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Matheus Ramalho

Partner

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Matheus Sousa Ramalho is a partner at Licks Attorneys, having joined the firm as a senior attorney in 2021. His legal practice focuses on business law, encompassing corporate advisory, complex transactions, and commercial litigation.

Mr. Ramalho is a reference within the firm on business and corporate matters and is frequently engaged in high-stakes litigation handled by the practice. His work combines a broad, generalist perspective with the ability to engage deeply with highly technical and fact-intensive issues. This approach is supported by his academic background. Alongside his uninterrupted legal practice in big law since graduation, he holds two PhDs – one in Corporate Law from the Largo do São Francisco Law School (USP) and another in Procedural Law from the Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ).

In recognition of his expertise and legal practice, Mr. Ramalho is currently serving two consecutive terms as Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Rio de Janeiro State Bar, providing technical legal advisory to policymakers on matters involving bankruptcy, finance, securities, and legal proceedings. The impact of his work led to his selection in 2025 to serve on the National Legislation Committee of the Brazilian Federal Bar, a body composed of ten attorneys from all states across the country.

Separately, Mr. Ramalho is a Columnist for the Relatório Reservado, an independent Brazilian publication specializing in business and political intelligence. In his column, he explores finance, capital markets, and sensitive legal matters.

If you require legal representation, Matheus Ramalho is a trusted advisor. A list of representative cases is provided below.

+ Languages
  • Portuguese
  • English
+ Practice Areas
  • Arbitration
  • Contracts
  • Copyright
  • Counseling and Transactional
  • Criminal & Compliance
  • Cyber Law
  • Government Contracts & Public Procurements
  • Insolvency
  • Intellectual Property
  • Internet, E-commerce & Software
  • Licensing & Technology
  • Life Sciences
  • Litigation
  • Patents
  • Regulatory Law
  • Trade Secrets & Regulatory
+ Representative Cases

Corporate Advisory & General Consulting:

  • Advised on corporate litigation cases exceeding BRL 10 billion, including a derivative lawsuit, takeover, and high-stakes negotiations. Led case strategy, refining petitions, and contracted legal opinions;
  • Issued an opinion on enforcing assets of a company that illicitly froze BRL 1,105 billion to obstruct an arbitral award;
  • Advised on procedural succession and tax res judicata in a BRL 1 billion merger.
  • Assisted an international bank in monitoring USD 200 million in debtor assets amid judicial recovery and bankruptcy;
  • Structured a BRL 300 million asset restructuring with tax and accounting teams to shield partners from company debts;
  • Design deal structure to optimize tax and operational efficiency for a transaction exceeding BRL 150 million;
  • Advised a leading Brazilian laboratory on a BRL 120 million acquisition.;
  • Advised a major public servants’ pension fund on a BRL 50 million greenfield divestment project;
  • Advised on the impact of a court-approved settlement in a distressed M&A deal with BRL 40 million in liabilities;
  • Assessed the feasibility of acquiring a company under judicial recovery for BRL 35 million;
  • Issued an opinion on contamination risks of operational liabilities for a holding company exceeding BRL 30 million;
  • Drafted a side letter justifying the waiver of due diligence in a BRL 10 million mall stake acquisition;
  • Drafted an English R&D contract for a USD 2.5 million project focused on reverse engineering a strategic input;
  • Advised a startup in negotiating and implementing a BRL 500.000 angel investment;
  • Advised an international consulting firm on its Brazilian operations and cross-border measures.
  • Assisted a renowned international special situations consultancy in the acquisition of distressed assets;
  • Assisted an international insurance company in mapping multimillion-dollar liabilities amid a bankruptcy filing;
  • Assisted a publicly traded company in implementing a Brazilian poison pill worth billions in market capitalization;
  • Advised an investment fund on the impact of the State-Owned Companies Law;
  • Advised a publicly traded company on a self-bankruptcy petition’s impact on former directors and shareholders;
  • Advised an entertainment company on the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (STJ) precedent’s impact on a target acquisition;
  • Advised on the legal feasibility of acquiring lawsuit-derived credits, including assessing profitability for financiers;
  • Negotiated amendments to a restructuring plan, securing privileges for a strategic creditor in a fire-sale;
  • Assessed fraud risks in multiple acquisitions, mitigating clawback exposure;
  • Advised on overturning an overly restrictive non-compete clause post-M&A;
  • Advised congressmen on legislative reforms contributing to key bills (crypt, arbitration, insolvency, state debt).

