The new partners (pictured) are Carolina Caiado and Paulo Renato Barroso, who will lead the firm’s new government affairs practice.

With the launch of the government affairs practice, the firm will expand its services to include the preparation of strategies for clients monitoring the progress of bills in Congress and proposals of interest in ministries, in addition to preparing risk reports, political scenario reports and technical notes for public hearings, and providing advice for interactions with public authorities, the firm, which has a cooperation agreement with DLA Piper, said.

The firm will also increase its existing work in litigation before superior courts and will provide clients with assistance in government procurement, including information technology, life sciences, transportation, defense and cybersecurity, it added.

The addition of Renato Barroso and Caiado will reinforce the firm’s public sector capabilities, as they bring extensive experience with Brazil’s executive, Congress, supreme courts and regulatory agencies.

“In addition to the pleasure of having Carolina and Paulo lead such a promising practice group, we are meeting our goal to have a stronger operation in Brasilia by opening an office in the capital,” Fabio Campos Mello, CMA’s managing partner, said.

In the last few years, Brazil has seen a gradual reduction of the state presence in the country’s economy, as various utilities have been transferred to the private sector through concession agreements and public-private partnerships. This transformation has led domestic and foreign companies in the privatized industries to require differentiated services in view of Brazil’s complex legal regulatory framework, according to Carolina Caiado and Renato Barroso.

“We will work transversally with several of the firm’s practice groups, providing contributions to clients in sanitation, telecom, oil and gas, logistics, urban mobility, defense, life sciences and other industries,” Paulo Renato Barroso said. “The new privatisation programs already announced, such as the PPI (Partnership and Investment Program), the new sanitation legal framework, and the new gas bill, for example, will require even more rigorous intelligence work in providing legal services to clients, making CMA’s portfolio even more complete.”

Caiado has more than 15 years of experience in administrative law, infrastructure, regulated industries and compliance. She has broad experience assisting domestic and foreign corporate clients and has worked as a legal consultant to the Minas Gerais State Economic Development Department. She has a law degree from UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais), a master’s degree in public law from USP (University of São Paulo), and a specialist diploma in corporate law from CEU Law School, in a partnership with ISE.

Paulo Renato Barroso has experience in government contracts and public procurement proceedings and has advised foreign and domestic companies in structuring and conducting activities in Brazil, including investment and partnership negotiations. He has a law degree from UERJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) and is studying for an MBA in government relations at FGV (Getulio Vargas Foundation) in Brasilia. He was previously a partner at Barroso Fonteles, Barcellos, Mendonça & Associados, as well as at Cascione Pulino Boulos Advogados. He also previously served as the chief legal officer at a company in the oil and gas technology industry for 10 years.

In addition to the Brasilia office, the firm also has offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.