Tax Litigation: The Elite | Brazil: Contentious

Mariz de Oliveira e Siqueira Campos Advogados is a prestigious tax boutique earning the highest of praises for its impressive track record of handling sensitive contentious mandates. It remains a first port of call for companies in need of representation before CARF and courts at all levels. The distinguished team remains at the forefront of direct tax matters, including CSLL and IRPJ, with additional capabilities in handling indirect taxes such as ICMS and ISS. The team has further expertise advising its client roster on cross-border matters involving international tax treaties.

Powerhouse Mattos Filho boasts a distinguished tax team with a vast amount of experience assisting major domestic and international clients from a variety of industries with sophisticated contentious mandates. Corporate heavyweights often point out the firm's expertise in a range of taxes, including PIS and COFINS, ICMS and IRPJ, including representation before CARF and at all levels of the judicial system. The team additionally draws upon the firm's strong corporate and M&A background to defend clients in goodwill tax amortisation disputes.

Top-flight firm Pinheiro Neto Advogados boasts a revered tax department attracting praise for its exceptional ability to handle strategic contentious mandates both before judicial courts and CARF. The multifaceted team demonstrates an impressive level of expertise in representing corporate giants in disputes relating to IPI, ICMS, and PIS and COFINS, as well as defending clients against tax infraction notices that may lead to criminal investigations. Its prominent client roster includes national and foreign players from the automotive, technology and energy sectors.

Sacha Calmon - Misabel Derzi Consultores e Advogados is a market-leading boutique based in Minas Gerais boasting a well-earned nationwide reputation due to its remarkable skills in dealing with strategic contentious tax mandates. The team has experience defending the interests of heavyweight players from the mining, telecommunications and automotive sectors in disputes arising from the collection of federal, state and municipal taxes, as well as assisting public entities with the obtaining of tax immunity. It boasts expertise representing clients in leading cases before the Superior Court of Justice and the Supreme Federal Court.

Highly respected tax boutique Dias de Souza is frequently sought out by a range of national and international clients, including well-known companies in the food and beverage sector, as well as banks, to assist with tax litigation mandates. The team comes recommended for its expert judicial litigation defences covering the full spectrum of direct and indirect taxes. Its strong team often acts before tribunals in the municipal, state and federal spheres, including superior courts.

Full-service firm Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice maintains a well-established tax department frequently sought out by well-known companies from an array of industries including mining, banking and technology, due to its proficient counsel on contentious mandates. The team attracts praise for its ability to represent clients in the full spectrum of federal, municipal and state taxes before CARF and the higher courts. Its experienced bench draws upon the firm's corporate strength to also defend clients in tax litigation mandates arising from M&A operations.

Rio de Janeiro-based tax boutique Maneira Advogados assists companies from an array of industries, including oil and gas, telecommunications and agribusiness, with contentious tax mandates in both the administrative and judicial spheres. Its growing team demonstrates noteworthy expertise defending clients against tax assessment notices, as well as offering representation in leading cases relating to tax exemptions and unconstitutionality claims before the Supreme Federal Court.

BMA - Barbosa, Müssnich, Aragão is a full-service all-star firm with a solid track record of representing players from the technology, banking and energy sectors in contentious tax mandates in the municipal, state and federal spheres. The team is frequently retained by clients to act in unconstitutionality claims and defence against tax assessments aiming at the collection of an array of taxes, including corporate income tax and social security contributions, before both administrative and judicial courts.

Brigagão, Duque Estrada - Advogados' seasoned team is recognised for its expertise representing companies in the automotive, telecommunications and energy sectors, as well as banks, in a range of contentious tax mandates. It demonstrates strong skills in handling administrative and judicial litigation, covering state and municipal taxes such as ICMS and ISS, as well as customs-related cases involving REPORTO and RECAP. The team has additional expertise in assisting clients with matters arising from goodwill tax amortisation.

Lefosse Advogados is a noted full-service firm with a wealth of experience assisting national and multinational corporations with defences in tax assessment disputes in the administrative and judicial spheres. Clients from the food and beverage, technology and pharmaceutical sectors benefit from the team's strong handling of contentious mandates arising from a range of tax matters, including PIS and COFINS, goodwill tax amortisation and foreign tax credits.

Trench Rossi Watanabe maintains a respected department with expertise representing clients in leading cases before both CARF and the Superior Court of Justice. The experienced team defends companies from a range of sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications against tax assessments relating to the full remit of direct and indirect taxes, including IRPJ and CSLL, as well as IPI and ICMS. It has additional capabilities in acting on goodwill tax amortisation and transfer pricing mandates.

Bichara Advogados is respected for its performance in tax litigation. The firm maintains a comprehensive practice assisting players from an array of sectors, including food and beverages, telecommunications and banking, with judicial and administrative disputes. Its experienced team often represents clients in tax infraction notices arising from direct and indirect tax matters, with a considerable track record in ICMS cases and unconstitutionality claims.

Full-service powerhouse Demarest Advogados has a well-recognised tax litigation practice covering a wide remit of taxes. The team regularly represents pharmaceutical, energy and automotive companies in judicial and administrative litigation relating to the full range of federal, state and municipal taxes, including PIS and COFINS, ICMS and IPTU. It demonstrates additional expertise in representing clients in transfer pricing and tax immunity mandates.

Well-regarded firm Schneider, Pugliese, Sztokfisz, Figueiredo e Carvalho is regularly retained by domestic players from an array of sectors, including food and beverages, cosmetics and banking, to represent them in the full range of tax contentious mandates. The team demonstrates experience defending clients in tax assessment disputes aiming at the collection of ICMS, IPI and social security taxes. It is skilled in acting before administrative and judicial tribunals, including the superior courts.