★ Leaders League Recommended Lawyer 2024 · Rio de Janeiro

David Andrew
Taylor

Dual-Licensed International Attorney · US & Brazil

One of the very few attorneys licensed to practice law in both the United States and Brazil, David has advised international companies, investors, and law firms on complex cross-border matters between Brazil and the United States since 1999 — transacting in English, Portuguese, and Spanish without intermediaries.

"David was pivotal in keeping us from missing key opportunities — working fast and diligently in complex contractual matters involving Brazil, the United States, Turkey and India. I have no reservations in recommending him."

Felipe Herrera — Former General Counsel & VP Corporate Affairs, Power Ventures, Inc.
Request a Consultation → Who David Helps →
David Andrew Taylor
David Andrew Taylor · Rio de Janeiro
25+
Years of Sophisticated
Cross-Border Practice
3
Bar Admissions — US & Brazil
$3B+
Securities Recoveries Participated In
3
Languages — EN · PT · ES
30+
30+ Publications & Articles
Corporate Law & M&AInternational ContractsMining & Energy FCPA & Anti-CorruptionSecurities LitigationSports Business Law Brazil · USA · International Corporate Law & M&AInternational ContractsMining & Energy FCPA & Anti-CorruptionSecurities LitigationSports Business Law Brazil · USA · International
Attorney Profile

A Singular Bridge
Between Two Legal Worlds

David Andrew Taylor occupies a position held by almost no one: the ninth of only ten US attorneys in history ever admitted to the Brazilian bar. Born in England to an English father and Brazilian mother, he holds triple citizenship — British, American, and Brazilian — and has built his career at the very intersection of the common law and civil law legal systems and cultures.

"David demonstrated strong legal capabilities, attention to detail and a consistent commitment to the team's success. His ability to draft clear, precise and timely briefs and legal opinions was a valuable asset to our practice." — Guilherme de Carvalho Doval, Senior Partner, Almeida Advogados

Based in Brazil since 1999, David has counseled Fortune 500 companies, international law firms, major Brazilian corporations, sophisticated institutional investors, and high-profile sports business enterprises across the most demanding cross-border matters.

His thought leadership has appeared in Law360, the New Law Journal (UK), LatinLawyer, and the Brazilian Bar Association's official digital magazine. Leaders League recognized him as a Recommended Lawyer in their 2024 edition.

  • Brazilian Bar (OAB/RJ)
  • State of New Jersey Bar
  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Anti-Corruption & Compliance
  • Oil, Gas & Derivatives
  • English
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish
  • British · American · Brazilian
Who David Helps

The Matters That David Handles Best

David's practice centers on two types of cross-border mandate, each requiring the same rare combination: genuine authority in both the US and Brazilian legal systems, conducted without intermediary counsel.

Why Clients Work With David
  • Direct partner-level attention on every matter
  • Genuine dual-licensed expertise — US and Brazilian law, in-house
  • Cross-border coordination without the cost and delay of separate local counsel
  • More agile and accessible than large international firms

Foreign Companies & General Counsel

US, UK, and European companies with Brazilian operations or active market-entry plans require counsel who can operate across both jurisdictions without the cost and coordination loss of separate local counsel. David's dual licensing and 25+ years of on-the-ground Brazilian practice make him one of very few practitioners able to manage this end-to-end.

  • Market entry structuring and regulatory approvals
  • M&A, joint ventures, and investment agreements
  • FCPA and Lei Anticorrupção compliance programs
  • Multi-jurisdiction contract drafting and negotiation

Brazilian Institutional Investors & Asset Managers

Hedge funds, pension funds, family offices, and asset managers with exposure to US class actions or when US securities proceedings are in play.

  • Formal requests to Claims Administrators and Counsel in major US class action settlements, including In re Petrobras Securities Litigation (USD 3B)
  • Representation of sophisticated investors as authorized claimants for late Proof of Claim inclusion
  • Rolling representation of Brazilian street name holders of ADRs and Notes covered by US settlements
  • Cross-border discovery and evidence gathering
Common Cross-Border Issues

When Clients
Typically Contact David

The most costly problems in cross-border practice rarely arise from complexity alone — they arise from the gap between two separate advisors who don't share a common legal culture, language, or system. David's practice is structured specifically to close that gap.

