Never one to rest on its laurels, Demarest Advogados constantly strives to modernise and be the best for its clients, and its solid, deep bench and international profile paired with its evolving growth strategy places it firmly among Brazil’s elite law firms.
A titan in M&A, where it is particularly knowledgeable about Brazil’s key agribusiness industry, combined with its strong pillars in disputes and tax, this full-service firm is a formidable force in the Brazilian legal market. It has worked hard to reach excellence in other areas. Its banking and finance, including capital markets, and restructuring and insolvency groups have come into their own in recent years, with blue-chip clients returning for the firm’s great service, while the environmental department is market leading. Administrative law, labour and compliance, and investigations also stand out.
The firm embarked on a growth strategy over 2021 and 2022, adding multiple new partners through organic growth. For example, it elevated 11 lawyers to its partnership in 2022 – the firm’s largest-ever promotion round. At the start of 2023, the firm promoted two lawyers across its mining and infrastructure departments. The management puts great emphasis on organic growth; however, it is also open to lateral hires. In 2022 it recruited a labour partner, formalised a telecoms, media and technology practice, and strengthened its disputes group with two partner hires. Those add to previous lateral hires to its tax, energy and natural resources groups.
As with any large law firm, departures are inevitable. Five partners in the dispute resolution team, including the three lead partners, left in 2023 after many years at the firm to launch their own boutique. Two competition partners departed the same year, and an insurance partner left the year before. The trio moved to Lefosse. However, thanks to its targeted growth in recent years, in addition to the firm’s strength and reputation, Demarest will no doubt take these developments in its stride and continue to build on its existing line-ups in these departments.
Demarest keeps moving, modernising and innovating, despite its 75 years of history. For example, under the name “disrupt”, Demarest offers tailored legal advice and flexible fees to Brazilian start-ups. The offering is supported by local crowdfunding platform SMU and involves a multidisciplinary group of six partners.
Few in the market have embraced technology and innovation like Demarest. It is the first firm in Latin America to use the SAPS/4HANA customer resource management tool. The technology integrates various functions of the firm and increases efficiency. New billing software has been implemented too and more innovative technology is on the radar.
Demarest allocates investment and resources elsewhere too. Diversity is high on the agenda at the firm, which has internal groups designed to promote and support racial inclusion, gender equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion. A full-time diversity and inclusion coordinator is on the payroll too, while additional training is offered to lawyers through the firm’s D Academy. Both internal and external professionals and consultants are brought in to further educate Demarest’s legal practitioners. Demarest also provides trainee programmes for young, aspiring talent, and supports and pays for lawyers’ LLM studies overseas – something that is a requirement to become a partner at the firm.
Externally, Demarest recently helped São Paulo-based Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing open a law programme, to which the firm sends lawyers to teach.
Demarest’s expansive client list includes numerous blue-chip companies, including América Móvil, Vale, JBS, FEMSA and Bayer. Local energy and petrochemical groups Cosan and Ultra are also clients and so are Chilean retail giant Falabella and the LATAM Airlines group. According to a study, “Who Represents Latin America's Biggest Companies”, published by the Latin American Corporate Counsel Association (LACCA), which is affiliated to Latin Lawyer, Demarest represents 36 of 100 of the biggest companies in the region, being among the top 10 law firms in the entire region.
Demarest is highly praised by clients. Quality of work, fast response times and experience are singled out by several companies that have hired the firm. “Real experts and very committed to the company’s purposes”, says one in-house lawyer, while another praises Demarest’s lawyers for their technical skills.
Management
José Diaz and Paulo Coelho da Rocha are credited with enthusiastically leading the firm’s growth over the past years, and they continue to innovate to this day. Now only Rocha remains as the managing partner. The firm has a five-partner executive committee: Douglas Mota, Bruno Drago, Luciana Tornovsky, Lucas Tavares Bueno and Guilherme Bechara sit on the firm’s board together with Rocha.
Offices
Demarest has offices in all the key Brazilian cities – São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília – and a long-standing presence in New York.
Alliances & networks
Demarest is a member of the Lex Mundi, Interlex and Employment Law Alliance networks.