VBD Advogados

Managing Partners: Olivar Vitale, Rafael Bicalho and Rodrigo Dias
Number of partners: 6
Number of other lawyers: 28
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

Firm Overview:
The firm’s purpose is generating solutions to improve Brazil.

VBD Advogados is a multidisciplinary Brazilian law firm located in São Paulo with a team of over 40 specialized professionals capable to present the best solution on complex legal matters.

The firm’s driving force is to support its clients by providing quality legal advice, fast responses and market expertise that enables them to achieve their goals.

The partners are Professors at the most renowned universities in the country, such as USP, authors of several papers published in technical publications, and Speakers on seminars around Brazil.

Main Areas of Practice:  

Real Estate:
The real estate practice works closely with other practices of the firm, such as arbitration and litigation; corporate and M&A; environmental law; labour; public and regulatory law and tax law. The partners are active members of the Instituto Brasileiro de Direito Imobiliário (the Brazilian Institute of Real Estate Law, or IBRADIM), the Sindicato da Habitação (the Real Estate Management Association, or SECOVI), the Sindicato da Indústria da Construção Civil do Estado de São Paulo (the Civil Construction Syndicate, or SINDUSCON/SP) and the Confederação Nacional da Indústria (the Brazilian Industry National Confederation, or CNI). The practice involves planning and structuring real estate transactions, such as complex and strategic real estate acquisitions, elaboration of legal opinion, investment fund structuring, and ‘built to suit’ and ‘sale and leaseback operations’, and has been recommended by the main national and international publications which covers the legal sector.

Arbitration:
Performance in arbitration procedures, specially in arbitration involving constructive and regulatory issues, that include detailed analysis of documents and facts, preparation and presentation of legal strategy, hearings and legal opinions; Advising clients in drafting arbitration clauses and settlements; constant monitoring of Articles, Lectures, Books and Court decisions involving Arbitration; legal advice on matters of notifications received by clients.

Corporate/M&A:
The corporate and M&A practice advises its clients on negotiation and execution of civil and commercial contracts, compliance evaluation, due diligences, structuring and incorporation of companies and joint ventures, assistance in the purchase and sale of companies, shareholdings and assets transfer, corporate reorganizations (mergers, acquisitions and spinoffs), assistance in the structuring of investments by foreign groups in Brazil, elaboration of shareholders agreements, defence of clients’ interests in general meetings and board meetings, and assistance with general corporate matters, including such one in connection with LGPD law.

Litigation:
Corporate disputes; contractual and extra-contractual civil liability; conflicts arising from administrative contracts; complex real estate demands, intellectual property; recovery of credits; companies recovery and bankruptcy; health and insurance plans; conflicts derived from consumer relations.

Public Law:
The public law practice is the legal advisor of several publicly traded and multinational companies on administrative, regulatory and environmental law and it is involved in important projects on the market. The main focus of the practice is to advise its clients in public biddings; administrative contracts; defences in the administrative sphere; procedures within the Courts of Auditors; identification of regulatory contingencies; identification of licenses and registers required by the public authority; legal advice in the identification of sectorial norms and implementation of procedures and routines; and approvals by regulatory agencies to the execution of corporate transactions.

Tax:
The tax practice has been counselling clients on a broad range of tax matters, but especially in real estate and professional services. The practice is ranked by specialized publications as International Tax Review, Leaders League and Análise Advocacia 500 and advises its clients on Tax planning, Tax contingencies in the acquisition of companies, assistance in the structuring of new businesses aiming at optimizing taxes, assistance in the fulfillment of fiscal obligations, due diligences of taxes routines in the company, defense in administrative tax proceedings and sponsorship of annulment actions of tax debits or of unenforceability of taxes.

Clients:
The firm assists its clients in different sectors as such real estate developers and builders, telecoms, retailing companies, services suppliers, goods exporters, among others.

