Founded in 1994, Soerensen Garcia Advogados Associados offers services in IP and IP-related practice areas such as competition and regulatory law and border enforcement measures. The firm employs 35 IP professionals at its Rio de Janeiro headquarters and at its second office in São Paolo. Clients include Nestlé, Amazon, LinkedIn, Yelp and Merck.
Soerensen Garcia also advises clients on corporate and tax law since many are international companies whose needs often evolve from IP to issues related to mergers and acquisitions.
In 2012, the firm successfully represented its client Nestlé Brasil against local competitor Doce da Montanha Industria e Comércio in a trade mark and trade dress case. The judge ruled in favour of Nestlé, ordering Doce da Montanha to cease the use of Magnífico and Esplêndido packaging and related advertising material due to their close resemblance to Nestlé's Chokito and Prestígio. Furthermore, Doce da Montanha was fined about $1.5 million for its unfair competition practices.
Clients praise the firm and its lawyers for their work. "We are fully satisfied with the services provided – their responsiveness, rates and pro-active support," says one client whose primary contact is founding partner Mario Augusto Soerensen Garcia. "Other partners like Paula Menezes or Otávio Padilha are also excellent advisers," the client adds.