Practice Area

When the Brazilian side stops answering, we start.

A developer who won't deliver, a partner who won't pay, a deal that went sideways — foreigners can and do win in Brazilian courts. What they need is representation that reports back in a language they read.

See packages & prices

The most common dispute call we get: a foreigner paid a Brazilian counterparty — a developer, a contractor, a business partner, a seller — and the other side has gone quiet. Distance emboldens bad actors; they assume a plaintiff in another hemisphere won't pursue. They're usually wrong about the law and right about the logistics. Brazilian courts are open to foreign plaintiffs, and a local attorney with power of attorney removes the logistics problem entirely.

Our approach is escalation by design. Most matters resolve below the courtroom: a formal demand (notificação extrajudicial) from a Brazilian law firm is often enough on its own to get the other side to the table, because it signals the costs of ignoring you just became real. Where suit is necessary, we file in the right venue — including small-claims tracks for qualifying amounts, where procedure is faster — and Brazilian consumer law (CDC) is notably plaintiff-friendly in cases against developers, builders, and service providers.

We're equally direct about the other side of the ledger: Brazilian litigation can be slow, and a winnable case isn't always a collectable one. Before you spend money suing, we assess whether the defendant has assets worth reaching. A candid "this isn't worth pursuing" is a service too — and we give it when it's true.

Transparent pricing

Fixed-fee packages for disputes.

Every price is itemized like an honest receipt — our flat fee, plus each government, registry and translation charge, estimated high so the number only ever moves down. Add a package to your cart and pay online, or request a quote for anything bespoke. Only value-based taxes are billed at cost; the final fee is confirmed in your engagement letter.

Formal Demand Letter
from≈ $1,100
R$ 5.600 · all-in estimate · per matter

A notificação extrajudicial from a Brazilian firm — often enough on its own to get the other side to the table.

What this price is made of
  • Our workFlat legal fee — demand letter, drafted & served≈ $970
  • GovernmentNotarized service (cartório de títulos)≈ $50
  • HandlingInternational courier & secure handling≈ $70
All-in estimate≈ $1,100
Of that, the government's cut is ≈ $50.
Learn morethe notificação extrajudicial
Litigation / Court Representation
By quote
Assessed after a paid case review · per case

Scope and fee set in writing after the case assessment. Contested matters are never sold off a price list.

All-in estimates for English-speaking service to foreigners, with every fee we can foresee rounded up. Two cases with the same label can differ in scope — your engagement letter sets the final, written fee, and lines marked “at cost” (value-based taxes like ITBI and ITCMD) are passed through with receipts. Contested or litigated matters are quoted individually, never sold off a price list.

What we handle

Inside this practice area.

01 Pre-suit demand & negotiation Notificação extrajudicial, negotiated settlements, and structured payment agreements with teeth.
02 Contract & real estate disputes Developer non-delivery, construction defects, breached purchase agreements, deposit recovery.
03 Debt recovery Collection suits, execution of recognized debts, and asset searches on defendants.
04 Consumer claims CDC claims against builders, banks, airlines, and service providers — a strong body of law for plaintiffs.
05 Defense Representation when you're the one being sued in Brazil — including service-of-process response from abroad.
06 Enforcement of foreign awards Homologating foreign judgments and arbitral awards (STJ) so they bite Brazilian assets.
Process

How a typical engagement runs.

1

Case & collectability assessment

The merits, the venue, the timeline, and — bluntly — whether the defendant has anything worth winning.

Week 1
2

Demand phase

Formal notification and a negotiation window. A large share of matters end here.

2-6 weeks
3

Suit & prosecution

Filing in the right track, hearings handled by POA, evidence built to Brazilian standards.

Court timeline
4

Execution

Judgments turned into money: asset freezes, liens, and court-ordered transfers.

Post-judgment
Common questions

Disputes questions we hear most.

Can I sue in Brazil without traveling there?
Yes. With a power of attorney we file and prosecute the case while you stay home; most hearings don't require your presence, and where testimony matters, courts increasingly take it by video. Litigating from abroad is standard practice for us.
How long does a Brazilian lawsuit take?
Honest answer: small-claims and consumer tracks can resolve in months; ordinary civil litigation commonly runs two to five years through first instance, longer with appeals. This is exactly why our first move is a demand letter and our first analysis is collectability — court is the tool of last resort, used deliberately.
The developer is offering 'credit toward another unit' instead of my money back. Should I take it?
Usually that offer reflects what the developer prefers, not what the law entitles you to. Brazilian consumer law is often generous on rescission and refunds for non-delivery. Have the offer reviewed before accepting — the gap between offered and owed can be large.
Next step

Put your dispute in front of someone who can act.

Add a package above to start online, or describe your situation and a lawyer replies within one business day — no obligation, no hourly meter.