Contact:
Real Estate: Olivar Vitale, Rodrigo Dias, Daniele Gazel
Arbitration: Olivar Vitale
Corporate/M&A: Rafael Bicalho
Litigation: Olivar Vitale, Rafael Bicalho, Aracy Barbara
Public Law: Olivar Vitale, Rodrigo Dias, Bruno Sales
Tax: Rodrigo Dias, Isabella Müller

Managing Partners:Olivar Vitale, Rafael Bicalho and Rodrigo Dias

Number of partners: 9

Number of other lawyers:28

Languages:English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

Firm Overview:

The firm’s purpose is generating solutions to improve Brazil.

VBD Advogados is a multidisciplinary Brazilian law firm located in São Paulo, with a team of specialized professionals capable of delivering the best solutions to complex legal matters.

The firm’s driving force is to support its clients by providing quality legal advice, fast responses and market expertise that enables them to achieve their goals.

The partners are Professors at the most renowned universities in the country, such as USP, authors of several papers published in technical publications, and Speakers on seminars around Brazil.

Main Areas of Practice:

Agribusiness

Environmental and Urban Planning

Banking and Finance

Compliance and Data Protection

Tax

Litigation

Contracts and Negotiations

Public Law

Infrastructure and Project Finance

Real Estate

M&A

Mediation and Arbitration

Capital Markets

Estate and Succession Planning

Intellectual Property

Debt Restructuring, Recovery and Bankruptcy

Clients:

The firm assists its clients in different sectors as such real estate developers and builders, telecoms, retailing companies, services suppliers, goods exporters, among others.

Innovation practices

VBD Advogados has invested significantly in modernizing its operations to protect and enhance the services provided to clients. Before 2024, the firm established a dedicated team and an internal Innovation Committee.

The firm adopted systems such as GED (iManage Work), an internal ChatGPT platform, and updated tools like Legal Desk and Sisjuris to optimize client service. Its infrastructure includes videoconference-equipped meeting rooms and on-site IT support, along with continuous investments in cybersecurity.

VBD Advogados has enhanced its infrastructure with videoconferencing-equipped meeting rooms and daily on-site IT support. To strengthen cybersecurity, the firm invests annually in tools like firewalls, antivirus software, and encryption. In 2024, its Innovation Committee led training sessions on ChatGPT, tokenization, cryptocurrencies, and intellectual property.

Professional development

VBD Advogados significantly emphasizes the continuous development and improvement of its professional team to offer the highest-quality service to its clients. The firm has a Quality Committee dedicated to improving internal processes and maintaining excellence. Throughout the year, various initiatives have been carried out to foster professional growth, including VBDTalks, study groups, payment of post-graduation tuitions and courses, the creation of mentorship and leadership development programs led by the People Committee.

Diversity and inclusion practices

VBD Advogados has an established Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee focused on creating a more inclusive and plural workplace. Last couple years, the committee conducted a firm-wide assessment and developed a project addressing themes such as women’s rights and domestic abuse, parental roles in law, LGBTQIA+ pride and generational diversity.

Corporate social responsibility

VBD continues to engage in meaningful solidarity actions under the VBD Solidário program. In 2024, the firm launched a warm clothing campaign, collecting over 2,000 items to support communities in Rio Grande do Sul. For the holiday season, VBD partnered an institution in São Paulo for a Christmas campaign, gathering non-perishable food donations to bring relief to vulnerable families. These efforts align with VBD’s broader strategy of fostering long-term relationships with the community through impactful and consistent actions.

Sustainability

VBD remains committed to reducing its environmental footprint. Single-use materials, such as plastic cups, have been eliminated, with disposable alternatives being environmentally friendly when necessary. The firm has also reduced its printing by 80%, favoring the digital analysis, filing, and signing of legal documents.

Contacts:

Real Estate:Olivar Vitale, Rodrigo Dias, Daniele Gazel, Flávio Coelho

Arbitration:Olivar Vitale

Corporate/M&A:Rafael Bicalho, Thalita Vani

Litigation:Olivar Vitale, Rafael Bicalho, Aracy Barbara

Public Law:Olivar Vitale, Rodrigo Dias, Bruno Sales

Tax:Rodrigo Dias, Isabella Tralli