Paulo Valois Pires is a partner at Campos Mello Advogados, specializing in Energy and Natural Resources.  

 

His practice focuses on energy and natural resources projects, including oil and gas, infrastructure, mergers and acquisitions, as well as regulatory and tax matters related to these sectors. He advises national and international companies, private equity funds, financial institutions, and industry suppliers, with experience in complex operations such as private placements, offshore platform supply, pipeline construction, and LNG projects. 

 

In recent years, Pires has been involved in transactions and financing related to renewable energy, including wind and solar, as well as green hydrogen initiatives, with a focus on regulatory and contractual solutions. 

 

He is recognized by leading national and international legal publications and has authored books and articles on oil and gas law. Pires has also served as a professor and held leadership positions in energy and arbitration institutions. He was an assistant professor of law at Universidade Cândido Mendes (1999–2002) and at the Master Business in Petroleum program at COPPE/UFRJ (2000–2004). 

 

 

Recognitions 

• Chambers Brazil – Energy & Natural Resources: 2006–2024 

• Euromoney – World’s Leading Energy & Natural Resource Lawyers: 2007–2017 

• Euromoney – The Best of the Best Latin America: 2012–2017 

• Mantioned by Latin Lawyer’s 2003 Energy Survey 

• Who’s Who Legal: 2009–2017 (“Most Highly Regarded Individuals” – 2016; “Thought Leader – Energy” – 2018) 

• Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA), member since 2014 

• Legal 500 – Oil & Gas, Projects and Infrastructure 

• Latin Lawyer 250 

• Recognized by GQ Magazine Brazil as one of the most influential lawyers in Brazil, 2014 
• Análise Advocacia – Recognized among the most admired lawyers in Brazil, 2017 

 

 

Professional Memberships 

• Member, Brazilian Institute for Studies on Competition, Consumption, and International Trade (IBRAC) 

• Former Vice-Chairman, Brazilian Center for Mediation and Arbitration 

• Former Director, Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Rio de Janeiro 

• Former Member, Energy Committee, AmCham Rio 

• Member, Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) (since 2005); Former Regional Director, Latin America Chapter 

 

Credentials:

Education 

• Master Business in Petroleum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (COPPE) 

• LL.M. in International Law, University of São Paulo 

• Postgraduate Degree in International Law, Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg, France (Certificat des Hautes Études Européennes) 

• LL.B., Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) 

 

Languages 

Portuguese 

English 

Spanish 

French 

 

 

Admissions

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

Lisbon, Portugal