Marcello Hallake has more than 25 years of experience advising multinational companies, financial institutions, and investment funds throughout Latin America and around the globe. His practice focuses on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, privatizations, private equity, projects, and other financing, capital markets, and strategic transactions. He regularly counsels clients in the energy, natural resources, food supply, infrastructure, telecommunications, media, and technology sectors, including in sale auctions, distressed M&A, and anticorruption and compliance issues.
Marcello led the Jones Day team advising ENGIE in its winning bid to acquire TAG from Petrobras for $8.6 billion in a competitive auction, the largest cash acquisition and privatization to date in Brazil. Marcello also recently advised Marfrig Global Foods in the formation of PlantPlus Foods, a joint venture with Archer-Daniels-Midland Company in the Americas; counseled JBS on its acquisition of Vivera, a Dutch plant-based food manufacturer; and advised TotalEnergies in connection with a strategic alliance and investment agreement with Sunix Petroleum and Tropigas in the Dominican Republic. Other clients he has counseled on cross-border transactions include Algar Telecom, BRF, Cemig, Electricité de France (EDF), Exceda, Galp Energia, J&F Investimentos, Lagardere, Orange, and Vale.
Marcello is a board member of several not-for-profit, civic, and cultural organizations, including Brazil Foundation (which he co-founded), CDI International (Change through Digital Inclusion), AlfaSol (Alfabetização Solidária), and Comunitas. Marcello is a former chair of the Committee on Inter-American Affairs of the New York City Bar Association and has spoken and written extensively on international legal matters.
Experiencia
Ponencias
- May 26, 2021
ESG: Brazil Under Pressure - August 12, 2020
Investing in Brazil in Times of Coronavirus: Opportunities in Cross-Border M&A and Private Equity, Brazil-Florida Business Council - June 9, 2020
Insolvency, Bankruptcy and Distressed Acquisitions in Brazil, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - October 2, 2019
Privatization Opportunities in Brazil, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - April 10, 2019
Direct Foreign Investments and Cross-Border M&A, Brazil in the Spotlight: Investments and Opportunities, NYU School of Law - December 12, 2018
Aspectos Práticos e Futuro da Advocacia Internacional, OAB - April 16, 2018
Attracting Foreign Investments to Infrastructure Projects in Brazil, NYU School of Law - November 15, 2017
Corporate M&A in the Wake of Lava Jato, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - October 5, 2017
Discussion on Recent Guidelines on Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Issued by the United States Department of Justice - January 19, 2017
Distressed investing in Brazil, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - December 1, 2016
The Risks and Main Aspects of Shareholder Class Actions in the USA - November 9, 2016
Keynote Conversation-The Brazil Briefing, 2016 M&A Advisor Summit: The Future of Finance - April 19, 2016
Due Process of Law and the Legal Profession, Rule of Law Challenges in Latin America – Corruption and Judicial Independence - March 9, 2016
Dream Teams, IBA Latin America Regional Forum Conference - July 4, 2015
Desafios do Brasil: Instituições e Infraestrutura, FLIP - May 29, 2015
Shale gas and LNG investments in the Americas - April 15, 2015
Infrastructures in Brazil: Opportunities and Risk Control - February 27, 2015
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: 2015 Update - December 10-11, 2014
Brazilian Companies and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Exploring the Reach of the FCPA - October 15, 2014
Doing Deals in Latin America: Current Developments, Opportunities & Challenges - June 28, 2014
Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Brazil - June 9, 2014
OGX and OSX Bankruptcies – Developments, Challenges and Opportunities for Cross-Border Restructurings in Brazil - May 22, 2014
Lessons Learned from the Libra Field Auction, Foreign Investors' Perspectives - April 24, 2014
OGX and OSX Bankruptcies - Developments, Challenges and Opportunities for Cross-Border Restructurings in Brazil - November 12, 2013
Fórum Lei 12.486 - Lei Anticorrupção Brasileira: Consequências para as multinacionais que atuam no Brasil e investidores estrangeiros - October 2, 2013
Infrastructure and Oil & Gas in Brazil: Maximizing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges - 10 JUIN 2013
RIO + 21 - FRANCE-BRESIL : Ville durable, ville intelligente colloque présidé par Jean-Pierre Raffarin - May 15, 2013
Global Business Essentials: Brazil - April 24, 2013
Global Business Essentials: Brazil - October 25, 2012
China Outbound Focus Workshop: How to Deal With Regional Issues in Overseas Investments - 2012年10月25日
