Spanning four offices in Brazil and one in New York, Demarest Advogados focuses on the practice areas of tax controversy, indirect tax, and transactional tax, specifically M&A and cross-border transactions. Its tax department consists of ten partners who lead five counsel and 45 lawyers. Its clients are from a diverse set of sectors including automotive, pharmaceutical, industrial manufacturing, agribusiness, life sciences and F&B.
During the research period the firm
advised Alvarez & Marsal in all tax issues related to the structure and registration of the first Brazilian Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) listed as a public company by the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM). The pioneering deal will allow the entry of a new investment product in Brazil, which should contribute to the further development of the country’s capital market. The tax structure is innovative given that it would allow the foreign investment in the SPAC with the Brazilian income tax benefits related to a portfolio investment (Resolution 4,373). This specific tax benefit granted the income return desired by the foreign investors to have a SPAC structure in Brazil.
Partner Antonio Carlos Gonçalves left the firm in February 2022, however, the firm recruited three new partners
Angela Cignachi, from an independent practitioner, and Roberto Casarini and André Novaski who were promoted.
Client feedback
“High efficiency”
“dedicated”
“They are very commited with the deadlines and provide a very complete analysis of all jobs they perform to us.”
“Always bring a very techinical analsys and explain very well their view on each case”
“Without any prior partnership, the attitude of Demarest tax team was outstanding, in terms of availability to listen to our story to quickly explore possibilities and present them in a very comprehensive and clear way to the global leadership, even with a very short notice. The quality of the end result was outstanding.”
“Excellent approach on understanding the business and exploring alternatives, discussing impacts and reaching an outstanding quality legal opinion shared with senior management of the group.”
“Demarest's litigation team (in both spheres: judicial and administrative) have partners (such as Priscila Faricelli and Gisela Crivellaro) and associates (such as Marco Favini) with notadable knowledge and who provide us a high-quality service. We have also interacted with the partner Christiano Chagas and the associate Dora Pimentel with other transactional matters (such as tax-implications in M&A transactions), who also surprised us with the quality of the service.”
“Demarest law firm is able to provide full service, and its tax team is highly technical. The attorneys investigate deeply the issues and bring solutions with excellence. Their deliverables are deep and always customized to the customer needs.”
“This Law Office has recognized good service and background to treat the most complex themes related to tax matters, having a good portfolio of clients which permits to deal with various cases and their solutions.”
“He has in-depth knowledge in the tax area, especially in matters related to M&A and his professionals have a great sense of urgency that speeds up decision-making.”
