Demarest expands Environmental practice by hiring new partner

Eduardo Ferreira will focus on judicial and administrative litigation, socio-environmental crisis management, and advisory work in coordination with other practice areas

São Paulo, April 14, 2026 – Demarest, one of the largest full-service law firms in Brazil and Latin America, announces the arrival of Eduardo Ferreira as a new partner in its Environmental practice, at a time when environmental legislation and the socio-environmental agenda are increasingly relevant as decisive factors for the viability, competitiveness, and legal certainty of new business ventures.

Eduardo holds a master’s degree in Diffuse and Collective Rights from PUC-SP, a postgraduate specialization in Environmental Law and Strategic Sustainability Management, and a degree in Law from the same institution. He has more than 25 years of experience in the field, having worked at leading law firms in the market.

In the Environmental practice area, he will focus primarily on judicial and administrative litigation, as well as on advisory services involving socio-environmental matters, working in coordination with the firm’s other practice areas. His activities include the development of pre-litigation strategies – involving challenges to the regular conduct of business operations –, as well as negotiations with authorities and regulatory bodies to seek consensual solutions in highly complex scenarios and to manage environmental crises.

“Environmental legislation is not merely a compliance requirement, but a true cornerstone for structuring projects and investment decisions. When addressed with technical expertise and sound governance, it reduces uncertainties and becomes a driver of new deals – providing predictability to licensing processes, strengthening supply chains, and creating safer alternatives for expansion, restructuring, and transactions,” states Eduardo.

Additionally, according to the new partner, COP30, held in Brazil, was a historic and political milestone for climate discussions, reinforcing the continued global focus on socio-environmental policies. “Beyond this context, there is a growing number of legal claims related to environmental preservation, including those centered on the validity of environmental licensing. It is important to highlight that licensing can be seen both as an obstacle for those who struggle to comply with legislation and as a facilitator of legal certainty for those who meet its requirements and are leading the way in this environmental race,” Eduardo emphasizes.

The new partner’s experience includes a track record of advising companies across a wide range of sectors – most notably agribusiness and mining –, as well as in cases involving contaminated sites and in negotiations and settlement agreements with public authorities and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. His work often involves highly sensitive contexts and dialogue with public and private sectors that are impacted by, or have an impact on, the activities of large-scale companies and multiple stakeholders.

For José Diaz, Demarest’s Managing Partner, Eduardo’s arrival addresses the increasingly complex demands of the business sector, where preventive, advisory, and litigation teams must work in an integrated manner and in close coordination with other practice areas to support key strategic decisions.

“Environmental litigation is gaining technical depth and strategic impact for organizations across different sectors. Eduardo’s experience in highly complex disputes and negotiations with authorities strengthens our ability to support clients in situations that require a rapid response, coordination, and practical insight,” states Demarest’s MP.

According to Luiz Fernando Henry Sant’Anna, a partner in Demarest’s Environmental and Dispute Resolution practices, the legal market will continue to see consistent growth in environmental matters, both in volume and complexity, as regulations, inspections, and market standards raise the requirements for projects and operations.

“Environmental Law is consolidating itself as a structural discipline for corporate decision-making. Growth in this area is driven not only by litigation, but also by the need to integrate legal expertise, risk management, institutional dialogue, and long-term planning. This expands opportunities for more strategic advisory services and creates tangible opportunities for clients to advance with greater confidence and predictability,” adds Fernanda Stefanelo, partner in Demarest’s Environmental and ESG practices.

Demarest now has a total of 114 partners, and Eduardo’s arrival further strengthens the Environmental practice, which has been standing out for the joint efforts of its partners, including Marcelo Azevedo and a team of 20 lawyers.