中国对外投资专题讨论会:如何处理海外投资的区域性问题 - 2012年10月24日
对外投资研讨会:中国公司全球扩展中的法律风险管理 - October 24, 2012
Outbound Seminar "Managing Legal Risks in Global Expansion of Chinese Companies" - October 4, 2012
To Protect and Serve?, The Economist, Ideas Economy: Brazil - December 13, 2011
Brazil: The Future is Here, The 2011 M&A Advisor International Summit - December 2, 2011
The Global Implications of the Rise of BRIC, Columbia University - November 30, 2011
Macroeconomics & Infrastructure, Rio de Janeiro Investment Conference, Council on Foreign Relations - May 26, 2011
Investing in the Brazilian Energy Sector: Challenges and Opportunities, Ibrademp - March 1, 2011
The Government as M&A Dealmaker, Roundtable hosted by The M&A Advisor and Tegris Advisors - December 14, 2010
M&A Opportunities in the New Brazil, 9th Annual M&A Advisor Summit, New York Athletic Club - November 22, 2010
The Brazilian Oil and Gas Proposed Regulatory Framework for the Pre-Salt Discoveries, IBRADEMP - November 19, 2010
Innovation, New Technologies and International Relations, IBMEC - June 1, 2010
Suape and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Brazil, Recife - May 26, 2010
Agribusiness Financing in Brazil, New York Stock Exchange - April 24, 2010
Building Bridges to a Sustainable Future, 13th Annual MIT Latin American Conference - March 25, 2010
Vulture Funds in the African Oil and Gas Industry, 4th Annual African Petroleum Congress & Exhibition - March 16, 2010
Brazil's Legal Infrastructure Towards Businesses, “Brazil and the Future Conference,” Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering - November 17, 2009
Opportunities for Lawyers in the Oil and Gas Sector, Conference on "Oil and Gas and its New Professions," Escola Superior de Guerra - October 29, 2009
Brazil's Road to a Business-Friendly Regulatory Environment, “Brazil and the Future Conference,” Columbia University - October 24, 2009
Pathways to Employment in International Law Program, Panelist, International Law Weekend, Fordham Law School - May 30, 2009
Investing for the Long-Term: Harmonizing Economic Expansion and Development, The London Business School's Latin America Business Forum - May 2, 2009
The Latin American Financial System as a Solid Base to Economic Development, XII MIT Sloan Latin Conference - April 7, 2009
Legal Aspects of the Global Financial Crisis, "The World Crisis: Opportunities for Brazil" Conference, Escola Superior de Guerra - February 23, 2009
International Acquisitions of Emerging Markets Companies, Columbia University, School of Public and International Affairs - October 2007
Program for 2008 LL.M. Degree Candidates, Panelist, New York City Bar - April 2007
Pro Bono in Brazil: Opportunities and Challenges, Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice - March 2007
Cross-Borders Mergers and Acquisitions - March 2007
Pro Bono in the Americas, USP - January 2007
International Law Practice, American Bar Association - December 2006
Ethanol Projects in Brazil, Brazil-Texas Chamber of Commerce - November 2006
Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions in Brazil - Recent Developments and Legal Aspects, The Center for Brazilian Studies, Columbia University - September 2006
Private Equity in Brazil - August 2006
M&A in the private security industry in Brazil, Private Security Conference - June 2006
Career Opportunities for International Lawyers, New York City Bar Association - June 2006
Recent Developments in Ethanol and Alternative Energy in Brazil, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - April 2006
Negotiating Peace Treaty Agreements, American Bar Association - March 2006
Choice of Law Considerations when Drafting Arbitration Provisions for International Oil and Gas Agreements - September 2005
Acquisitions by Brazilian Company Overseas - January 2005
International Law Practice, American Bar Association - May 2004
Mergers and Acquisitions in Brazil, Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce - January 2004
International Law Practice, American Bar Association - January 2004
Debt Restructuring in Latin America, American Bar Association - April 2003
Debt Restructuring in Latin America, American Bar Association
Global Business Essentials: Brazil
Infrastructures au Brésil : Opportunités et maîtrise des risques
- Georgetown University (LL.M. 1994); Louvain University (Belgium) (M.A. in Public and International Affairs 1994; J.D. 1993); Saint-Louis University (Belgium) (B.A. 1990)
- New York
Recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America's top 100 lawyers (2022)
Recognized in the areas of Corporate/M&A (Latin America-wide) by Chambers Global (2022) and by Chambers Latin America (2022)
Recommended in The Legal 500 Latin America for Corporate and M&A, Projects and Energy, and Banking and Finance (2022)
Listed in The Best Lawyers in Brazil (2021)
Recommended by Who's Who Legal Brazil — Energy (2021)
- English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch