Francisco de MeloFranco Ferreira
Francisco is a partner of the Firm and recognized by clients as among the most protected and admired Brazilian lawyers in Civil Procedural Law, Administrative Law and Contractual. He receives the trust of large Brazilian and multinational conglomerates, to defend them in collection proceedings, improbity, annulment of acts and administrative decisions derived from contracts and complex disputes.
In Brazil and from the office in the United Kingdom, Francisco advises investors Brazilians and internationals in carrying out investments and business in Brazil. This includes a risk assessment and dispute financing, in addition to the legal management of contracts International.
Francisco’s performance in lawsuits, mediations and arbitrations involving discussions contracts of high value and technical complexity in the areas of engineering, environment, mining, finance and accounting. He is especially recognized for establishing strategies innovative and efficient and for its ability to understand the cases and translate the arguments into simple and convincing theses. His academic studies in the area of
dispute resolution and its ability to generate relationships of trust has allowed the solution of difficult cases through negotiation and self-composition.
He has outstanding performance before the Federal Supreme Court and higher courts in Leading cases of great national repercussion, which discuss the limits of the sphere of acting as regulatory and control bodies, such as the Federal Court of Auditors, always in the intransigent and qualified defense of constitutional competences, guarantees individuals and due process of law.
Francisco also led the implementation of systems of governance, integrity and non-compliance. development of ESG practices for companies and organizations. in the last years he also stood out in relevant corporate leniency agreements, assisting in the delimitation of rules and calculation parameters for compensation for damages.
Francisco has in-depth legal knowledge and integrates it into the domain of facts and cases who meticulously studies and works, which puts him in a privileged position to contribute decisively to the solution of the cases entrusted to it. He has operating in the most varied sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, mining, industry and services, supporting them in making investments with legal security and guaranteed the best world practices.
Experience
Francisco has a lawyer in complex cases handled by the most important projects of infrastructure, energy and oil and gas in Brazil. Examples include: Stadiums soccer for the World Cup (e.g. Maracanã, Arena Amazonas, Mané Garrincha); Olympic Park for the 2016 Olympics; Oil and Gas Refineries (COMPERJ, RNEST, REPAR, REVAP, REGAP, Caraguatatuba); Airports (e.g. Santos Dumont, Guarulhos, Confins, Vitória); Subways (e.g. Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, Savior); Railways (e.g. North and South, Fiol Leste Oeste, Jaguaruna); Ports (e.g. Açu, Southeast, Itaqui); Oil Platforms (P-55, P-58); Hydroelectric plants (e.g. Simplício, Belo Mound); Nuclear Energy (civil works on Angra 3); Highways (e.g. BR 101 South and Northeast, BR 262, BR 448, BR 381, BR 040). At the Federal Supreme Court, his performance is highlighted in the defense of companies and people physical, both through the filing of writs of mandamus against acts moved by Ministers of the Federal Court of Accounts, as well as for relevant matters in terms of extraordinary resources. The same can be said of appeals pending before the Superior Court of Justice and the Federal Regional Courts.
In the Judiciary in general, Francisco acts in complex and high-profile contractual disputes. value, and disputes may be mentioned in public contracts, resulting from variations and controversial rescission, in an amount that exceeds 1 billion reais, as well as judicial discussion in the area of oil and gas in the amount of 500 million reais.
Career and Qualifications
Francisco holds a Masters in Dispute Resolution from University College London, recognized with distinction, Specialist in Public Law from PUC/Minas and graduated in law from UFMG.
He has been a partner at Aroeira Salles since 2005.
He is the Public Prosecutor of the Municipality of Belo Horizonte, the third city with the highest economic psychology of Brazil. Advisor to the Executive Branch of the Municipality of Belo Horizon in contentious and non-contentious matters, in particular related to Public and Administrative Law, Contract Law and Environmental and Urban Law Associations
Francisco is active in the international legal community and is a guest in Brazil and abroad
and member of the International Construction Law Association, Lex Anglo-Brasil, active in the Chamber
Brasileira de Comércio in London and member of Britcham’s Mining Committee.
Publications
Francisco is invited in Brazil and abroad to home on anti-corruption and dispute resolution
disputes, and the following lectures and publications may be cited:
● Article “Financing and negotiation of disputes in Brazil: how much is your claim worth?”
(Conjuration, 06/30/2021)
● Chapter “Law nº 13.465/17 – Critical reflections on the REURB-S in view of the cities that
we want”, in the work Brazilian Land Statute: comments on Law nº 13.465/17 –
Homage to Professor José Manoel de Arruda Alvim Neto. Sao Paulo: Editora IASP,
2021. Volume II
● Article in the Administrative Forum magazine “Fundamentals and Limits of the Precautionary Measure of
Unavailability of Goods Decreed by the Federal Court of Auditors against
private individuals hired by the Public Administration” (Administrative Forum, v. 188, p. 09-
15, 2016). Lecturer at the seminar “How to finance your litigation and anticipate your
liquidity” (Aroeira Salles, Harbor Litigation Funding, FIEMG, 2020)
● Speaker at the seminar “Brazilian Infrastructure: Investment Opportunities and Key
Trends” (Aroeira Salles, Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, London, 2019)
● Speaker at the seminar “Improving Value Through Alliances, BIM & Collaborative
Contracts (integrating procurement, digital technology and the law)” (Kings College,
London, 2018)
● Speaker at the seminar “Infrastructure in Brazil: Market Access and Investment
Opportunities” (Department for International Trade, London, 2017)
● Speaker at OAB seminar “Advocacy and Compliance in Brasília” (Brasília, 2016)
● Lecturer at the Congress of the International Construction Law Association – (ICLA, Paris,
2016)
Francisco is an active member of the international legal community speaking at conferences and producing academic materials for international publications. Francisco also regularly advises together with British lawyers especially on resolution of international disputes and anti-corruption matters.
Francisco has a master of Dispute Resolution with distinction from University College London – UCL and a post-graduate degree in Public Law from PUC/Minas.
As well as being partner of the firm, Francisco has also been attorney of the Municipality of Belo Horizonte since 2005, with experience in advising the Executive Branch and acting in respect of litigation involving environmental and urban law.
He is a member of the International Construction Law Association (ICLA) and Lex Anglo Brazil. He has contributed to events in Brazil and the United Kingdom thereby promoting the exchange of theoretical and practical knowledge on a wide range of topics including anti-corruption, construction law, international contracts and alliance contracts.
He holds a law degree from the Federal University of Minas Gerais and has a post-graduate qualification in Public Law from PUC University and is currently undertaking Master’s degree at University College London.