Established almost 60 years ago,Castro,Barros, Sobral,Gomes Advogados (CBSG) is one of Brazil's most respected law firms.With offices in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília and Lisbon, CBSG has a broad client base, including Brazilian and multinational clients, be them corporations or government entities, in all sectors of the economy. The firm has a long track record of advising clients in all areas of business and public law, representing them in transactional, regulatory and litigious matters.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Infrastructure, Administrative & Regulatory: CBSG advises companies and governments in the various types of private operation of infrastructure projects, such as concessions, public-private partnerships, lease of public facilities, privatisations. Relevant sectors include roads, railroads, ports, airports, water treatment and distribution, waste treatment, health care, urban mass transit, telecommunications, broadcasting, energy, sports and convention facilities. The team provides assistance to companies subject to regulatory agencies. The firm also has broad experience in advising clients in all aspects of government procurement.
Arbitration & Litigation: CBSG assists in arbitration resolving domestic and cross-border disputes. In litigation, the firm practices before the state and federal courts at all levels. Aviation: CBSG assists clients in various specialised areas of the aviation industry, such as importation and exportation of aircraft and parts, aircraft leasing and financing, accidents and insurance.
Competition/Antitrust: CBSG assists companies in a range of economic sectors in matters of competition law, such as merger clearance, anticompetitive conduct (cartels, bid rigging, predatory pricing, access to essential facilities, etc), opposition to concentrations and analysis of commercial structures and contractual provisions in light of competition law.
Corporate Finance & Banking Transactions: CBSG advises in financial transactions, such as letters of credit, loans, project finance, and leasing, both domestic and cross-border.
Environmental: CBSG advises in environmental licensing, due diligence, risk assessment, compensation programs, investigations, administrative proceedings and public civil actions. Intellectual Property: CBSG assists in filings with the National Industrial Property Institute (Brazilian PTO), in lawsuits and arbitration claims against infringement of IP rights.
Labour & Social Security: CBSG advises in all areas of labour relations and corresponding social security issues, among them the implementation of self-management, incentive and voluntary downsizing programmes, profit sharing and stock option plans and other fringe benefits, as well as in litigation in the administrative and judicial spheres.
Maritime: CBSG assists in transactions and litigation involving both civil and military vessels and shipping operations, such as incorporation of Brazilian shipping companies, registration of ship owners, construction, acquisition and registration of vessels, charter contracts and marine insurance, maritime casualties, financing, impoundment and mortgages, collection of debts and assistance to the offshore industry suppliers.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Privatisations: CBSG has a strong M&A Practice, which includes the drafting and negotiation of preliminary documents, full due diligence of target companies in all areas of the law, drafting and negotiation of definitive agreements and assisting in post-closing essential documents, such as service agreements, executive compensation, non-compete covenants and shareholders agreements.
Oil & Gas: CBSG advises in both upstream and downstream activities to energy companies and service providers in questions such as regulatory aspects, public and private tenders, commercial, joint-venture, financing and construction agreements, tax planning, insurance and reinsurance, environmental licensing, occupational health and safety and arbitration.
Restructuring & Insolvency: CBSG is actively involved in debt restructurings, court-supervised and out of court corporate reorganization and bankruptcy proceedings. Representing investors, creditors, companies in financial distress and its shareholders, the Restructuring and Insolvency team works in all stages of the restructuring proceeding, especially in drafting and implementing reorganization plans, in litigation involving claims against the company in financial distress and providing legal advice to investors interested in purchasing companies in financial distress or their assets, and to financial institutions interested in financing companies in such situation.
Tax: CBSG assists in the analysis of the taxes and other levies charging directly and indirectly on domestic and foreign companies' activities, as well as on restructuring and planning of complex financial and commercial transactions. It also assists foreign clients in evaluating the tax aspects of importing products and services, including those of transfer of technology and know-how and on the development of the tax planning structures not only in Brazil, but also involving more than one jurisdiction. In litigation, the firm practises before municipal, state and federal administrative and judicial spheres at all levels.
INTERNATIONAL WORK: CBSG has had an associate office in Lisbon since the 80s, which helps in advising clients doing business in the EU and in the Portuguese speaking African countries. CBSG has well established professional relationships with firms around the globe and is also a member of regional and worldwide law firm networks.