01

A foreign company needs to enter the Brazilian market

When US counsel and Brazilian counsel operate independently, critical details fall between them — in contract drafting, in regulatory filings, in compliance programs. The cost of that gap typically exceeds the cost of integrated advice from the outset.

02

A cross-border transaction requires coordination across jurisdictions

Brazil's Anti-Corruption Law, sector licensing regimes, and tax and employment frameworks present genuine compliance risk for foreign companies whose counsel was strong on the US side but unfamiliar with Brazilian regulatory practice in depth.

03

A dispute or securities claim spans both the US and Brazil

Institutional investors with foreign equity exposure face claims that are procedurally complex on both sides of the border — requiring counsel who understands US class action mechanics and Brazilian corporate governance in equal depth. David has worked on precisely these matters, including the Petrobras litigation which settled at over USD 3 billion.

Advisory & Engagement

Working With David

David works with clients on the terms that suit the nature of the matter — whether a discrete transactional mandate, ongoing general counsel support, or a senior advisory engagement. What stays constant is the quality of the work and the directness of the relationship.

01

Project & Transactional Mandates

For defined matters — an M&A transaction, a compliance review, a securities claim, a multi-jurisdiction contract — David engages on a project basis with clear scope and direct accountability.

02

Ongoing Advisory & Retainer

Organizations with continuing cross-border needs benefit from an ongoing relationship: standing availability, contract and regulatory oversight, and counsel who accumulates institutional knowledge of the client's operations over time.

03

In-House & Senior Consulting

David is available for embedded in-house counsel roles and senior consulting engagements at law firms, financial institutions, and corporations requiring sustained expertise across the US–Brazil corridor.

Areas of Practice

Transactional and Litigation Experience
Across Six Domains

01
Cross-border structuring and transactions

Corporate Law & M&A

Mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, reorganizations, company formation, joint ventures, and investment agreements spanning Brazilian and international markets, with specialized experience in mining, commodities, food production, and energy sectors.

Due Diligence Joint Ventures Reorganizations
02
Enforceable in both jurisdictions

International Contracts

Complex drafting and negotiation of commercial, distribution, representation, licensing, and partnership agreements across multiple jurisdictions. Transacting in English, Portuguese, and Spanish without intermediaries ensures precision and efficiency.

Cross-Border Negotiation Multilingual
03
Brazil's most regulated sectors

Mining & Energy

Counsel for Brazilian mining transactions, energy supply contracts, and oil & gas regulatory matters. Extensive published work on these sectors since the early 2000s, including representation of major international resources companies.

Oil & Gas Commodities Regulatory
04
FCPA & Lei Anticorrupção aligned

Compliance & Anti-Corruption

FCPA enforcement, Brazilian Anti-Corruption Law compliance, healthcare fraud compliance, and securities regulatory investigations. Member of the Rio de Janeiro Bar Association's Anti-Corruption & Compliance Commission.

FCPA SEC Matters Internal Investigations
05
Including the USD 3B Petrobras settlement

International Litigation & Arbitration

Securities class actions, cross-border commercial disputes, offshore platform arbitration, and discovery assistance for major US firms. Notable participation in the Petrobras litigation, one of the largest class action settlements in US history (USD 3B).

Securities Arbitration Discovery
06
Exclusive Brazil counsel, Soccerex 2010–2013

Sports Business Law

Exclusive Brazil counsel for Soccerex Limited (Global Convention, Rio 2010–2013): government procurement, event contracts, sponsorship agreements, and media partnerships for international sports events.

