Rafael Szmid
Associate Litigation, Arbitration, and Employment
São Paulo
New York
Languages
English, Portuguese, Spanish
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Articles
Who’s Who Legal, 2021Rafael Szmid is “a rising star in this area,” who is praised by clients as being “very technical, charming and hands on.”
Rafael Szmid assists his clients solve complex legal issues across the globe, specifically in the U.S. and Latin America.
His practice focuses on internal and government investigations related to transnational corruption, cartel, and other unlawful conduct, such as money laundering, fraud, and sexual harassment. Those matters involve interactions with multiple regulators and issues regarding the interplay between anti-corruption laws, antitrust, data protection, privilege, and legal disputes in different jurisdictions. Additionally, Rafael helps his clients build, test, and improve compliance programs under the FCPA, UKBA, Brazil’s Clean Company Act, and antitrust laws.
He also assists Brazilian clients doing business abroad and international clients operating in Latin America.
Rafael served as attorney-on-loan (secondee) in the global compliance team of a Fortune 100 company covering its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and as an advisor to the Chair of the Brazilian Competition Authority.
Rafael challenged himself to learn legal theory to support his practice, and he has invested 13 years studying law in the U.S., Europe, and Brazil. Rafael completed his LL.M. at Stanford Law School, Ph.D. and Master’s Degree at the University of Sao Paulo, and a visiting program at the University of Barcelona, Spain.
He wrote the first book in Brazil on corporate monitors (in Portuguese, “Monitores Corporativos Anticorrupção no Brasil: Um Guia para sua Utilização no Processo Administrativo e Judicial,” Quartier Latin, 2021). Rafael's book is now used in compliance courses and by corporate monitors, prosecutors, practitioners, and scholars.
Who’s Who Legal, 2021Rafael Szmid is “a rising star in this area,” who is praised by clients as being “very technical, charming and hands on.”
Representative experience
Advised corporations in transnational investigations of corruption and cartel, including one of world's largest electric utility in an investigation arising out of the "Operation Car Wash."
Coordinator of several high-profile internal investigations involving allegations of corruption, cartel, fraud, and other unlawful conduct in the U.S. and in Latin America.
Advised multinational companies in setting up anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, and antitrust compliance programs, and undertaking risk assessments, third-party due diligences, and trainings.
Advised clients worldwide on the complexities of 50+ transactions in Latin America, including on anti-corruption, antitrust, and corporate governance issues.
Advised United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes in connection with educational program on fighting corruption and cartels.
Credentials
- Ph.D., University of São Paulo, 2020
- LL.M., Stanford Law School, 2020
- Master's degree, University of São Paulo, 2016
- Law Degree, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, 2010
- University of Barcelona, Advanced Degree in Spanish Law, 2009
- New York
- Brazil
- International Association of Independent Corporate Monitors