The Associates: Partners Can’t Live Without

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Introduction

Partners often get the headlines, but behind every billion-dollar valuation or cross-border merger there is an associate making the wheels turn. Associates draft the documents at midnight, manage the data rooms, crunch the spreadsheets, and bridge communication between clients and partners. They are the ones partners can’t live without — and yet, they are almost never named in deal coverage.

With this new BYL series — The Associates: Partners Can’t Live Without — we spotlight the legal and financial associates powering cross-border U.S.–Latin America dealmaking, from headline venture rounds to complex M&A transactions.

Featured Associates Behind the Deals

Paula Bobrow — Bronstein Zilberberg Chueiri & Potenza Advogados

In NG.Cash’s $28 million Series B, associate Paula Bobrow was instrumental in structuring investor rights and coordinating local filings. Paula, a former international associate in A&O Shearman (previously Shearman & Sterling), is part of a new wave of associates bridging fintech regulatory expertise with cross-border venture practice.

Her ability to move between U.S. and Brazilian frameworks lets her align investor rights and filings on tight timelines when cross-border pressure is highest.

Alexandre Turqueto — Foley & Lardner LLP

The latest Unico deal in 2025 showcased Alexandre Turqueto, recently hired by Foley & Lardner as its new Brazil-focused associate after his move from King & Spalding. Turqueto, supporting partner André Thiollier, was central to drafting transaction documents and navigating the multi-investor structure. His rapid transition into a leading role at Foley underlines how associates bring fresh expertise to cross-border venture capital practice.

He has become a practical bridge between U.S. investors and Brazilian startups, harmonizing term sheets supporting complex negotiations, and signatures across time zones to keep closings on schedule.

Vanessa Jacob Heck — Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR)

In the Clicampo seed round (led by Valor Capital and MAYA Capital),  Vanessa Jacob Heck, a counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, played a key role on the U.S. legal counsel side, supporting partner Matt Squires (currently at Greenberg Traurig, LLP), helping with structuring, documentation, and ensuring cross-border legal consistency. Her contribution highlights how important U.S. counsel associates are when Brazilian startups raise capital from international or U.S.-adjacent investors. At seed stage she coordinates diligence, reconciles complex cross-border contracts, and keeps complex draft-to-signature cycles disciplined when multiple funds are involved.

Her role illustrates how associates not only manage documents but also help founders navigate investor expectations, often acting as the first translator between business realities and legal frameworks.

João Pedro Zagni — Veirano Advogados

When Veirano assisted Conta Azul in its acquisition by Norwegian Visma, senior associate João Pedro Zagni, a top contender to Rising Star Dealmaker in the TTR Rankings (Venture Capital), was central to due diligence and regulatory analysis, complementing the team with technical detail that closed the deal efficiently. He anchors the mechanics of the deal, tracking disclosure lists and regulatory questions so partners and clients can make decisions quickly through closing.

By managing diligence, drafting complex documents, and keeping disclosure lists precise, he ensures that partners and clients can make faster decisions — a contribution that is rarely visible but always decisive for getting cross-border deals signed.

Why Associates Matter

• Continuity: Associates often stay with clients from Series A to exit, building trust across years.
• Execution: They are the first line when investors or targets request urgent changes.
• Future Leaders: Today’s associates are tomorrow’s partners — recognizing them early is recognizing the future of dealmaking in the U.S. and Latin America.

The Value of Recognition

Associates may not lead negotiations — though sometimes they do –, but they are the ones who ensure the process never stalls. Recognizing their role does more than give credit — it supports retention, motivates performance, and demonstrates a firm’s true depth to international clients. In competitive markets like Brazil and Mexico (and in Latin America as a whole) where U.S. capital is increasingly active, highlighting associates also reassures investors that law firms have the bench strength to execute transactions consistently.

The Road Ahead

In coming editions, BYL will continue naming the associates across Latin America — with particular focus on Brazil and Mexico — and the U.S. who make these transactions possible. Expect to see names from Gunderson Dettmer, Foley & Lardner, Demarest, Pinheiro Neto, and beyond.

Have a deal where an associate deserves the spotlight? Reach out — we want to hear their story.

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Related Reading on The Associates

• The Firms Behind the Deal: Kapital’s $1.3B AI-fintech round
• The Firms Behind the Deal: Unico’s strategic acquisition of OwnId

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Resumo em português: The Associates

Associados muitas vezes ficam de fora do noticiário, mas são eles que fazem os negócios acontecerem. A nova série da BYL, “The Associates: Partners Can’t Live Without”, dá visibilidade a advogados e assessores financeiros que atuam nos bastidores dos principais deals entre os EUA, o Brasil, o México e o restante da América Latina. Nosso objetivo é mostrar como o trabalho desses profissionais impacta desde rodadas seed até fusões bilionárias, passando por negociações complexas com múltiplos investidores. Ao reconhecer sua importância, reforçamos que os associados de hoje serão os sócios de amanhã, garantindo continuidade e profundidade no ecossistema jurídico e financeiro da região.

Resumen en español: The Associates

Los asociados rara vez aparecen en los titulares, pero son fundamentales para que los deals se concreten. La nueva serie de BYL, “The Associates: Partners Can’t Live Without”, destaca a los abogados y asesores financieros que trabajan tras bambalinas en las principales transacciones entre EE.UU., Brasil, México y el resto de América Latina. Nuestro propósito es mostrar cómo su trabajo impacta desde las primeras rondas de inversión hasta adquisiciones multinacionales, coordinando procesos de due diligence, cerrando documentos en plazos ajustados y garantizando la continuidad de los equipos legales. Al darles visibilidad, reconocemos que los asociados de hoy son los socios de mañana, asegurando la solidez del ecosistema regional.