{"id":30241,"date":"2026-06-23T11:04:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T10:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpcms.chambers.com\/?post_type=topics&p=30241"},"modified":"2026-06-23T12:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T11:35:18","slug":"chambers-brazil-regions-2026-guide-launch","status":"publish","type":"topics","link":"https:\/\/wpcms.chambers.com\/topics\/chambers-brazil-regions-2026-guide-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Chambers Brazil: Key insights from Regions Guide 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The new edition of the Chambers Brazil: Regions 2026 guide is now live.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Para ler o artigo em portugu\u00eas, clique aqui<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With each new edition, we have made a concerted effort to strengthen our engagement with regional law firms, investigating local markets and considering how best to enhance our coverage. In addition to numerous virtual meetings, we have travelled to several regions across the country. Since 2022, we have visited law firms in 12 different states and the Federal District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This closer engagement has made a real difference, and we have seen growing participation from regional law firms. For this year\u2019s research cycle, we received 752 submissions: almost 23% more than last year. We also carried out 3,311 interactions with the market, including 896 interviews and 2,415 surveys and questionnaires. As a result, we are now launching a guide comprising 34 tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we share some of the main developments and market trends identified during the research cycle, while also presenting data that helps illustrate the evolution of the guide and the growing strength of regional legal practice in Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Following our most recent visit to southern Brazil at the end of 2025, we are now launching the corporate crime & investigations table for Rio Grande do Sul. We have also separated our coverage of Paran\u00e1 into four practice areas. Until last year, the state was covered by a single generalist table, general business law. Another important development is the creation of rankings focused on tax and labour & employment for the Bras\u00edlia legal market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The most significant change we have made this year is the creation of four dedicated tables for Paran\u00e1: corporate\/commercial, dispute resolution, labour & employment and tax. This decision reflects the increasing maturity and specialisation of the local legal market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

– Paran\u00e1-based dispute resolution lawyer\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across the areas researched, interviewees also reflected national concerns, such as the implications of tax reform and, on the labour front, the entry into force of NR 01 occupational risk management rules. In corporate matters, the research identified a local market encouraged by signs of recovery in M&A activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Rio Grande do Sul has historically been recognised as an important centre for the development of leading criminal lawyers. The prominent role played by regional law firms at the height of Operation Car Wash brought visibility to these departments and gave further momentum to the practice in the state that hosts the Federal Court of Appeals for the 4th Region. The creation of this table reflects the maturity of the local market and the growing demand for specialised advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the interviews, clients and market participants highlighted the rise of digital crimes, which have increased companies\u2019 exposure to fraud, data leaks and breaches of corporate confidentiality. The acceleration of digitalisation has brought significant operational gains, but it has also expanded the scope of cyberattacks and increased the need for greater maturity in information security, corporate governance and internal prevention mechanisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these developments, the research also identified an important cultural challenge. In many cases, compliance is still approached reactively, with stronger engagement only in crisis situations. This reinforces the need for a more preventive and strategic approach, fully integrated into business management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent scandals involving the INSS and Banco Master fraud cases, together with the classification of the PCC and CV as terrorist organisations by the US government, have further increased companies\u2019 focus on integrity, anti-money laundering and regulatory compliance. In this context, partners in the area report a significant rise in consultations and investigations, with clients expanding risk monitoring beyond their internal structures to include suppliers, business partners and third parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

In Bras\u00edlia, the expansion of the coverage shows a clear redistribution of prominence among law firms. When comparing the established dispute resolution: Bras\u00edlia table with the new labour & employment and tax tables, it is possible to observe notable differences in competitive dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dispute resolution table, with 40 submissions, maintains a highly consolidated and stable leadership, with traditional firms such as Bettiol, Caputo Bastos and Eduardo Ferr\u00e3o consistently at the top in recent years. However, the new areas show greater dynamism and competitive fragmentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In labour & employment, there is a stronger presence of large full-service firms, with Machado Meyer and Mattos Filho already in Band 1, reflecting a growing emphasis on structure and sophistication. Meanwhile, boutiques and traditional names have lost centrality or remain outside the main rankings. In tax, the market appears even more fragmented, with a clear combination of full-service firms and boutiques occupying different bands, as well as relevant new entries in the mid-ranking range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the data indicates that, unlike the more stable and concentrated dispute resolution table, the new tables show a competitive renewal, with greater ranking mobility and more room for new leading players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The growth of the guide is clearly reflected across all key indicators. The number of department rankings increased from 413 to 524, representing a growth of 26.88%. Among individually ranked lawyers, the guide reached 792 lawyer rankings, an increase of 23.56%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender diversity remains a challenge in the regional tables. However, it has also shown progress in recent years. In 2022, women represented 17.28% of ranked lawyers, while in 2026 this figure reached 23.14%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n