Manuela Demarche Mello

Professional Experience

Manuela Demarche joined the Firm in 2017, and has been working with Environmental Law since 2010. She became partner in 2024 of the firm’s Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change practice group.

She has several years of experience in complex matters connected to environmental, sustainability and climate change, and her practice focus on a wide range of matters, particularly in connection to environmental liability, licensing proceedings, carbon and M&A transactions and cross-border disputes. During 2022, she did an attorney training program in the U.S. and has worked as a Legal Extern for the American Clean Power Association.

She regularly advises international and domestic clients in relevant cases, including preparing opinions, overseeing due diligences, drafting administrative and judicial claims for disputes arising from controversial environmental matters. Under her umbrella, she regularly deals with regularization (air pollution, effluents, solid waste, contaminated areas), circular economy, take-back schemes, extended producer responsibility, carbon markets, REDD+, biodiversity and crisis management.

Awards and Recognitions

Manuela Demarche is recognized for her work as an outstanding professional – “Associate-to-watch” – in Environmental Law in Brazil, by the publication Chambers and Partners. She was also mentioned by Análise Advocacia Mulher.

Academic Background

She graduated from Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) with a degree in Law and holds two specialization in Environmental Law from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGVLaw) and Paulista School of Magistrate (EPM). She is an expert in Sustainable Capitalism & ESG by Berkeley Law Executive Education and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Environmental and Energy Law from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D.C., where she graduated with a merit scholarship and a CALI Excellence for the Future Award.

Publications

Co-author of several books/articles, such as:

• Legal Aspects of Sustainability: Business as (un)usual?” published in the book Environmental Advocacy Challenges and Perspectives, 2021;
• “Environmental key risks related to Real Estate Acquisition” published in the book Real Estate Operations: structuring and taxation. 1st edition. São Paulo: Saraiva, 2016;
• “Environmental Licensing in Brazil” published in the book Brazil Infrastructure Law. International Commerce and Arbitration series, v. 20. Netherlands: Eleven International Publishing, 2016;
• “Environmental licensing of waterways that run through Indigenous Lands” published in the book Infrastructure in Environmental Law. 1st edition. São Paulo: Revista dos Tribunais, 2016.

Representative matters and clients

• Strategic review of Latin America’s biggest e-commerce company activities, in connection to its compliance, policies and obligations towards circular economy and take-back requirement (EPR schemes).
• Strategic review of the ESG policies for one of the Brazilian’s biggest trading company, including a risk assessment of its supply-chain.
• Advising and consultancy for an energy company in all matters connected to its operations in Brazil, including defenses before EPA, civil investigations initiated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, as well as defining legal strategies to reduce the risk of civil, criminal and administrative environmental liabilities, or possible damage claims to be filed by authorities, private parties and NGOs.
• Advising clients of the plastic industry on the definition of strategies related to design thinking, product life-cycle and EPR schemes for general packaging. Representation of such clients in Public Class Actions and administrative procedures related to the theme.
• Assistance in the definition of defense strategy for multinational companies in Public Class Actions filed by the District Attorney’s Office of the State of São Paulo, related to soil and groundwater contamination in the Jurubatuba neighborhood, in São Paulo – SP.
• Advising and general consultancy for consumer goods companies in environmental matters, with regard to the licensing of the respective industrial facilities and environmental requirements.

Languages

Portuguese, english and spanish.