Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel

Schmidt, Valois, Miranda, Ferreira & Agel Advogados (SVMFA) was founded in 2007 by partners of leading Brazilian firms, whose academic and professional experience was specialised in natural resources and infrastructure projects in Brazil and abroad.

SVMFA is one of the most prestigious and recommended law firms in Latin America concerning M&A, natural resources and infrastructure matters and projects. For the last decade, SVMFA and its partners have been consistently top-tier ranked by the most prestigious international research institutes.

Our lawyers have worked in cross-border transactions involving Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Guinea-Bissau, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA and Venezuela.

Main Areas of Practice

Oil & Gas:  

Acts in all sectors of the oil and gas industry from the wellhead to the customer. Represents clients with business in upstream, midstream and downstream activities in Brazil and other jurisdictions. It represents companies in the Brazil Bid Rounds promoted by the Petroleum Agency under concession and production sharing regimes. It assists oil companies (IOCs, NOCs, operators, and non-operators) and investment funds in farm-in and farm-out transactions as well as in joint operating agreements and joint bidding agreements. Advice covers tax as well as legal issues. SVMFA assists clients in sophisticated unitisation procedures and complex regulatory and contractual work related to concession and production sharing regimes. Work involves downstream acquisitions and restructuring including oil refineries and gas station brands and networks, as well as assistance in the marketing and distribution of petroleum by-products.

Energy & Renewables:  

Recognised for its work in developing power generations, transmission, distribution and marketing projects. The firm represents investors, operators, financial institutions and free and captive consumers in commercial transactions in the electricity sector. In renewables, SVMFA acts particularly on the development and financing of green and brown field projects, involving all legal aspects of such projects, including regulatory and tax issues. More recently, it has been representing sponsors, project companies, suppliers, and investment funds in bids promoted by the Brazilian government for the generation of power through solar and wind sources and for the construction and operation of transmission lines.

Corporate, M&A, Restructuring & Private Equity: 

Dedicated to providing legal services in corporate law and contracts, working closely with other teams such as the tax and labour practice groups. Work in M&A transactions for acquisition of assets and shares, particularly in the infrastructure and natural resources sectors, dates back to the early 1980s during the first privatisation programs in Brazil. Work includes due diligence for the purchase and sale of assets and equity stakes in oil and gas, energy, mining, sugar and ethanol, real estate and technology companies, amongst others.

Construction & Infrastructure: 

Being complex in their nature, construction and engineering contracts in the infrastructure sector (including EPC, turnkey and joint ventures) require the involvement of experienced professionals. SVMFA has a team dedicated to the negotiation and drafting of such contracts as well as litigation relating thereto.

Mining: 

Assists domestic and international companies in a variety of mining projects in Brazil. Services include the representation of clients before the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the National Department of Mineral Production regarding concessions for mining rights and the development of research and mining activities. It provides assistance to clients in due diligence, negotiation of joint ventures, acquisition of companies and assignment of mining rights. Also, represents companies in negotiations of leases with owners of real estate properties.

Environment & Sustainability: 

Comprises professionals with substantial experience in issues related to the environment, sanitation, urban planning, cultural development, social responsibility, the green economy, climate change, and sustainability. SVMFA provides integrated legal services to assess environmental risks and secure appropriate environmental licenses for projects.

Tax:  

Comprises seasoned professionals with large experience and sound performance in tax consultancy and litigation matters. The local, state and federal taxes that burden business activity are at the core of the practice. It works in litigation, both within the judicial sphere filing actions for requesting repetition of indebtedness, annulment of tax debts, writs of mandamus, defences in tax enforcements and in the administrative litigation, with the preparation and submitting of written and verbal defences.

Firm Details

Languages: Portuguese, English, French, German, Spanish 

www.svmfa.com.br 

Offices

Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília 

SVMFA is one of the most prestigious and recommended law firms in Latin America concerning M&A, natural resources and infrastructure matters and projects. For the last decade, SVMFA and its partners have been consistently top-tier ranked by the most prestigious international research institutes.

Their lawyers have worked in cross-border transactions involving Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Guinea-Bissau, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA and Venezuela.

Main Areas of Practice:
Oil & Gas:
Acts in all sectors of the oil and gas industry from the wellhead to the customer. Represents clients with business in upstream, midstream and downstream activities in Brazil and other jurisdictions. It represents companies in the Brazil Bid Rounds promoted by the Petroleum Agency under concession and production sharing regimes. It assists oil companies (IOCs, NOCs, operators, and non-operators) and investment funds in farm-in and farm-out transactions as well as in joint operating agreements and joint bidding agreements. Advice covers tax as well as legal issues. SVMFA assists clients in sophisticated unitisation procedures and complex regulatory and contractual work related to concession and production sharing regimes. Work involves downstream acquisitions and restructuring including oil refineries and gas station brands and networks, as well as assistance in the marketing and distribution of petroleum by-products.

Energy & Renewables:
Recognised for its work in developing power generations, transmission, distribution and marketing projects. The firm represents investors, operators, financial institutions and free and captive consumers in commercial transactions in the electricity sector. In renewables, SVMFA acts particularly on the development and financing of green and brown field projects, involving all legal aspects of such projects, including regulatory and tax issues. More recently, it has been representing sponsors, project companies, suppliers, and investment funds in bids promoted by the Brazilian government for the generation of power through solar and wind sources and for the construction and operation of transmission lines.

Corporate, M&A, Restructuring & Private Equity:
Dedicated to providing legal services in corporate law and contracts, working closely with other teams such as the tax and labour practice groups. Work in M&A transactions for acquisition of assets and shares, particularly in the infrastructure and natural resources sectors, dates back to the early 1980s during the first privatisation programs in Brazil. Work includes due diligence for the purchase and sale of assets and equity stakes in oil and gas, energy, mining, sugar and ethanol, real estate and technology companies, amongst others.

Construction & Infrastructure:
Being complex in their nature, construction and engineering contracts in the infrastructure sector (including EPC, turnkey and joint ventures) require the involvement of experienced professionals. SVMFA has a team dedicated to the negotiation and drafting of such contracts as well as litigation relating thereto.

Mining:
Assists domestic and international companies in a variety of mining projects in Brazil. Services include the representation of clients before the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the National Department of Mineral Production regarding concessions for mining rights and the development of research and mining activities. It provides assistance to clients in due diligence, negotiation of joint ventures, acquisition of companies and assignment of mining rights. Also, represents companies in negotiations of leases with owners of real estate properties.

Environment & Sustainability:
Comprises professionals with substantial experience in issues related to the environment, sanitation, urban planning, cultural development, social responsibility, the green economy, climate change, and sustainability. SVMFA provides integrated legal services to assess environmental risks and secure appropriate environmental licenses for projects.

Tax:
Comprises seasoned professionals with large experience and sound performance in tax consultancy and litigation matters. The local, state and federal taxes that burden business activity are at the core of the practice. It works in litigation, both within the judicial sphere filing actions for requesting repetition of indebtedness, annulment of tax debts, writs of mandamus, defences in tax enforcements and in the administrative litigation, with the preparation and submitting of written and verbal defences.

Offices:
Rio de Janeiro,
São Paulo
Brasília