TozziniFreire Hires Carlos Mello and Mirella Mie Abe

TozziniFreire, one of the leaders in legal services in Latin America, announces the arrival of Carlos Barbosa Mello and Mirella Mie Abe, advancing its strategic plan for consolidation in the transactional market. The firm, which already has one of the most significant transactional track records in the market, now raises its profile with these important hires for its Corporate team.

According to Fernando Serec, CEO of TozziniFreire, "the selection of the new partners aligns with our ambition and strategy for consistent and sustainable growth, especially in the Corporate and M&A markets, which have been fundamental to the firm since its establishment. Carlos and Mirella arrive at a time of significant changes and will add substantial value to our services, providing even more excellence to our local and international clients.”

With a career developed in major law firms in the country, Carlos is one of the key figures in the Brazilian transactional landscape, leading several of the most significant operations in the Brazilian capital markets in recent years. He has been focusing his practice on the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions and worked as a member of the Executive Committee of his previous firm for about 15 years, being the Managing Partner for three of those years.

According to the Transactional Track Record (TTR) platform, Mello was the dealmaker of 2024, ranked in the first position due to his involvement in transactions that together amounted over BRL 22 billion in market value. Over the last 10 years, he has advised on more than 65 transactions totaling nearly BRL130 billion in market value.

His recent client portfolio includes major names in the energy, life sciences and healthcare, food and beverage, and sanitation sectors, among many others.

Carlos has also worked as a foreign lawyer at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, in New York, and holds an LL.M. degree from Columbia University, having been admitted to the New York State Bar, in 2022.

Carlos is recognized by the international legal guide Chambers Brazil, the most relevant in the market, in the Corporate and M&A practices, as Band 1, which represents the the highest-raking tier. His first recommendation came 17 years ago, and it is reflected in the Chambers Global guide in the same area and position.

Additionally, Mello is recommended by Legal 500 as a Leading Partner in Corporate and M&A: High-End; by IFLR 1000 as a Market Leader in M&A, Capital Markets, and Banking & Finance; and he ranked in the second position by clients’ votes in the LACCA Thought Leader 2025 for Banking & Finance transactions. In 2024, he was also recognized as Lawyer of the Year, in the Corporate & M&A high-end category, by Legal 500.

Mirella is highly skilled in the Corporate Law practice, actively participating in mergers and acquisitions transactions, joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, foreign investment in Brazil, and contractual analysis.

With over 25 years of experience in major law firms, her recent client portfolio encompasses prominent names in the life sciences and healthcare, food and beverage, as well as media and entertainment industries.

According to TTR Data, in the last 10 years, Mirella has been involved in 45 transactions that together amounted to approximately BRL 50 billion in market value.

Mirella is a graduate of the Law School of the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie and holds an LL.M. degree in Corporate Law from the University of Michigan.

She is recognized as a Notable Practitioner in M&A by IFLR 1000 and is recommended by Análise Advocacia Mulher in several practices, including ranked in the second position in Corporate Law. Additionally, she is recognized by Latin Lawyer for the Pro Bono practice.

TozziniFreire is a leading legal services organization in Latin America, operating in all areas of Business Law and with a relevant track record in serving local and foreign companies from the most diverse industries. With branch offices in several cities in Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Porto Alegre, and Campinas), including in New York, TozziniFreire strives to provide a unique standard of service quality and the same facilities to its clients throughout the country. We have played a key role in many of the most significant transactions in the Brazilian market, contributing to the growth of the country's economy in recent decades. The relevance of our work has been recognized by specialized national and international publications, considering independent research interviews with professionals from the largest companies in the world. TozziniFreire and its partners are constantly referred to as leaders handling notable matters in the most varied business law practices. For further information, follow us on our social media channels and check out our website at www.tozzinifreire.com.br.