Global law firm Reed Smith lured Felipe Berer as a Miami partner to its global disputes group and Latin America business team as demand expands for advisory work in the region's struggling economies.

Berer, who led Akerman's Brazil practice for a year, represents multinational companies doing business in the United States and Latin America. He has advised Brazilian companies on cross-border commercial disputes, litigation, arbitration and insolvency matters in the United States and Brazil.

The Reed Smith buildout comes as law firms eye a growing workload for arbitration and restructurings across Latin America and in particular Brazil, the region's biggest economy, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global firms have jostled for Miami-based talent to service Latin America during the health crisis, with Polsinelli announcing its first-ever Latin America practice group in March by hiring a Holland & Knight partner as shareholder.

Just a year ago, Morrison & Foerster stormed into the Florida market by snagging nine Greenberg Traurig attorneys and establishing its own Latin America practice in Miami.

"Felipe is a 'go-to' legal and business adviser to major Brazilian companies, helping them navigate a broad range of disputes involving Brazilian and U.S. law," said Constantine Karides, managing partner of Reed Smith's Miami office.

Jose Astigarraga, global chairman of Reed Smith's international arbitration practice, said the firm's Brazil-related disputes work, including international arbitrations, as well as U.S.-based litigation with Brazilian connections, has been expanding and hence the need for an attorney such as Berer.

Berer is dual-licensed in the U.S. and Brazil and a native Portuguese speaker whose clients include Fortune 500 companies and some of the largest and most successful Brazilian conglomerates and investors. Sometimes acting in the capacity of outside general counsel, he works with companies that are often involved in parallel litigation in both jurisdictions.

In addition, he advises Brazilian companies that are creditors or debtors in Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings in the U.S. and when a Brazilian insolvency is recognized in the U.S.

"Brazil is emerging from a deep recession, and the volume of work involving Brazilian companies in the U.S., especially the flow of litigation and insolvency work, has grown dramatically," Berer said.

He regularly advises international clients on trade policy, export controls and sanctions under U.S. and Brazilian laws, contract negotiations, especially supply and distribution agreements, and government affairs in Brazil.

Berer began his legal career at Barbosa, Müssnich, & Aragão Advogados in Rio de Janeiro. He later practiced at Bryan Cave and Mayer Brown before joining Akerman as of counsel in 2012. He became a partner in 2015 and took over its Brazil practice a year ago.

Berer also served as president of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida in 2014.

Florida serves as a gateway for Brazilian companies and products into the North American market. Bilateral trade between Brazil and the U.S. topped $34 billion in 2018. Brazil's consul general in Miami, Adalnio Senna Ganem, estimated three years ago that 300,000 Brazilians live in Florida, constituting the largest Brazilian community in any U.S. state.

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