Velloza & Girotto Advogados Associados

This content can only be accessed by Latin Lawyer subscribers

Velloza & Girotto Advogados Associados is a dynamic law firm committed to quality and result driven client service. Our specialized knowledge of the law and resourceful way of applying it to business opportunity enhancement and risk mitigation allow us to deliver to our national and international clients the high level of advice they seek. Since 1993 the firm has created close-working ties with the business community by providing assistance in a variety of legal practice areas. These include foreign capital investment, banking and structured transactions. We are also viewed as a leading tax practice in Brazil.

The firm advises the major US, European and Asian financial institutions, insurance companies and credit card companies that operate in Brazil, as well as prominent multinational conglomerates in a variety of sectors such as wholesale, automotive, construction, energy, hotel operation and real estate.

The value of our services is further enhanced by the background of our professionals, many of whom have an extensive in-house experience in the financial and industrial markets.

The firm was elected as a leading firm in tax in Brazil by Chambers and Partners in 2010, as Insurance & Re-Insurance Law Firm of the Year in Brazil by the Corporate International Magazine 2011 Legal Awards, as a leading firm in Brazil by Latin Lawyer in 2011 and as one of the most admired law firms in Brazil by Análise Advocacia in 2011.

Practice areas

Tax and tax litigation: Tax consulting on corporate taxes in general; legal opinions and guidance on federal, state and municipal taxes; international tax treaties and preparation of opinions and planning for issues involving, among others, commissions, interest, dividends, royalties and other kinds of payments to or from non-resident companies, to determine the possibility of avoiding double taxation of income; capital gains in the disposition of foreign investments and remittance of interest for the export of services; tax planning for corporate reorganization (joint venture, acquisition and sale of corporate interest, mergers, spin-offs and consolidations), as well as transactions subject to the assessment of indirect taxes, aimed at the reduction or avoidance of the tax burden; and administrative and court tax litigation as well as the filing of actions for the purpose of recovering overpayments or undue payments of taxes and contributions, suspension of the payment of tax debts and/or offsetting with future tax obligations at federal, state and municipal levels.

Banking and capital markets: Advice on banking and capital markets regulations; structuring of financial and capital markets operations/products, including derivative products; analysis, preparation and revision of agreements involving products and services offered by financial institutions, including agreements relating to working capital credit facilities, consumer credit, leasing, agro bonds and other credit arrangements, both domestic and cross-border; assistance and structuring in respect of foreign exchange transactions, trade finance and other cross-border transactions; and assistance and structuring in respect of investment fund products, especially private equity funds, receivables and real estate funds.

Foreign investment: Provision of thorough and effective advice on the many types of foreign investment in Brazil, performing a key role since the assessment and project and program planning stage and following through until establishment of a business presence, be it by means of the incorporation of a subsidiary, representative office, or acquisition; updating and ensuring legal and regulatory compliance; assisting in the strategic discussion and negotiation of transactions involving loans, financing, international leases, including aircraft leases, trade and trade finance, bonds, note and debt and equity issues and other means of foreign fund-raising; and counseling on repatriating equity, interest on capital, profits and dividends, royalties, rents, yield and capital gains.

Mergers and acquisitions: Cross-border and domestic mergers and acquisitions; private equity funds transactions, due diligence audits; purchase and spin-off of assets; winding up operations; structuring companies to receive investments; and assisting in the purchase and sale of companies, including the formation of joint ventures, reorganizations and strategic alliances to achieve common goals.

Corporate and commercial law: Preparation of instruments to incorporate, liquidate or wind-up companies and shareholder interests; analyzing personal liability rights and obligations of company owners, managers and officers; and drafting corporate documents to issue equity instruments in general and other securities in Brazil and abroad;

Wealth management: Counseling on wealth management, addressing the multiple legal aspects it entails, such as family estate, marriage regime and taxation; incorporation of family holding companies, as well as the structuring of merger, take-over and spin-off operations in the context of family-controlled companies; giving legal opinions on family and succession laws, including analysis of succession issues in family companies; filing and defense of judicial suits regarding family and succession laws issues; and drafting of testaments, advising heirs in tax and legal issues during the succession process.

www.vellozaegirotto.com.br