dispute Resolution:

■ Workshops and training to reduce liability and avoid litigation.

■ Specialized litigation defense in the country's courts, including the Supreme Court.

■ Due Diligence: Assessment of civil liabilities and litigation to mitigate transactional risks.

■ Arbitration and strategic advice on specialized disputes.

Land Matters:

■ Negotiating with landowners and government agencies to make surface access agreements workable.

■ Evaluation of real estate assets to identify weaknesses and mitigate risks.

■ Drafting and reviewing contracts for the acquisition and development of real estate assets.

■ Advising on the regularization of real estate and obtaining permits from government agencies.

■ Identifying and mitigating real estate risks for corporate investments.

International Work:

Recent international work includes:

■ Work involving mineral taxation, environmental law and corporate organisation in reference to a procedure established by the public prosecution

■ Conducting due diligence on mining rights for the final purpose of acquiring the right

■ Legal counsel about environmental issues for project implementation iron

■ Legal counsel involving complex issues in reference to mining rights, administrative proceedings, litigation and arbitration

■ Counsel in regard to issues involving mining rights and public administrative proceedings

■ Legal counsel relating to steel mill and general mineral activity

■ Legal counsel to Brazil’s leading producer of long rods

■ Legal counsel about mining law and environmental law counsel in projects of the company

■ Legal counsel regarding mining law and environmental law in the production of seamless steel tubes

■ Extensive legal counsel regarding many projects, including going support throughout the entire process of acquisition of areas and attainment of mineral rights to form the biggest diamond mining project in South America

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish

Founding Partner: William Freire

Senior Partners: Tiago de Mattos Silva, Marcelo Azevedo and Paulo Honório de Castro Júnior

Lawyers: Agata Silva, Ana Clara Teixeira, Ana Luiza Marques, Ana Maria Damasceno, Bianca Barbosa, Brenda Aguiar, Bruno Freire Maia Rodrigues Costa, Bruno Feitosa, Bruno Malta, Caio Gomes, Débora Pôssa Pereira, Fernanda Nunes, Gabriel Gontijo, Gabriela Solano, Giovanna Carvalho, Giulia Almeida, Kauê Gomes, Letícia Cavalli, Lucas Toledo, Luciana Gomez, Mariana Cavalieri, Mariângela Menezes, Nara Lage, Oder Neto, Otávio Vilela, Pedro Saad, Rodrigo Pires, Sofia Cunha, Tayná Reis, Thales Souza, Urick Soares and Victor Ferreira.

Number of partners: 4

Number of other lawyers: 32

Contacts:  

Mining Law: Dr Tiago de Mattos

Environmental Law: Dr Marcelo Azevedo

Tax Law: Paulo Honório de Castro

Criminal Law: Dr Marcelo Sarsur

Firm Overview: 

For 25 years, William Freire Advogados has been a leading law firm, specialised in mining, environmental, tax and criminal law and in some sectors of the economy, notably mining, steel industry, metallurgy, energy, infrastructure, forestry, agribusiness and construction, offering unrivaled specialised legal assistance to national and international clients throughout the development of their activities in Brazil. The expertise and excellence of its team guarantees the quality, agility and efficiency in the solutions to their clients.

Main Areas of Practice:  

Mining Law: 

■ Drafting of opinions and consultations

■ Mining law due diligence to evaluate the regularity and the risks related to mining titles

■ Mining law due diligence

■ Strategic management of mineral assets

■ Assistance in acquisition, disposal and leasing negotiations of mineral rights

■ Drafting of mining contracts, such as acquisition, disposal and leasing of mineral rights, agreements with the land’s owners

■ Assistance in the establishment of mining companies, Brazilian or foreign

■ Drafting of administrative and legal defences in collection CFEM (Financial Compensation for Exploiting Mineral Resources)

■ Advice on environmental licensing related to mining projects

■ Assistance in the establishment of mineral servitude

■ Monitoring and advising on the new regulatory framework for mining

■ Judicial action in Brazil

Environmental Law: 

■ Environmental crisis management: accidents, difficulties with environmental agencies, communities and public prosecutors

■ Environmental due diligence

■ Legal assistance in obtaining, maintaining and renewing environmental licenses

■ Advice on Terms of Adjustment of Conduct with environmental agencies and public prosecutors

■ Attending clients at public hearings

■ Drafting of defences (administrative and judicial) and assessment of environmental damage

■ Legal assessment of the environmental viability of mining, industry and energy projects

■ Consultancy for regularisation of environmental compensation

■ Advising processes of environmental management certification

■ Judicial action

Tax Law: 

■ Legal services to companies in tax law, whether in advisory or litigation

■ Litigation practice includes administrative defence motions and appeals, as well as judicial suit aiming on cancellation of tax credits issued by municipal, state and federal authorities

■ Advisory in all subjects of tax law, including foreign trade, focusing on prevention of disputes by reviewing internal procedures

■ Tax planning

■ Mapping, negotiation and enjoyment of tax incentives

Criminal Law: 

■ Legal services to companies in criminal law, whether in advisory or litigation

■ Advisory in corporate anti-corruption compliance programs

International Work:  

Recent international work includes:

■ Work involving mineral taxation, environmental law and corporate organisation in reference to a procedure established by the public prosecution

