A partner at Brazil′′s Barretto Ferreira, Kujawski, Brancher e Goncalves has struck out on his own to start a new law firm.
Gustavo Contrucci, 38, has formed Contrucci & Restiffe Sociedade de Advogados with Paulo Restiffe, 39, a former senior associate at Barretto Ferreira.
Contrucci makes the move after having spent little more than a year at Barretto Ferreira heading up the firm′′s deal structuring practice area. "Barretto Ferreira is a great firm and we will continue doing businesses together on a case-by-case basis," says Contrucci. "The reason I decided to leave is that I have a broad basis of clients that want more dedicated attention."
Barretto Ferreira managing partner Ricardo Barretto Ferreira Da Silva regards Contrucci′′s decision as "smooth and professional with no negative effects on Baretto Ferreira", despite Contrucci taking a number of clients with him, including food company Sadia.
"Gustavo and Barretto Ferreira will continue to cooperate on specific cases," says Barretto. "Some clients that he brought to Barretto Ferreira will probably follow him, but none of the other traditional Barretto Ferreira clients will accompany him."
Contrucci has worked in the US, Europe and Asia. He has focused his practice on tax, structuring, capital markets and M&A.
Restiffe was a senior attorney at Barretto Ferreira for two years, working on cases mostly involving Contrucci′′s clients. Prior to this he worked at Baker & McKenzie LLP. "At our law firm I will have more time to dedicate to my academic activities and social work supporting pro bono institutions - which is difficult at larger law firms," says Restiffe.
"When Contrucci decided to leave [Barretto Ferreira], we thought it would make perfect sense to stay together at our own law firm," he adds. "We form a good pair, as I am a professional type of partner, while Contrucci is better at client relations."
Contrucci & Restiffe will focus on M&A, structuring, corporate law, capital markets, tax and banking, and corporate litigation. Both Restiffe and Contrucci have considerable experience of corporate litigation, including working on food company Sadia′′s restructuring after it ran into derivative problems.
Contrucci will be the majority partner of Contrucci & Restiffe, which has hired 10 lawyers from a number of major Brazilian law firms including Pinheiro Neto Advogados, Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados and Castro Barros Sobral Gomes Advogados. The new team will be announced in the coming weeks.
Celso Grisi will be taking up Contrucci′′s position as head of the deal structuring practice area at Barretto Ferreira.
AS
(Latin Lawyer 01.02.2010)
(Notícia na Íntegra)
