São Paulo, March 11st, 2025 – Lobo de Rizzo announces a significant expansion in its operations in the Infrastructure and Energy sector, with the arrival of three new partners with multidisciplinary backgrounds and extensive experience in the energy industry, also strengthening its operations in Rio de Janeiro.
The firm has hired Bernardo Viana, a reference in crisis management, strategic disputes involving reputational issues, governance, and compliance; João Pedro Assis, with solid experience in the infrastructure and electric energy sectors; and Thiago Luiz Silva, a specialist in the oil and gas sector, low-carbon hydrogen, and offshore wind farms. “This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to making Lobo de Rizzo a reference in infrastructure and energy. We understand the relevance of these sectors to the Brazilian economy and the country’s development,” says the firm’s Managing Partner, Marcelo Bez Debatin da Silveira.
Lobo de Rizzo’s bet is also on the diversity of experiences of the new hires: while Thiago and Bernardo come from law firms, João Pedro brings corporate experience, working on the client side. “We believe this complementarity will offer a unique perspective to our clients and allow us to think more innovatively,” continues Marcelo Bez.
The firm’s investment is directly linked to the relevance of the energy industry in Brazil, which, although always significant, has grown significantly and become increasingly complex. The new partners highlight relevant aspects that demonstrate the importance of the move Lobo de Rizzo is making.
According to João Pedro, “the energy industry is undergoing a transformation, with new transactional dynamics and regulatory debates that require specialized legal support aligned with the business environment. Our focus is to offer robust legal solutions that consider the reality of clients in all segments of the electric sector.”
Bernardo highlights that “the economic representativeness of the energy sector comes with high reputational and legal exposure, requiring precise and sophisticated advice. At Lobo de Rizzo, we find the ideal environment to offer this strategic support, sensitive not only to legal issues but also to extralegal aspects, such as stakeholder and media relations.”
Thiago emphasizes that “the electric sector and the oil and gas industry, previously not well integrated, are increasingly connected, driven by cross-investment between the two segments. Our team is structured to understand these interfaces and act as a strategic partner for clients, going beyond legal knowledge to deliver solutions aligned with market evolution”.
The move also strengthens the firm’s commitment to attracting and retaining top talent, demonstrating its ability to compete with major market players: “by investing in new areas and regions, we offer professional development opportunities to our legal team. This is a fundamental pillar in our strategic growth and expansion plan,” reinforces the Managing Partner.
Learn more about the new partners:
Bernardo Viana works in investigations and crises of all kinds, from behavioral issues to cases of fraud and international corruption, as well as advising on sensitive risks in transactions and high-exposure disputes. He is also a Professor at FGV and holds an LLM from Columbia University, NY.
João Pedro Assis specializes in infrastructure and electric energy, with strong performance in regulatory and transactional matters in Brazil and abroad. He has extensive experience in the segments of energy generation and commercialization, including the structuring of self-production projects, mergers and acquisitions, auctions and regulated contracts, administrative processes, implementation of wind and photovoltaic plants, as well as the import and export of electric energy. In addition to his extensive academic work and a Master’s degree in Public Law from FGV Direito São Paulo, he has held executive positions in major sector groups such as EDF, CGN Brasil Energia, IHS Towers, and Bolt Energy throughout his career.
Thiago Luiz Silva specializes in oil and gas exploration and production and its supply chain, natural gas, offshore wind farms, and low-carbon hydrogen. With 19 years of experience advising national and international companies, he has participated in strategic transactions in the oil and gas sector, including farm-in/farm-outs, structuring of gas-fired power plants with LNG terminals, mergers and acquisitions of offshore service providers, transportation pipelines, and gas distributors, as well as significant financing. Recognized by Chambers Brazil and Global, Leaders League, and Latin Lawyer 250, his arrival strengthens the firm’s ability to offer strategic solutions in the energy sector.
About Lobo de Rizzo
Lobo de Rizzo is a full-service law firm focused on projects, transactions, and disputes for national and international companies in various sectors, operating in areas such as Environmental, Banking and Payment Methods, Public Companies, Competition, ESG, Real Estate, Infrastructure, Financial and Capital Markets, Intellectual Property, Regulatory, Corporate, Mergers and Acquisitions, Dispute Resolution, Labor, and Tax. It has offices in São Paulo (SP) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ). For more information, visit: https://www.ldr.com.br
Press Contact:
Jean Gonsales
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