Sports Events Sponsorship Government Affairs
Representative Work

Notable Matters & Transactions

Securities Litigation · USD 3 Billion Settlement

In re Petrobras Securities Litigation

Drafted and filed a comprehensive formal request to Claims Counsel and the Claims Administrator on behalf of a sophisticated investor client initially appointed as Lead Plaintiff. The request sought exception to late Proof of Claim filing exclusion and inclusion as an authorized claimant for multimillion-dollar losses related to Petrobras ADRs. The request was granted, allowing the client and similarly qualified Brazilian investors to receive their share of the class action's Net Settlement Fund.

International Litigation · Fraud & Arbitration

Mining Group International Litigation & Arbitral Award Enforcement

Participated in an international litigation matter involving fraud allegations and the enforcement in the U.S. of a foreign arbitral award against the "alter egos" and international successors of a Brazilian mining group's debtor.

Mergers & Acquisitions · Mining Sector

Brazilian Mining Sector M&A Transaction

Contributed to a complex M&A transaction in the Brazilian mining sector, providing legal analysis for an international transaction including both "merger" and "demerger" elements within the commodities sector.

Pension Fund Litigation · Cross-Border Recovery

Brazilian Association v. US Financial Services Company

Part of the team working on an ongoing international litigation case in which a Brazilian association is suing a U.S. financial services company and its Brazilian subsidiaries to recover losses incurred by members and beneficiaries of a private pension fund related to a Brazilian government entity, caused by poor investment management.

Energy & Technology · Debt Recovery

Wind Turbine Project Debt Recovery Analysis

Analyzed the potential recovery of debts owed to a Brazilian engineering and technology company involved in wind turbine projects from affiliated US companies.

Real Estate Finance · Large-Scale Development

Real Estate Project Subrogation & Loan Agreement

Contributed to drafting subrogation instruments and a substitute loan agreement for a large-scale real estate project in Brazil.

Corporate Transactions · Food Production

Investment & Partnership Agreement for Food Production

Team participation in the drafting of an Investment and Partnership Agreement for a Brazilian corporate client, aimed at the production of Brazilian food products and international retail commercialization.

Sports Business · Multi-Year Representation

Soccerex Global Convention (2010–2013)

Served as exclusive Brazil counsel for Soccerex Limited, the leading UK-based soccer business event company, for its Global Convention in Rio de Janeiro from 2010 through 2013. Responsibilities included federal and state-level government procurement and advocacy, sports convention event logistics resolution, hosting agreements, sponsorship and media partnership negotiations, and event participation agreement drafting.

Rail Technology · Fortune 500 Representation

Ensco, Inc. Railway Track Inspection Business

Represented Fortune 500 company Ensco, Inc. relative to its railway track inspection business in Brazil. Work included contract drafting and negotiation, sophisticated technology equipment import procedures, and track inspection engineer Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment work authorization.

Product Liability · International Litigation

Manufacturing-Metals Industry Product Liability Matter

Provided lead counsel representation to a major Brazilian manufacturing-metals industry supplier company in an international product liability litigation matter concerning the mechanical failure of a motor to one of its executive aircraft.

Oil & Gas · Regulatory & Antitrust

Petrobras Ipiranga Group Acquisition

Participated in advising Petrobras on corporate, regulatory, and antitrust issues in connection with the acquisition of the Ipiranga Group by Petrobras, Ultrapar, and Braskem.

Oil & Gas · International Structuring

PDVSA Brazil Fuel Distribution Business

Assisted PDVSA, the Venezuelan state-held oil company, in the structuring and negotiation of its fuel distribution business in Brazil.

General Practice Capabilities

Broad Competency Across Business
and Legal Matters

Beyond specialized practice areas, David brings broad competency across the full spectrum of business legal work. His experience spanning two major legal systems, three languages, and over two decades of practice means he can serve as trusted counsel across a wide range of legal and commercial matters.

