Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados has hired an oil and gas lawyer to strengthen its infrastructure and project finance practice.
Leonardo Miranda, 36, joined Machado Meyer as partner in its Rio de Janeiro office on 25 October, having worked for Pinheiro Neto Advogados, where he was an associate, since 1997.
Miranda has focussed on oil & gas matters throughout his career. "The sector′s regulation is intense and investments involve large volumes, often requiring complex financial and legal frameworks," he says.
He notes the large amount of legal work the country′s pre-salt discovery is generating in Rio - not just in the oil sector. "The chain of services related to oil will require a lot of legal assistance, since all contracts and services must comply with the sector′s regulation," he says.
Miranda was admitted to the Brazilian Bar in 1998 and also worked as a foreign associate for Allen & Overy LLP in London. He obtained his LLM in petroleum law and policy from the University of Dundee in Scotland in 2004.
It is the second time in recent weeks a Pinheiro Neto associate has left to become partner at another firm; Lior Pinsky moved to Veirano Advogados in early October.
(Latin Lawyer 01.11.2010)