Tauil & Chequer Advogados (T&C) has gained antitrust and telecommunications partner Paulo Casagrande from another São Paulo law firm, Pereira Neto | Macedo Advogados. The hire brings T&C’s partners to 29. Casagrande said that he chose to move to T&C because of its “more comprehensive offerings to clients” and its association with US firm Mayer Brown starting in December 2009. Some foreign firms partner with local firms in Brazil because foreign lawyers cannot practice law in Brazil. In 2010, Brazil’s national bar association’s São Paulo chapter found that alliances between foreign legal consultants and Brazilian lawyers were unethical, but in October of 2012, the Federal Ordem dos Advogados, or order of attorneys, decided not to make any changes.
Casagrande said that while his previous firm had strengths, it did not cover as many areas of law as T&C. He also cited the fact that T&C “has been increasingly active especially in the antitrust cases” as a reason he wanted to work there.
Casagrande reflected on recent developments in the antitrust sector in Brazil. “The Brazilian interest agency [CADE] is being increasingly active in the country, its activities of course can [affect] the activities of companies in several areas, and there are several cartel investigations going on [as well as] new cartel investigations that could [affect] activities of companies. In the cartel area, being very active, companies are increasingly aware of these activities,” Casagrande said. He added that some companies are seeking representation or “taking compliance measures to avoid being investigated.”
Casagrande has worked as a partner at Pereira Neto since 2009. He received a Bachelor of Law from Universidade de São Paulo in 2002, a Master in Law and Economics in 2006 jointly awarded from the Universität Hamburg and The University of Manchester, and a doctorate in Economic Law from Universidade de São Paulo in 2015. Casagrande’s recent files include advising Banco de Brasil and Bradesco on regulatory clearance for its new company Livelo, advising ammunition producer CBC on the takeover of weapons manufacturer Taurus, and guiding telecommunications company Oi in antitrust clearance for the company’s merger with Portugal Telecom.