Steel Hector & Davis expands its international practice in Brazil.

To further position itself as the leading U.S. law firm in Latin America, Steel Hector & Davis LLP has expanded in Brazil -- effectively broadening the firm's base for serving South America, particularly Mercosur, linking it to new global markets, and deepening its already significant resources and expertise in the international legal arena. With five offices in Florida, the firm already has strategically based offices in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas, Santo Domingo and London. With the election of two highly respected Brazilian lawyers into its partnership along with seven of their colleagues, Steel Hector's strengths are particularly enhanced in one of the key markets in the Southern Cone.

"South Florida is a key player in the Americas, and the practice needs of our clients and the communities in which we practice require expertise from Tallahassee to Tierra del Fuego," says Joseph P. Klock, Jr., chairman and managing partner. "Brazil is the largest market in that region, and these new lawyers greatly enhance our capacity to meet its needs. Our new partners have more than 60 years of combined commercial law experience, bringing an additional in-depth understanding of the Brazilian corporate and legal environment for our clients."

The new Brazilian partners are Carlos Emilio Stroeter and Francisco Toshio Ohno, who have joined Steel Hector to form Moreira Lima Royster & Ohno Advogados, with greatly expanded offices in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Also joining the firm is Edgar Miller, a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil and one of Steel Hector's newest partners. As required by Brazilian law, only Steel Hector's Brazilian Bar-qualified partners and associates practice law with Moreira Lima Royster & Ohno. However, all of the firms attorneys work together to meet the needs of its Latin American, U.S. and international clientele.

With nearly 20 attorneys and a strong support staff, Moreira Lima Royster & Ohno can take on large projects with a broad range of specialization. "Our attorneys -- who are all fully bilingual in English and Portuguese -- can assist with virtually any type of corporate, transactional, litigation or tax matter," says Michael Royster, Sao Paulo-based senior partner. "Multinationals and their Brazilian subsidiaries are comfortable dealing with us. With our offices in Florida, we can provide assistance with U.S. issues, and we can service both the parent and the subsidiary in whatever language is convenient."

The firm serves multinationals from the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as Brazilian corporate and individual clients. Rio-based Administrative Partner Eduardo Colle Moreira Lima says the additions to the firm enhance core competencies and resources: "Carlos Stroeter has been one of the leading lawyers in Sao Paulo for over 40 years. Led by him, our expanded structure and resources in Sao Paulo puts us in a unique position to provide expanded service to our clients in key international and domestic areas." Stroeter, a highly-regarded corporate and tax lawyer and one of the deans of the Sao Paulo bar, notes that the demand for business solutions runs in all geographic directions. "Our experience with U.S-based clients, in particular, allows us to provide good advice to Brazilian companies," he says. "This is particularly important as more manufacturers and service firms seek to do business with multinationals from the United States and other countries."

Meanwhile, Steel Hector's expanded Brazilian resources positions it uniquely to participate in the Brazilian-Asian trade and business flow. Ohno, whose areas of expertise include technology, telecommunications and the Internet, is one of several members of the firm fluent in Japanese -- an advantage because Brazil claims the largest Japanese community outside of its borders. "My years of practice in Tokyo and here in Sao Paulo have convinced me that the flow of business between the Far East and Brazil will geometrically increase over the next years, and we are ready for it," commented Ohno, administrative partner of the firms' combined Sao Paulo office.

Joseph W. Pallot, a partner in Steel Hector & Davis' international practice who coordinates operations with the firm in Brazil, concludes: "We believe that our team's background and experience linked with the international synergies of the Miami business community and the expanding national and international interest in the Americas creates an opportunity for us and our clients that is unequaled."

Steel Hector & Davis LLP has five Florida offices (in Miami, West Palm Beach, Tallahassee, Naples and Key West) in addition to the international offices. The firm maintains a diversified business practice with more than 170 lawyers.