Brazilian law firm Araújo e Policastro Advogadoshas opened a new branch in Rio de Janeiro, hiring the general counsel from Eletrobrás to run it.

Maria Aparecida Seabra Fagundes has been hired as managing partner of the branch, which opened at the beginning of September.

Fagundes has been general counsel at power utility Eletrobrás for ten years. Before this she worked for almost two decades as general counsel for Furnas, the largest state-owned electricity producer in Brazil. She also contributed to the new Brazilian regulatory models for the electricity sector, which entered into force in 1998 and 2004.

The office is the firm’s second, adding to the main branch in São Paulo. Fagundes says the opening is a milestone in the firm's nationwide expansion policy – it plans to opens its next branch in Brasilia. She hopes it will enhance the specialist energy, financial and capital markets and mining practice areas within Araújo e Policastro. “We are currently in the initial stages of hiring highly experienced lawyers to work with us,” she says. “At present we are working closely with the São Paulo office, who are supporting our work.”

Founding partner José Theodoro Alves de Araújo says: “We have invited Maria Aparecida to join our firm for her personal qualities and because she is a well reputed, experienced lawyer who has the capabilities necessary to lead the firm in its specialist areas.”

As part of the growth plan, the firm will also be rebuilding its competition sector after Mauro Grinberg recently left with his team of six antitrust specialists to join litigation boutique Barcellos Tucunduva, covered hereby LATINLAWYER.

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