In 2026, technical excellence alone will no longer be sufficient to distinguish a leading law firm in Brazil. Increasing client sophistication, mounting pressure for efficiency and a growing demand for predictability have significantly raised the bar for market performance. Against this backdrop, we spoke with Fernando Meira, managing partner of Pinheiro Neto Advogados, to understand how this new reality is shaping strategic, organisational and cultural decisions at one of the country’s most influential law firms.

This interview is part of our special feature Brazil in 2026 and the New Market Logic: Big Law’s Perspective and offers an approach that deliberately avoids short-term, circumstantial shifts. From the outset of the conversation, Meira advances a central idea that runs through his entire vision: a firm’s future is not built on annual plans, but on sustained consistency over time.

“We do not have a strategy designed specifically for 2026. Our planning is aligned with our long-term objectives and values”.

For Pinheiro Neto Advogados, 2026 does not mark a breaking point, but rather another stage in an institutional project that continues to evolve, adapting to market change without losing its identity or direction.

Evolve without losing coherence

Unlike other approaches focused on milestones or short-term gains, the firm’s strategy is based on the continuous improvement of processes, people, and ways of working. The objective is clear: to consistently and uniformly offer excellent services, even in an environment marked by complexity and uncertainty.

Meira highlights as non-negotiable pillars the permanent investment in the development of professionals, the rational, ethical and intelligent use of technology and an evolution aligned with market transformations and with the real needs of clients.

Rather than accumulating initiatives, the focus is on consolidating a clear direction that allows adaptation without improvisation.

“Evolving doesn’t mean breaking with who we are, but rather reinforcing what allows us to remain relevant”.

Technology and artificial intelligence: real, not discursive impact

Artificial intelligence and other technologies are already having a concrete and daily impact on law firm operations, increasing productivity and expanding the capacity to handle claims. This progress has reinforced the strategic role of legal operations, with areas such as automation, data analytics, innovation, and project management gaining importance within the operating model.

However, Meira introduces a key nuance: technology cannot advance at the expense of education.

Reducing repetitive and non-strategic work requires greater investment in the development of younger professionals to avoid a generational gap. At the same time, it necessitates a review of fee models applicable to certain types of cases, especially those most susceptible to automation.

“Technology expands capabilities, but it also forces us to rethink how we train people and how we structure the legal service”.

A sophisticated customer who demands value and predictability

The profile of the corporate client has clearly evolved. Today, they are highly sophisticated, demanding, and focused on value, predictability, and efficiency. To meet these expectations, Meira explains, technical excellence alone is no longer enough.

Law firms must offer agility, practical solutions, and a deep understanding of the business and the specific needs of each client. In this context, Pinheiro Neto Advogados works with different fee-setting models, adapted to the nature of each case or project.

This is complemented by a constant investment in efficiency, through technology and training, and the development of new skills that reinforce closeness, empathy and the quality of the relationship with clients and strategic partners.

“Technical excellence remains indispensable, but today it must be accompanied by efficiency, predictability, and a real understanding of the business”.

Rainmakers: Articulators of Value and Trust

In an increasingly competitive and sophisticated market, the rainmaker remains a central figure, but with an expanded role. For Meira, it’s no longer just about generating business, but about building strategic relationships and integrated solutions.

Today’s rainmaker must connect clients, practice areas, and teams, combining business acumen, active listening, and commercial skills with technical excellence and a deep understanding of the client’s business. On a behavioral level, collaborative leadership, clear communication, empathy, and the ability to incorporate new technologies, data, and pricing models are especially important.

“The rainmaker of the future is not just the one who attracts customers, but the one who builds value and trust sustainably”.

Furthermore, it plays a key role in the institutional strengthening of the firm and in team management.

Where the opportunities and risks will be

Looking ahead to 2026, Meira identifies significant opportunities in areas linked to regulatory and technological changes, such as compliance, data protection, digital law, and artificial intelligence. Other areas highlighted include M&A, structured finance, complex and strategic litigation, liability management, special situations/workouts, and the new tax environment.

In sectoral terms, energy – especially renewables -, mining, infrastructure and agribusiness will continue to concentrate relevant legal activity.

Conversely, areas based on repetitive and standardized work, such as mass litigation, face greater risks, as they are more exposed to automation and pressure to reduce fees.

Talent, diversity and long-term careers

Talent development and retention are long-standing pillars of the firm. Meira highlights data that reflects the strength of this commitment: in 2025 alone, nearly 50 professionals were recognized for having more than 20 years of experience at the firm, and partners have dedicated, on average, 96% of their careers to Pinheiro Neto Advogados.

This commitment translates into continuous investments in technical training, leadership development, and structured succession processes, with special attention to the training of new leaders and the strengthening of the female presence in decision-making positions.

For almost two decades, the firm has maintained a consistent Diversity and Inclusion agenda with a focus on female leadership, pioneering policies to support parenthood, and data-driven management.

“Equity is a collective commitment and a condition for the firm’s sustainability”.

Leadership, high performance and well-being

For Fernando Meira, leadership is central to building an organizational culture capable of balancing high performance, innovation, and well-being. Leading by example, defining clear priorities, and reducing internal friction are non-delegable responsibilities.

Creating an environment of trust and commitment, where people feel safe to innovate and collaborate, involves valuing listening, dialogue, and transparent communication. At the same time, leaders must care for their people and set realistic expectations.

“Well-being is not the opposite of excellence; it is an indispensable condition for excellence to be sustained in the long term”.

In a legal market marked by technological acceleration and constant pressure for short-term results, Fernando Meira proposes a calm and structural approach. For him, the true competitive advantage lies not in reinventing oneself every year, but in sustaining a coherent, humane, and long-term-oriented institutional project.

A vision that summarizes the current state of the sector: technical excellence remains the starting point, but only becomes a differentiator when it is integrated with efficiency, predictability and a real understanding of the client’s business.