Pinheiro Neto Advogados announced the addition of Lucas Sant’Anna as a new partner. With over two decades of experience and specialization in Public Law—both litigation and advisory—as well as infrastructure projects and regulatory analysis across various sectors, Sant’Anna is consistently recognized as a leader in the rankings of major legal publications.
His arrival strengthens the areas dedicated to these subjects, contributing knowledge, national and international experience, a solid academic background and a well-established reputation in the market.
“Pinheiro Neto Advogados’ strategic plan aims to consolidate our position, based on various metrics, as a firm of excellence in diverse areas of practice and specialization. We seek uniform and consistent performance that generates and delivers favorable results in the matters and projects entrusted to us by our clients and partners,” stated Fernando Meira, managing partner of the firm.
“Lucas’s addition as a partner represents an invaluable opportunity for the firm and our clients. Inorganic moves like Tomás Paiva’s in 2025 in the TMT practice, and now Lucas’s in Public Law and Infrastructure, are deliberate exceptions and reflect our identification of professionals who truly drive and add value to our established practices, bringing a complementary dimension to our work. This does not alter our commitment to the internal promotion of our lawyers; on the contrary, it strengthens the capabilities we have already built,” Meira concluded.
“For years I have admired Pinheiro Neto’s consistency and the strength of its client relationships. I am excited to join the firm and become part of the teams that have already built this legacy, so that together we can write the next chapters of this story. The exchange between those who know the firm intimately and those who bring different experiences is what makes us better equipped to face the increasingly complex challenges of our clients,” said Lucas Sant’Anna.
More from the new partner
Sant’Anna has developed his career at top-tier law firms in Brazil and has international experience at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York. He joins Pinheiro Neto Advogados accompanied by two associates and consultant José Alexandre Ferreira Sanches, who has over 20 years of experience in public law and infrastructure. The team led by Sant’Anna will focus on litigation against government agencies, arbitrations related to concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs), regulatory advice, and structuring infrastructure projects, integrating with the firm’s existing teams working in these areas.
The new partner holds a Master’s degree in Administrative Law from PUC-SP and an LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law. He is also a professor of PPPs and concessions at PUC-MG and the author of the book “Aspectos Orçamentários das PPPs” (Editora Almedina).