■ Conducting due diligence on mining rights for the final purpose of acquiring the right

■ Legal counsel about environmental issues for project implementation iron

■ Legal counsel involving complex issues in reference to mining rights, administrative proceedings, litigation and arbitration

■ Counsel in regard to issues involving mining rights and public administrative proceedings

■ Legal counsel relating to steel mill and general mineral activity

■ Legal counsel to Brazil’s leading producer of long rods

■ Legal counsel about mining law and environmental law counsel in projects of the company

■ Legal counsel regarding mining law and environmental law in the production of seamless steel tubes

■ Extensive legal counsel regarding many projects, including going support throughout the entire process of acquisition of areas and attainment of mineral rights to form the biggest diamond mining project in South America

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish 

Founding Partner: William Freire

Senior Partners: Tiago de Mattos Silva, Marcelo Azevedo and Paulo Honório de Castro Júnior

Lawyers: Agata Silva, Ana Clara Teixeira, Ana Luiza Marques, Ana Maria Damasceno, Bianca Barbosa, Brenda Aguiar, Bruno Freire Maia Rodrigues Costa, Bruno Feitosa, Bruno Malta, Caio Gomes, Débora Pôssa Pereira, Fernanda Nunes, Gabriel Gontijo, Gabriela Solano, Giovanna Carvalho, Giulia Almeida, Kauê Gomes, Letícia Cavalli, Lucas Toledo, Luciana Gomez, Mariana Cavalieri, Mariângela Menezes, Nara Lage, Oder Neto, Otávio Vilela, Pedro Saad, Rodrigo Pires, Sofia Cunha, Tayná Reis, Thales Souza, Urick Soares and Victor Ferreira.

Number of partners: 4

Number of other lawyers: 32

Contacts:  

Mining Law: Dr Tiago de Mattos

Environmental Law: Dr Marcelo Azevedo

Tax Law: Paulo Honório de Castro

Criminal Law: Dr Marcelo Sarsur

Firm Overview: 

For 25 years, William Freire Advogados has been a leading law firm, specialised in mining, environmental, tax and criminal law and in some sectors of the economy, notably mining, steel industry, metallurgy, energy, infrastructure, forestry, agribusiness and construction, offering unrivaled specialised legal assistance to national and international clients throughout the development of their activities in Brazil. The expertise and excellence of its team guarantees the quality, agility and efficiency in the solutions to their clients.

Main Areas of Practice:  

Mining Law: 

■ Drafting of opinions and consultations

■ Mining law due diligence to evaluate the regularity and the risks related to mining titles

■ Mining law due diligence

■ Strategic management of mineral assets

■ Assistance in acquisition, disposal and leasing negotiations of mineral rights

■ Drafting of mining contracts, such as acquisition, disposal and leasing of mineral rights, agreements with the land’s owners

■ Assistance in the establishment of mining companies, Brazilian or foreign

■ Drafting of administrative and legal defences in collection CFEM (Financial Compensation for Exploiting Mineral Resources)

■ Advice on environmental licensing related to mining projects

■ Assistance in the establishment of mineral servitude

■ Monitoring and advising on the new regulatory framework for mining

■ Judicial action in Brazil

Environmental Law: 

■ Environmental crisis management: accidents, difficulties with environmental agencies, communities and public prosecutors

■ Environmental due diligence

■ Legal assistance in obtaining, maintaining and renewing environmental licenses

■ Advice on Terms of Adjustment of Conduct with environmental agencies and public prosecutors

■ Attending clients at public hearings

■ Drafting of defences (administrative and judicial) and assessment of environmental damage

■ Legal assessment of the environmental viability of mining, industry and energy projects

■ Consultancy for regularisation of environmental compensation

■ Advising processes of environmental management certification

■ Judicial action

Tax Law: 

■ Legal services to companies in tax law, whether in advisory or litigation

■ Litigation practice includes administrative defence motions and appeals, as well as judicial suit aiming on cancellation of tax credits issued by municipal, state and federal authorities

■ Advisory in all subjects of tax law, including foreign trade, focusing on prevention of disputes by reviewing internal procedures

■ Tax planning

■ Mapping, negotiation and enjoyment of tax incentives

Criminal Law: 

■ Legal services to companies in criminal law, whether in advisory or litigation

■ Advisory in corporate anti-corruption compliance programs

International Work:  

Recent international work includes:

■ Work involving mineral taxation, environmental law and corporate organisation in reference to a procedure established by the public prosecution

■ Conducting due diligence on mining rights for the final purpose of acquiring the right

■ Legal counsel about environmental issues for project implementation iron

■ Legal counsel involving complex issues in reference to mining rights, administrative proceedings, litigation and arbitration

■ Counsel in regard to issues involving mining rights and public administrative proceedings

■ Legal counsel relating to steel mill and general mineral activity

■ Legal counsel to Brazil’s leading producer of long rods

■ Legal counsel about mining law and environmental law counsel in projects of the company

■ Legal counsel regarding mining law and environmental law in the production of seamless steel tubes

■ Extensive legal counsel regarding many projects, including going support throughout the entire process of acquisition of areas and attainment of mineral rights to form the biggest diamond mining project in South America

Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish