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Michel Sancovski

Global Investigations & White Collar Defense

“Michel Sancovski is one of the best compliance lawyers in the country with extensive experience in the most complex transnational anti-corruption cases. He is an elite anti-corruption law professional with unique knowledge and experience.”
The Legal 500, 2023

Overview

Michel Sancovski serves clients on corporate compliance, internal investigations, and government enforcement. He advises clients by: 

  • Accounting for local and foreign laws
  • Coordinating highly complex major investigations
  • Developing, reviewing, and implementing compliance programs
  • Assisting with anti-corruption due diligences in third parties and in the context of M&A transactions and IPOs

Experience

  • Provided strategic legal assistance and advice on anti-corruption & compliance issues to an Asian trading and investment company regarding potential implications to the business of a Brazilian company in view of the allegations faced of potential compliance violations discovered under an operation from the Brazilian Federal Police to investigate a former Brazilian president.
  • Represented the majority shareholder of two Brazilian infrastructure companies on the negotiations of a leniency agreement with the Lava Jato Task Force in Curitiba (Federal Prosecutors' Office) which ended up with the companies paying over BRL 1 billion.
  • Co-led the Petrobras independent internal investigation into bribery allegations involving the state-controlled oil company, which has been deemed one of the world’s largest investigations; occupied a prominent position involving the interaction with the Special Committee of the investigation, the company’s Board of Directors, Brazilian authorities (Public Prosecutor’s Office in São Paulo, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, the CVM – Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Ministry of Transparency and Comptroller General of Brazil – CGU), and US authorities (U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission).

Recognition

  • “Michel Sancovski is a seasoned expert who can easily handle the most complex and sophisticated cases with a calm and firm approach to every challenge, finding simple but effective solutions. A top choice and a world-class expert. He adds a lot of value to his clients, as he is dynamic, extremely agile in solving client problems, always focused on results and responds very quickly. He delivers projects on time and is in constant communication with the client, which is fundamental.” – The Legal 500, 2024
  • Recognized in Compliance – Análise Advocacia, 2024
  • Recognized as Leading Individuals in Compliance - The Legal 500, 2024
  • “Michel Sancovski of Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown is a well-recognized and significant professional in compliance matters and investigations.” – Who’s Who Legal, 2023
  • Recognized as Investigations – Future Leaders: Leading Individuals  - Who’s Who Legal and Global Investigations Review, 2019–2023

Education

  • University of California, Berkeley School of Law, LLM, Master of Laws Degree with the Business Law Certificate
  • Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV/SP), Post-graduate law-specialization diploma
  • Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Bachelor of Law (JD equivalent)

Admissions

  • Brazil

Languages

  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

Professional & Community Involvement

  • Guest professor at IBGC (Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance), Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Curitiba, and São Paulo.
  • Director, Officer, Co-chair of the Anti-Corruption and Compliance committee at IBRADEMP (Brazilian Institute of Corporate Law), São Paulo
  • Ambassador of ComplianceLab-Mack, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie Law School, São Paulo.
  • Member, Permanent Commission on Studies about Compliance, Instituto dos Advogados de São Paulo – IASP (Sao Paulo Lawyers Institute), São Paulo.
  • Berkeley Law Ambassador in Brazil, São Paulo.
  • Member of the Brazilian Bar Association, São Paulo.
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