Marcelo is a dual-qualified Associate in the Commercial Litigation team with two decades of multi-jurisdictional experience as a litigator, adviser, and lecturer.
As a litigator, he has acted for companies, governments, and individuals on highly complex and valuable cases, including cross-border investigations and disputes. As an adviser, he has assisted legislators, prosecutors, board members, and executives on a wide range of issues, including contracts, mergers, acquisitions, securities, compliance, fraud, corruption, tech, and torts. As a lecturer, he has spoken on subjects spanning from constitutional and tax law to innovation, sustainability, and AI.
Marcelo has been working in the legal industry since 2005. He qualified as a Brazilian lawyer in 2008, and as an English solicitor in 2024. His international litigation experience includes human rights, environmental, competition, and securities disputes. He has dealt with sectors such as mining, energy, commodities, shipping, and tech.
As both an adviser and a speaker, Marcelo has been involved with artificial intelligence, innovation, and legal tech initiatives since 2017. Presently, he is the UK Ambassador of the Brazilian Legal Tech Association – AB2L.
Given his previous in-house experience, Marcelo has meaningful insight into corporate matters. Currently, he is a pro bono Strategic Adviser to the General Counsel Sustainability Forum.
Key Experience
- Acted for hundreds of thousands of claimants in six mass tort group claims involving five jurisdictions (England & Wales, Netherlands, Germany, US, and Brazil). Lead litigator responsible for substantive law advice and factual investigations, heading a team of over 40 qualified lawyers.
- Lead litigator in the landmark Court of Appeal cross-border environmental law jurisdiction dispute Municipio De Mariana & Ors v BHP Group (UK) Ltd & Anor [2022] EWCA Civ 951 (08 July 2022). Successfully acted for the claimants, securing the challenged jurisdiction.
- Lead litigator in the Commercial Court cross-border competition law jurisdiction dispute Viegas & Ors v Cutrale & Ors [2021] EWHC 2956 (Comm) (05 November 2021). Successfully acted for the claimants, securing the challenged jurisdiction.
- Lead litigator in two cross-border environmental law jurisdiction disputes in the Netherlands. Successfully acted for the claimants, securing the challenged jurisdiction.
- Acted as in-house counsel and head of expansion at Case Crunch – a world-renowned British AI-powered legal tech start up in the predictive analytics field.
- Acted for and advised a public company undergoing a de-listing process before the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange amidst a large-scale cross-border corruption investigation. Successfully preserved the company's listing.
- Advised and acted for an internationally listed corporate group in the energy sector with over 150 affiliates from a senior in-house position, overseeing a legal department with more than 50 qualified lawyers and 50 thousand active court cases. Lead highly complex and valuable deals, investigations, and disputes – including settlement negotiations. Spearheaded legal tech and innovation initiatives.
- Acted for the prosecution service on hundreds of complex cases, ranging from violent crimes to corruption investigations involving senior officials.
- Drafted and negotiated legislation approved into law.
Career History
Associate (dual-qualified), Mishcon de Reya LLP
Legal Director (Brazilian-qualified), Pogust Goodhead
Senior Associate (Brazilian-qualified), Pogust Goodhead
Associate (Brazilian-qualified), Pogust Goodhead
Head of Expansion, Case Crunch
Deputy General Counsel, Cemig Group (Brazil)
Adviser, State Prosecution Office (Brazil)
Lecturer, various institutions (Brazil)
Trainee, SCMD (Brazil)
Adviser, State Legislative Assembly (Brazil)
UFMG, Bachelor of Laws (Brazil)