Corporate & Commercial Law

General corporate and commercial counsel across a wide range of matters:

  • Corporate governance and entity structuring
  • Commercial contract drafting and review
  • Cross-border business transactions
  • Corporate and shareholder matters
  • Market entry and company formation in Brazil
  • Agency and distribution agreements

Regulatory & Compliance

Drawing on experience in highly regulated sectors:

  • Antitrust and competition law matters
  • Regulatory filing and notification procedures
  • Government and public authority interactions
  • Import/export and foreign trade compliance
  • Environmental compliance in energy sector

Dispute Resolution & Litigation Support

With extensive experience on both sides of complex disputes:

  • Pre-litigation legal strategy and counsel
  • Discovery and fact investigation in cross-border matters
  • Arbitration support and representation
  • Settlement negotiation and structuring
  • Legal opinion drafting for litigation purposes
  • Coordination with US law firms on Brazilian matters

International Business Development

Leveraging established networks in Brazil, the United States, and Europe, David assists clients in identifying and structuring partnerships, joint ventures, and investment opportunities. His trilingual capability and triple citizenship provide genuine insight into legal and business cultures.

  • Identification and introduction of Brazilian and US business partners
  • Joint ventures, investment vehicles, and commercial partnerships
  • Due diligence on Brazilian counterparties and market entry risk
  • Navigation of regulatory and governmental approvals
  • Strategic counsel on structure, timing, and cross-border risk
Advisory & Consulting

What David Offers Beyond
Traditional Legal Practice

Business Consulting, In-House Counsel & Senior Advisory

David offers a range of advisory and consulting services to organizations operating across borders. On the business side, this includes market analysis, structuring of commercial relationships, risk assessment, and navigation of government and regulatory affairs — with particular depth for companies entering or expanding in the Brazilian market. For organizations requiring ongoing legal oversight, David provides in-house counsel support encompassing legal opinions, contract review frameworks, compliance program design, and coordination with local and international counsel. He is also available for senior advisory and consulting engagements at law firms, professional services organizations, and corporations requiring high-level cross-border expertise across Brazil, the United States, and internationally.

Thought Leadership & Publication

With 30+ publications in international legal and business journals — including Law360, the New Law Journal (UK), and LatinLawyer — David offers authorship, commentary, and expert opinion on Brazilian and cross-border legal matters.

Career History

25+ Years of Sophisticated
Cross-Border Practice

David's career spans over a quarter century of sophisticated cross-border legal practice, conducted at leading Brazilian law firms, as founder of his own boutique advisory practice, and through engagements with major international organizations and Fortune 500 companies.

His work has ranged from landmark securities litigation — including participation in the Petrobras USD 3 billion settlement, one of the largest securities class actions in US history — to international M&A transactions, regulatory and antitrust work, and exclusive representation of a leading UK sports business enterprise across three consecutive global conventions in Rio de Janeiro.

He has practiced across energy, mining, food production, pharmaceuticals, automotive, aviation, and sports. His US engagements have included confidential project work at major New York law firms on SEC investigations and cross-border commercial discovery matters.

Fixed Equity Partner

Full-service Brazilian law firm, anchoring cross-border corporate practice and international client relationships.

Boutique Founder

Founded and led a legal and business advisory practice serving domestic and international clients across multiple sectors for over a decade.

Senior Associate

Corporate department of a leading Brazilian firm, advising on M&A, capital markets, antitrust, and oil & gas matters.

In-House & Consulting

Legal consultant for a major multinational mining company's Brazilian subsidiary, advising on mining projects, energy, and commercial contracts.

International Contracts

Foundational cross-border transactional and regulatory work at leading Brazilian law firms, with extensive publication on Brazilian oil, gas, and mining law.

US Engagements

Confidential project engagements at leading New York law firms, including SEC investigations and cross-border discovery support.

International legal matters between Brazil and the United States require more than legal knowledge — they require cultural understanding, strategic judgment, and genuine authority in both systems. David Taylor has spent more than 25 years working at this precise intersection.

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Professional References

What Colleagues & Clients
Say About David

David served as Fixed Share Equity Partner with a focus on our Corporate Practice and international matters. He demonstrated strong legal capabilities, attention to detail, and consistent commitment to the team's success throughout. His ability to draft clear, precise, and timely briefs and legal opinions was a valuable asset, and his recognition by Leaders League as a Recommended Lawyer reflects his ability to manage complex matters and deliver quality results.

