Brazilian Lawyers

Attorneys in Brazil specializing in foreign clients

Looking for the right Brazilian attorney for your legal needs? We can help. These are some of the reasons why foreign companies and individuals choose our firm for legal services in Brazil:

• English Speaking Attorneys
• Experts in cross-border transactions
• Fast communication
• Graduated from the best law schools
• Licensed and in good standing

English Speaker Lawyers

Something interesting about Brazilian lawyers: most of them will tell you they speak English. However, it is actually rare to find attorneys in Brazil who are truly fluent in English. Our lawyers have extensive experience with foreign clients. Many of them have even lived in the US. With us, you have counsel who speaks fluent English and who understands your needs.

How We Select our Lawyers

As of 2023, there are over 1.3 million lawyers in Brazil. And, there are several times more people who completed law school but have not passed the Bar exam. Selecting the best lawyers from the best law schools helps us increase the quality of our work and ensure a strong representation of your interests in Brazil.

That is why most of the attorneys working in our firm have graduated from the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Sao Paulo, speak fluent English, and take pride in providing solid results to our clients.

Need a Lawyer in Brazil?
We Can Help

[email protected]

#1  Contact us to get a free quote, or
#2 Schedule a Consultation now.

How to verify a Brazilian lawyer’s license status

You can search for the OAB number for a lawyer you are considering hiring at the National Registry of Attorneys. The OAB number is proof that the person in contact with you is a bar-approved lawyer. This is how the form looks when initially accessed:

Right-click on Chrome to automatically translate the form into English:

Then, you just need to:

1) Enter the name of the attorney you want to verify

2) Enter the state where the attorney is based in the “Sectional”

3) Choose “Attorney” under “Registration Type”

4) Click on “To look for”

This verification service is offered free of charge by the OAB Conselho Federal (Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association)
Check a Brazil lawyer’s credential now!

The Right Size of Firm

Some of the largest firms in Brazil have over 500 lawyers. Does it mean these are the best lawyers in Brazil? Not for every client. These law firms work in every possible area and type of client. While this may be a good combination for some, we choose a different approach.

Oliveira Lawyers is a boutique firm with a team of lawyers specializing in representing the interests of foreign clients in Brazil. Because of our focus, we are able to better understand the needs of our clients and effectively represent their interests in Brazil. Need a Brazil lawyer for an important legal issue in Brazil? We can help!

Our Main Locations

#1  Sao Paulo, Brazil
#2  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
#3  Dallas, Texas
#4  El Segundo, California

How We Price our Services

Our firm’s goal when it comes to pricing is to be nimble and offer a better cost structure than the traditional large Brazilian firms.

Traditional Law Firm Structure in Brazil

Lawyers at traditional law firms fall into three categories: employees, partners, or of-counsels.

Partner Attorneys: paid based on the amount of business they bring or handle into the law firm.
Associate Attorneys: are employee-attorneys who are paid a salary.
Of Counsel Attorneys: these are attorneys who are neither partners or associates. They will work with the law firm on a case by case basis based on a compensation for the specific assignment.

And, of course, each large Brazilian law firm will have an army of administrative staff. From secretaries to maintenance crew to accountants, they have everything in-house.

Oliveira Lawyers: A Nimble Approach

Our firm strives to operate in a nimble way cutting most of the costs typical of large firms. Collaborative work between our attorneys and our clients cuts most of the unnecessary work such as long reports, formalistic communication, and so on.

We are clear and straight to the point. You benefit from a competitive rate and results-oriented attorneys. Most of our clients are repeat clients and some of them have been working for longer than a decade with us.

Our Main Locations

#1  Sao Paulo, Brazil
#2  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
#3  Dallas, Texas
#4  El Segundo, California

Am I Getting Licensed Brazil Lawyers?

If you are looking for a lawyer in Brazil, finding an attorney willing to work for you is not difficult. However, to make sure you find a reputable one,  these are some tips:

• Schedule a zoom video call with the attorney who will work on your case
• See if they can properly communicate in English – both spoken and written
• Make sure to get a formal service agreement stating what you will pay and what you will get for it
• Verify the lawyer’s license (see next)

Brazil Attorneys

In Brazil, the term attorney means the same as lawyer when considering the widespread meaning of these two titles. Actually, there is a single Portuguese translation term for these two words (lawyer and attorney): “Advogado.”

Need an Attorney in Brazil?
We Can Help

[email protected]

#1  Contact us to get a free quote, or
#2 Schedule a Consultation now.

When you consider their original meanings, they also have different translations in Portuguese. According to some dictionaries, originally, a lawyer would be someone who could give legal advice and had been trained in the law.

Think about Lincoln, for instance. In the XIX century, no “famous law schools” or bar associations existed. Therefore, lawyers would be people who had studied law and would make a living by “giving legal advice.” Attorneys, on the other hand, would be someone formally licensed to practice the law.

Attorneys in Brazil – Origin

Following the same rationale, attorneys, originally, were people legally empowered to represent another person or act on their behalf. So, they could legally sign documents and make decisions for the person providing the Power of Attorney in a particular subject.

For example, there was no requirement for any legal training, so even “Uncle Charlie” would be an attorney when representing his niece.

Interesting to note, however, that in many cases, a power of attorney would be given to lawyers. If you had someone representing you in serious matters involving properties and rights, you would want someone capable in such endeavors to represent you – thus the natural choice for lawyers – but it didn’t have to be that way, and it doesn’t have to be that way even today.

Brazil Attorney

The Portuguese translation for “Attorney” in the context of “Power of Attorney” is “Procurador.” And in Brazil, “Procurador” and “Advogado” are not used interchangeably.

Need an Attorney in Brazil?
We Can Help

[email protected]

#1  Contact us to get a free quote, or
#2 Schedule a Consultation now.

Solicitors and Barristers in Brazil

As a side note, the British additional terms for people who practice law, such as “Solicitors” and “Barristers,” do not exist in the Brazilian legal system. So, it does not make sense so search for either a Brazil solicitor or a Brazil barrister.

Remembering that in the UK, solicitors are those doing office work, drafting documents, and talking to clients. Solicitors are also entitled to advocate in the lower courts.

More empowered are the “Barristers” who do the trial work, especially in high courts. In such courts, only Barristers are entitled to advocate. In the UK, “Attorney” has the same meaning in Britain as “Procurador” in Brazil: one who acts on behalf of another.