Commercial Litigation Experience:

  • Represented a financial institution in a lawsuit against the Central Bank for BRL 1.2 billion;
  • Handled infringement and patent nullity cases with a total value exceeding BRL 500 million;
  • Represented an automobile dealership in a BRL 400 million in-court bankruptcy;
  • Infringement lawsuit of a SEP patent over into a BRL 150 million dispute;
  • Represented a financial institution in a BRL 120 million arbitration, successfully enforcing the award;
  • Represented an heir in a contentious inventory proceeding with assets valued over BRL 110 million;
  • Represented a football club in a dispute against major bank over BRL 100 million investment agreement;
  • Represented a shipyard in a BRL 60 million lawsuit against a public financial institution;
  • Dispute involving investor rights in a commercial property lease contract valued at BRL 55 million;
  • Defended a group of shareholders in a dispute over tail rights valued at BRL 45 million.
  • Defended controllers and administrators in derivative lawsuit claims in a dispute worth BRL 43 million;
  • Advised a high-net-worth client against a distressed fund in a BRL 33 million piercing the corporate veil incident;
  • Represented a company in a BRL 30 million arbitration regarding the violation of broadcasting rights;
  • Represented a patent holder into an infringement suit over a second use patent requesting invalidation of public tender of BRL 26 million;
  • Represented an international entertainment giant in a BRL 25 million dispute arbitration involving tag along;
  • Defended a CTO in a suit before the Brazilian SEC (CVM) involving a Ponzi scheme, securing acquittal from over BRL 20 million in fine;
  • Represented Portuguese investors in a BRL 15 million execution, successfully recovering their full investments;
  • Represented a SEP patent holder into an infringement lawsuit of over BRL 13 million in fines where a PI was issued;
  • Represented a construction company in a BRL 12 million lawsuit against the Brazilian Public Stated Owed Bank;
  • Represented a former director in an BRL 11 million execution against a renowned São Paulo association;
  • Represented a law firm in the execution of fees against a management company for BRL 9.5 million;
  • Assisted a client in a voluntary condominium dissolution case worth BRL 8 million;
  • Defended sellers in indemnity claims in M&A transactions totalling BRL 7 million;
  • Represented consumers in a BRL 3.25M corporate veil piercing suit against major shareholders of a public company;
  • Enforced a non-compete clause in a franchise agreement, securing a BRL 2.9 million PI;
  • Handled several derivative lawsuit for partnerships of all types and sizes, including those with family law implications;
  • Represented creditors in different bankruptcy proceedings, including European bondholders.
+ Professional Highlights
  • Legal 500 Latin America – Key lawyer – Life Sciences (2025);
  • Member of the National Legislation Committee of the Brazilian Federal Bar;
  • Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Rio de Janeiro State Bar President of the Especial Commission of Legislative Affairs of Brazilian Bar Association – Rio de Janeiro Section;
  • Columnist, Relatório Reservado;
  • Coordinator of the Venture Capital & Start-ups discipline at the Superior Advocacy School of Brazilian Bar Association – Rio de Janeiro Section;
  • Coordinator of the Corporate Bankruptcy discipline at the OAB/RJ Superior Advocacy School;
  • Member of the OAB/RJ Corporate Law Commission;
  • Member of the OAB/RJ Arbitration Commission;
  • Member of the OAB/RJ Bankruptcy Especial Commission (2018);
  • Member of the OAB/RJ Civil Procedure Studies Especial Commission;
  • President (2017-2018) and Treasurer (2016-2017) of the Brazilian Association of the Students of Arbitration (“Abearb”);
  • Member of the Brazilian Bar Association’s special committee responsible for designing the Bar Admission Exam (2014-2016);
  • Visiting Scholar of the State University of Rio de Janeiro in LL.M. program of procedural law, lecturing bankruptcy liquidation and reorganization proceedings (2022 – ongoing);
  • Visiting Scholar of the School of Judges of the State Court of Rio de Janeiro (2015 – 2018).
+ Representative Experience
+ Affiliations
  • Brazilian Bar Association – Rio de Janeiro (OAB/RJ);
  • Brazilian Bar Association – São Paulo (OAB/SP);
  • Institute of the Brazilian Attorneys (IAB);
  • Institute of Cultural Studies (IEC).
+ Education
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Securities Litigation and Shareholder Enforcement Rights (Brazilian and U.S. law), Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ (2023 – ongoing);
  • Doctor of Laws (PhD), Corporate Law – Finance, Restructuring, and Public Utilities, University of São Paulo – USP (2023);
  • Doctor of Laws (PhD), Procedural Law – Bankruptcy Reorganization, Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights, and Due Process, Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ (2023);
  • Master of Laws (LL.M.), Governance, Corporate Groups, Risk Allocation, and Bankruptcy Reorganization, Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ (2017);
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ (2014).
+ Publications
+ Speaking Engagements and Others
+ Articles