Our professionals
Pedro Whitaker de Souza Dias

Areas of expertise
Experience
Pedro Whitaker de Souza Dias has held the position of managing partner since April 2024, having been elected by the firm’s partnership. As an expert in corporate law and M&A, Dias is involved in complex transactions, representing both Brazilian and international clients across the healthcare, agribusiness, and private equity sectors, among various others. He also advises publicly traded companies in regard to M&A transactions and regulatory matters.
With over 25 years at Mattos Filho – including 16 years as a partner – Dias has played a crucial institutional role at the firm since 2016, including as a member of the firm’s executive committee and as head of the financial and strategic planning committees.
Pedro is a former president of the Brazilian Bar Association’s (OAB) Agribusiness Committee, a role he held from 2013 to 2015. He was also an adjunct professor of Corporate Law at the Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa (Insper).
Education
Bachelor of Laws – Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP);
Master of Laws (LL.M.) – University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Recognitions
Chambers Brazil – Corporate/M&A (2013 – 2024);
Chambers Global – Corporate/M&A (2012 – 2025);
Latin Lawyer 250 – Corporate and M&A (2020; 2022; 2024 – 2025);
LACCA Approved – Corporate/M&A (2017 – 2025);
The Legal 500 – Dispute Resolution (2014); Corporate/M&A (2014 – 2019);
Análise Advocacia 500 – Corporate (2020; 2022 – 2023); São Paulo (2020; 2022); Sugar & Alcohol (2022);
Euromoney Expert Guides – Private Equity (2016; 2022);
IFLR 1000 – Notable Practitioner (2017 – 2023);
Lexology Index Brazil – Private Funds (2016 – 2020); M&A (2016 – 2024); Brazil Thought Leaders M&A & Governance (2022 – 2024);
Lexology Index Global – M&A and Governance (2020; 2023 – 2024).
Legal Management
Over the years, Mattos Filho has maintained its strong position in Brazil’s competitive legal market. From a leadership perspective, what key factors have been crucial in sustaining the firm’s growth and success?
Our success has been driven by a series of factors, but one of the main ones is the firm’s governance model. Now in place for over 15 years, our governance model is one of the foundations of our long-term strategy, and it primarily involves the institutionalization of the firm – a goal that our founding partners actually sought from the outset. Essentially, this model prioritizes the interests of the firm itself over those of any particular partners or group of partners. Decisions are made with both the institution’s well-being and opportunity creation in mind.
Click here and read the article on The Legal Industry Reviews.
Brazil’s Elite firm leaders debate cross-selling incentives and challenges
Cross-selling within law firms is fraught with challenges, from siloed working to balancing client needs. During a recent roundtable, the managing partners of Latin Lawyer’s nine Brazilian Elite firms discussed these issues, including a controversial use of penalties for partners who do not cross-sell effectively.
Click here and read the article on Latin Lawyer.
The LatAm Top 30, 2024: The Largest Law Firms in Latin America and the Caribbean by Headcount
Two Brazilian law firms and a U.S. founded-firm that has a cooperation agreement with a large Brazilian firm stand atop Law.com International’s inaugural Latin America Top 30, which ranks the biggest law firms in Latin America by headcount.
Starting this year, the annual list ranks law firms by their Latin America headcounts, established with Law.com Compass data collected in June 2024 and adjusted based on updates provided by most of the firms.
Click here and read the article on Law.com.
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