Cescon Barrieu was awarded Local Legal Adviser of the Year in Latin America, with judges impressed with the firm’s diverse experience across range of complex Brazilian transactions.

One judge said: “Cescon Barrieu have been quite busy on some impactful transactions.”

While another member of the independent judging panel said the firm “sounds active and interesting to the market”.

Brazil-based Cescon Barrieu’s multidisciplinary approach enables it to effectively address the diverse needs of its clients.

The submission said: “Throughout this period, Cescon Barrieu has navigated a number of unique complexities in the Brazilian market. One of our strategies has been to create specialized multidisciplinary groups, such as our ESG and crisis management teams, to address these emerging challenges head-on.

“One of the most significant hurdles has been the shift of domestic project financing to debt capital markets. In response, we strengthened our DCM capabilities and integrated them with our capital markets expertise to offer clients sophisticated and innovative financing solutions. In addition, our presence in diverse sectors such as oil and gas, renewable energy, and public infrastructure required us to continually adapt our strategies to ensure compliance with evolving regulations while maintaining our commitment to providing top-quality legal services. These efforts have cemented our reputation as a resilient and adaptable firm capable of meeting the most complex challenges.”

The judges also noted the firm’s reputation for its unique approach to structuring transactions across a wide range of sectors. The firm is actively involved in high-value, complex transactions in sectors such as airports, toll roads, ports, shipping and various energy sectors, including wind, solar and nuclear.

Throughout the judging period, Cescon Barrieu provided advice to Atlas Renewable Energy on the Vista Alegre Project, developed by Atlas, which comprises 18 photovoltaic power plants with a total installed capacity of 767 MWac, located in Janaúba, Minas Gerais. The project includes an associated transmission system and operates under an independent power production regime to supply energy in Brazil’s free contracting market.

The firm was also involved in the fourth issuance of non-convertible unsecured bonds by Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras - Eletrobras, totaling R$7 billion ($1.17bn), is the largest fixed-income bond offering of the year and the largest ever by Eletrobras. This issuance underscores Eletrobras’ significance in the Brazilian capital markets and its pivotal role in the energy sector.