Gouvêa Vieira Advogados ("GVA"), a law firm founded in the early 1930s by João Pedro Gouvêa Vieira, is committed to professionalism and excellence, with an emphasis on tax and commercial law. GVA aims at strengthening Brazil's corporate capabilities and has played an active role in the country's economic development, handling a wide range of legal matters and meeting the needs of the business community, providing clients with a comprehensive and dedicated service. GVA's client portfolio includes both Brazilian and foreign companies seeking a variety of planning and advisory services related to national and international transactions and litigations. A team consisting of lawyers, consultants and trainees with experience in a variety of practice areas, who work in an integrated environment, ensures professional expertise is allocated wherever needed. In 2011, GVA underwent a management reorganization to adapt to the current competitive market and to the needs of its clients.
In Brazil, GVA is located in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, relying on a network of independent law firms throughout the country to assist clients who choose to concentrate their legal issues across fewer law firms, for cost-efficiency, quality and reporting purposes.
GVA has also been established in Paris (C.C.O.) since 1998, assisting both European companies with investments in Brazil and Brazilian companies or individuals with properties and investments in Europe.
Having participated in numerous M&A and joint venture transactions, GVA has assisted Brazilian and foreign companies, with contributing to the establishment of foreign capital companies in Brazil, with vast experience in the area, and taking part in the privatisation of companies in virtually all segments of the economy.
In the field of insurance and reinsurance, its partners' expertise in both the public and private sectors has allowed for efficient assistance to clients interested in developing activities in Brazil.
GVA is also well-equipped to handle administrative and judicial disputes in civil, commercial, labour and tax law fields.
GVA focuses on the legal reduction of tax burden in federal, state and municipal spheres. The firm deals with cases involving all aspects of labour and employment, corporate, tax and civil law before Brazilian courts. Throughout the firm's history, GVA has succeeded in such cases before several judicial courts. Upon consultation, GVA develops tax strategies, and provides legal opinions, studies and responses to queries in all areas of law, besides performing due diligences to assess the labour, tax and litigation standing of companies in mergers and acquisitions.
GVA is dedicated to expanding its assistance to the environmental aspects of its clients corporate activities, in obtaining and renewing licences with the environmental authorities.
The outsourcing of its clients legal activities where needed, through personalized secondments, provides its clients with efficient, high standard and low cost services. The firm is prepared to serve clients nationwide at competitive costs, in large-scale lawsuits, with the same excellence which has earned a solid reputation in the Brazilian legal ambience.
GVA acts in all areas related to intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, industrial design, non-patented technology, trade-dress, internet, computer programs, company names, domain names and copyright, providing clients with guidelines and representation in the administrative spheres (Brazilian Trademark and Patent Office, Registro.br, Copyright Entities etc.), and preventing disputes.
GVA has been active in structuring corporate governance for Brazilian family-owned companies as well as assisting families with their estate, tax and inheritance planning.
Finally, GVA is renowned for its high commitment to pro bono work with a variety of non-governmental organisations throughout Brazil and abroad.
GVA is currently reputed among Brazil's traditional law firms, and offers expertise in various practice areas, including the following:
CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL
Our corporate and commercial practice represents public and private corporations, partnerships, non-profit organizations and other entities, both domestically and internationally. We advise clients on a full range of activities, from corporate organization, capital formation, financing through merger and acquisition activities and the capital market. Our lawyers are experts in legal issues related to water and sewage, energy, communications, mining and oil activities.
TAX
Our tax practice embraces consulting and advice on the ordinary course of business and tax planning, as well as representation of clients in tax litigation, in connection with all Brazilian taxes, charges, duties, etc., including the interpretation and application of double taxation treaties.
CIVIL LAW
GVA has broad-ranging expertise on civil matters, which embraces the preparation of all kinds of contracts, including distribution and agency agreements, structure and negotiation of real estate deals in connection with acquisition, sale, development, construction, financing, leasing, mortgage and rental of commercial, retail, industrial and residential buildings. Our law firm has participated in the most complex civil and commercial disputes, defending clients, both in litigation and arbitration processes. Our lawyers are experienced in assisting domestic and foreign clients in managing their day-to-day legal affairs and in structuring their activities in order to avoid future litigation.
LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY
Our labor and social security practice has experience in advising companies on their employment policies and in litigation related to M&A, with particular expertise on issues related to individual and collective labor agreements, executive directors, expatriates, health and safety, collective bargaining, unions, international labor law, and international treaties.
ENVIRONMENT
We assist our clients in the environmental aspects of their corporate activities by providing them legal advice in this field or by helping them obtain and renew their licenses. We also defend them in administrative or judiciary litigation on environmental subjects.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
We represent and advise Brazilian and foreign companies in international trade cases, negotiations and legislation, export licensing, export financing and customs formalities.
INSURANCE
GVA is competent in insurance and related business in Brazil, including the obtainment of any authorization or registration that may be required. We are acquainted with the everyday problems connected to insurance business and their regulation.
PRIVATIZATION
GVA represents clients involved in the privatization of state-owned companies of Brazil. In particular, the firm has substantial experience in the privatization of companies in the petrochemical, steel production, energy and telecommunication sectors.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
GVA acts in all areas related to Intellectual Property, including trademarks, patents, industrial design, non-patented technology, trade-dress, internet, computer programs, company names, domain names and copyright. Our services provide clients with guidelines and representation in the administrative spheres (Brazilian Trademark and Patent Office, ANVISA, Registro.br, Copyright Entities, etc.), and in and out-of-court prevention against disputes. We also act in protection, registration, acquisition and commercialization of intangible assets, whether through previous availability searches, legal audits, license agreements, purchase and sale, franchise, technology transfers, technical assistance and others, or court actions. GVA is located in the same area as the Brazilian Trademark and Patent Office (INPI), and copyright institutions, and has a privileged standing for dealing with clients' affairs in a customized manner before these institutions. Our clients are also represented abroad through a network of foreign correspondents.
OUTSOURCING OF JURIDICAL DEPARTMENTS
In view of the management difficulties and increasing costs associated with the maintenance of in-house legal departments, especially for large companies that depend on frequent and updated information and close coordination of their legal activities in various Brazilian cities and states, GVA has not only specialized in but has also improved on the concept of outsourcing legal departments, and it offers its clients greater efficiency and quality at a lower cost. GVA's goal is to offer all of the legal services that its clients may require, by making available a team of trained professionals to work in close collaboration and exclusively with the company.
The outsourcing services GVA provides to its clients include the use of an alliance of law firms in Brazil and abroad, which is comprised of firms who have demonstrated efficiency and quality in their work with GVA over the years.