Guilherme de Carvalho Doval
Senior Partner, Mining & Commercial — Almeida Advogados
★★★★★

One of the most notable projects we worked on together was the submission of a comprehensive formal request in the In re Petrobras Securities Litigation, which settled at over USD 3 billion. The request was granted — allowing this client and similarly qualified clients to receive their share of the class action's Net Settlement Fund. David's thorough understanding of the legal and procedural challenges, coupled with careful attention to detail, were key to the success of the request.

Rafael Zinato Moreira
Partner, Rio de Janeiro Office — Almeida Advogados
★★★★★

Soccerex is delighted to bear testimony to the excellence of David Andrew Taylor. His advice and input has been invaluable in helping with the success of Soccerex in Rio. No matter how large or how small the problem, his attention to detail, efficiency and expertise has been outstanding.

Duncan Revie
CEO — Soccerex Limited (UK) · Sports Business
★★★★★

In 2008, David was pivotal in keeping us from missing key opportunities by working fast and diligently in complex contractual matters that involved several jurisdictions, such as Brazil, the United States, Turkey and India. I have no reservations in recommending David for contractual or M&A related matters.

Felipe Herrera
Former General Counsel & VP of Corporate Affairs — Power Ventures, Inc. · Energy Sector
★★★★★

David Andrew Taylor has been instrumental in assisting us in our Brazilian business ventures. As a company new to the Brazil marketplace, we turned to David for support in a range of contract related topics. He is knowledgeable, efficient, and a pleasure to work with.

Todd Laudeman
Director, Track Operations — Ensco, Inc. · Rail Technology (Fortune 500)
★★★★★
Scholarship

Books, Chapters & Selected Articles

Books & Book Chapters

2023
"Forced Arbitration in Brazil and Its Systematic Shortchanging of Minority Shareholders: The Case Study of Petrobras"
Essays on Corporate Law — Editora EV (Chapter 14)
2002
Legal Guide: Exporting to the United States of America!
Observador Legal Editora
2000–01
Legal Guide: Business in Brazil (4th & 5th editions)
Observador Legal Editora (co-author)
1999
Doing Business in Brazil — Chapter 5: Intellectual Property Rights
British Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Brazil, 2nd ed.

Selected Articles

2024
The Unfolding Potential of Green Hydrogen in Brazil
Law360 · LexLegal Brasil · Almeida Advogados Read →
2021
International Justice: Brazil's Last Chance Against COVID-19
New Law Journal (UK) Read →
2020
A Helpful Antitrust Exception in Brazil During Pandemic
Law360 Read →
2020
Flawed Petrobras Settlement Bypasses Many Shareholders
Law360 Read →
2018
Brazilian Healthcare Fraud, FCPA Anti-Corruption Enforcement and Legal Compliance
OAB/RJ Revista Digital ESA-RJ · LatinLawyer
2006
Brasil Round 8: Continued Promise for Foreign Oil Company Participation
LatinLawyer Magazine · Latin American Law & Business Report
Academic Credentials

Education & Training

1995
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
Seton Hall University School of Law · Newark, NJ
Revalidated by UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro)
Centennial Scholarship Recipient
1990
Master of Arts — English Literature
Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences · New York, NY
Revalidated by UFF (Federal Fluminense University)
New Jersey Garden State Fellowship Recipient
1989
Bachelor of Arts — English Literature
Rutgers College, Rutgers University · New Brunswick, NJ
Departmental Honors · Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
Bar Admissions & Professional Affiliations
Brazilian Bar — OAB/RJ (2004)  ·  State of New Jersey Bar (1995)  ·  District of Columbia Bar (2006)
OAB/RJ Anti-Corruption & Compliance Committee  ·  OAB/RJ Oil, Gas & Derivatives Committee
Get in Touch

Inquiries & Consultations

Direct Inquiries Welcome

David works with international companies, law firms, and investors on cross-border matters between Brazil and the United States. Initial inquiries are welcome regardless of complexity or stage.

Location Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Confidentiality All inquiries are treated with complete confidentiality.

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All inquiries treated with complete confidentiality.