Paula Galhardo’s practice includes advising clients on the structure, negotiation and documentation of global corporate, energy and manufacturing transactions, with a focus on the United States and Latin America.

Paula is a member of the World Affairs Council of Houston, Brazil-Texas Chamber of Commerce (BRATECC) and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN). She also is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Brazilian Bar Association.

Representative Experience

• Assisting an Australia-based company with the acquisition and development of a mining operation in Colombia.
• Advising a public company concerning the registration requirements for the oil concession award process before the Natural Hydrocarbons Agency of Colombia.
• Drafting and negotiating supply agreements and master service agreements with vendors on behalf of oil and gas exploration companies.
• Counseling a biodiesel company on general corporate, finance and transactional matters.
• Advising general counsel of a joint venture between a major chemical company and a major oil company concerning review of major contracts, international corporate governance and commercial legal issues primarily related to Latin American operations and the development and implementation of a restructuring plan for operations in the United States and Latin America. 
• Counseling one of the largest Brazil-based ethanol and sugar producing companies on general corporate, finance and transactional matters.
• Assisting in drafting a purchase agreement, side letters, notes and collateral agreements; performing due diligence; and coordinating the closing sale of a division of a Brazil-based corporation including communications with outside counsel for environmental, labor and transportation, lender's counsel and minority members' representative.
• Assisting in aircraft financing operations and lease financing structures including cross-border leveraged and other tax-driven lease structures.
• Assisting in the acquisition of a Brazil-based sugar production company.
• Advising multinational corporations, particularly those dealing with South American countries with international business transactions in the energy field.
• Designing compliance programs and training employees for multinational corporations in all areas of Brazilian law including contract, labor, antitrust, bidding and public/private partnership and corporate matters.
• Assisting in operating lease transactions, including leases to carriers in North America and South and Central America, involving complex residual value risk, return condition, subleasing and insurance provisions.