Former Demarest partners found new boutique XGIVS
Xavier, Gagliardi, Inglez, Verona Schaffer (XGIVS) is the newest law firm focused on complex disputes, based in São Paulo, founded by partners (pictured from left to right) Daniel Schaffer, Celso Xavier, Marcelo Inglez, Rafael Gagliardi and Carlo Verona.
Recognized for their performance of more than 25 years at Demarest, they are now betting on a new platform, focused on highly strategic litigation.
The new office is born with a team of more than 30 people and a client portfolio comprised of publicly traded companies, large national and multinational corporations, financial institutions, investment funds, and governmental entities.
Meet the founders of XGIVS
Celso Caldas Martins Xavier holds a Master’s degree in Law from Stanford Law School (USA) and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC-SP). His practice focuses on complex litigation, involving corporate and capital markets disputes, construction, regulatory issues, cartel and competition law offenses, and debt restructuring and insolvency. He worked as an international lawyer at Fenwick & West LLP, in the United States, and, for 26 years, he led the Dispute Resolution and Restructuring and Bankruptcy areas of Demarest Advogados, of which he was also a member of its Board of Directors until the beginning of 2023. Celso is listed as an arbitrator in several arbitration chambers. For many years he has been listed by the main rankings as a reference in the areas of litigation, arbitration and debt restructuring and insolvency.
Rafael Villar Gagliardi holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in Civil Law from Pontifícia Universidade Católica (PUC-SP) and was a visiting researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science (England). He is recognized for his cases in the Energy, Infrastructure, Construction and contractual disputes segments, advising large domestic and foreign companies. More recently, he led the Litigation and Arbitration practice and was head of the Energy practice area at Demarest Advogados. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIARB), a member of the ADR Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce and integrates the list of arbitrators of several institutions, besides teaching in specialization and post-graduation courses and being author and organizer of books and legal articles. For many years he has been listed by the main rankings as a reference in the areas of litigation, arbitration and energy.
Marcelo Junqueira Inglez de Souza holds a doctorate in law from the Universität Freiburg (Germany) and a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). He advises global brands in corporate, contractual, civil and commercial litigation. He is the author of books and a guest lecturer in the areas of procedural law, arbitration, and intellectual property. He headed the Dispute Resolution area and was a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Board of Demarest Advogados. For many years he has been listed by the main rankings as a reference in the areas of litigation, arbitration and intellectual property.
Carlo Verona has a law degree from Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) and a master in International Arbitration and Comparative Commercial Law from the University of London – Queen Mary & Westfield College. Specialist in disputes in the areas of Infrastructure, Energy, Mining and Telecommunications, he is recognized for his long track record in international investigations of issues related to Brazil’s Anti-Corruption Law, the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act. He was a partner in the Dispute Resolution area of Demarest Advogados. He is a Visiting Professor and Senior Researcher at FGV Ethics, in the doctoral program of Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo, of Fundação Getulio Vargas. Carlo is listed as an arbitrator by several arbitration chambers. For many years he has been listed by the main rankings as a reference in the areas of litigation, arbitration and corporate investigations.
Daniel Kaufman Schaffer holds an LL.M. (cum laude) from University College London (UCL), a post-graduate and specialist degree in Infrastructure Law and Administrative Law from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) and a LL.M. from Mackenzie Presbyterian University. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the ADR Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, the Arbitration Committee of OAB-SP, the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation, and a member of other renowned associations. He also worked as an international lawyer at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, in London. More recently, he was a partner in the Litigation and Arbitration area at Demarest Advogados, working in the areas of Capital Markets, Public and Regulatory Law, Energy and Natural Resources, Restructuring and Bankruptcy and Dispute Resolution. He is co-author of collective works and legal articles, and is also listed in the main rankings of litigation, arbitration and public law.
