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Vilmar Goncalves

Vilmar Luiz Graça Gonçalves

He/Him/HisPartner

I feel very pleased to have the firm as a partner. Especially, sharing problems and seeking solutions with partner Vilmar has made me evolve a great deal. Excellent quality of service! They are always available when needed, whether by e-mail, telephone, or instant messaging. Great partnership!

Client
About

Vilmar Luiz Graça Gonçalves assists in legal and administrative proceedings involving mining, agribusiness, solid waste and shipping oil companies. He is additionally experienced in representing energy and telecom companies, among others, in individual and collective disputes. Vilmar also has large experience in crisis management and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

DLA Piper and Campos Mello Advogados (CMA) are separate and independent law firms, which work in cooperation with one another. Partners of DLA Piper are not partners of CMA; and CMA partners are not partners of DLA Piper.

Bar admissionsRio de Janeiro, Brazil

EXPERIENCE

Advising an agrobussiness company on a study carried out by several companies in the Northern Region of Brazil, regarding the environmental impacts of their activities on land occupied by indigenous communities. We are also responsible for representing the client in environmental lawsuits, and investigative and administrative proceedings, arising from its operations.

Advised a Brazilian organization of producers  of sugarcane and fuel ethanol on legal opinion regarding the analysis of the technical assumptions used in the studies prepared by Federal University of Rio de Janeiro that indicates values of maximum specific reactivity for ethanol higher than previously stipulated, from technical analyzes conducted by Unica, as well as the consequences of approval of the studies, by the Federal Environmental Agency (IBAMA), which supported the definition of new phases of the Vehicle Emissions Control Program affecting the technological development of the automotive sector in relation to flexfuel engines.

Advising water and sewer company on the environmental aspects of a project being developed for the provision of water and sanitation to 26 municipalities of the state of Rio de Janeiro and the construction of a wastewater collection system for the environmental recovery of Baía da Guanabara.

Defending Brazilian Power Company in administrative proceedings filed by IBAMA (the Brazilian environmental protection institute) and the Environmental Agency of Mato Grosso do Sul, which resulted in the imposition of fines due to environmental damage caused by a wildfire, for which the client is allegedly liable.

We provide legal assistance regarding environmental matters to an Australian globally-focused energy company in respect with its activities. We also represent Client before the Federal Environmental Agency (IBAMA) in Infraction Notice imposed against company regarding an industry issue that is affecting client's activity in Brazil.

Advising a Turkish energy company in several aspects related to an innovative Project that foresees the operation of four Powerships (floating Thermoelectric Power Plants), such as (i) legal advisory in environmental matters, (ii) legal assistance in the environmental licensing proceedings, (iii) representation in lawsuits filed by the Federal Prosecutor Office and NGO, (iv) negotiations with Public Prosecutors, environmental agencies as well as other stakeholders, (iv) assistance in communication with medias and interviews, and (v) representation in Parliamentary Investigation Committee.
Languages
  • Portuguese
  • English
Education
  • LL. B., Universidade Veiga de Almeida
  • Degree in Administrative Law, Universidade Federal Fluminense 
  • Degree in Consumer Law, Escola da Magistratura do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

     

Awards

  • The Legal 500 Latin America, Environment: 2021 - 2024, Dispute Resolution: Litigation: 2023
  • Recognized by Leaders League – Brazil in Environmental Law: 2021 - 2024
  • Recognized by Análise Advocacia 500” as one of the most admired lawyers in Brazil in Environmental: 2022, Power: 2022, Specialized services: 2022

Publications

  • Author, "Necessidade de mudança do clima," Estadão, August 2022
  • "Brazil's New Abuse of Authority Law," in partnership with Luiz Santiago Filho e Louise Dias Portes, as part of the Thomson Reuters Global Guide to Financial and Criminal Business Law, Thomson Reuters, 2020
  • "Covid-19 e proteção ambiental," in partnership with Paulo de Bessa Antunes, Estadão, 2020
  • "O Uso de Recursos Tecnológicos para Proteção do Meio Ambiente no Brasil," in partnership with Nathália Almeida (2020, publish by Editora Revista dos Tribunais – Regulation Collection 4.0 – Volume II)
  • "Prescrição Intercorrente nos Processos Administrativos de Estados e Municípios," in partnership with Paulo de Bessa Antunes Editora Habitus – Edição Especial Leading Cases Ambientais, 2020

Prior Experience

Before joining the firm, Vilmar practiced at two Brazilian law firms. He additionally served as general counsel of the Chamber of Commerce of Rio de Janeiro and as the first vice-president of the Brazilian Center of Mediation and Arbitration.

Academic Activities

  • Professor of Environmental and Administrative Law, Universidade Candido Mendes
  • Coordinator, MBA in Environmental Law, Universidade Candido Mendes

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo
  • Arbitration Commission (OAB), Rio de Janeiro , 2019 - 2021
  • Vice-president, CBMA (Brazilian Center for Mediation and Arbitration)

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