Chambers has just published two new Brazil guides: Industries & Sectors 2026 and Regions 2026. Both are worth more than a quick scan of the rankings tables.
Industries & Sectors 2026
New tables signal where demand is moving
Industries & Sectors now covers 24 practice areas, with three new tables added this cycle: electoral law, private pensions, and urban law. These are not additions for their own sake. Each reflects genuine demand identified through Chambers’ market research.
Here is what the research actually says.
Electoral law. The new table arrives ahead of national elections. The issue practitioners flag most is AI-generated disinformation and deepfakes. The TSE regulated this for the first time in 2024, and oversight is intensifying this year.
Urban law. An increase in regulatory complexity means lawyers are now being brought in earlier than ever, counselling at the project structuring stage, rather than when problems arise. More detailed rules coupled with increased grey areas mean projects carry more risk from the outset, with more disputes involving communities, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and associations.
Private pensions. Again, regulatory and political uncertainty are shaping the picture ahead of elections. Brazil’s state pension system isn’t sufficient for its ageing population, so the private pension plans plugging this gap are driving long-term growth in this area.
Diversity. Whilst Chambers reported a modest increase in the number of women ranked versus men, the more notable numbers are in the emerging talent categories. Women now make up 53% of Up and Coming, Associate to Watch, and Star Associate rankings.
Regions 2026
The most significant changes this cycle are geographic, with Chambers expanding coverage in three areas.
Paraná. Until last year, the state was covered by a single generalist table. It now has four dedicated tables: corporate/commercial, dispute resolution, labour & employment, and tax. The research found a local market no longer defaulting to São Paulo firms for complex work.
Rio Grande do Sul. A new corporate crime & investigations table reflects a market with deep roots in criminal law, sharpened further by regional firms’ role in Operation Car Wash. The issues driving demand now are mainly digital: fraud, data leaks, cyberattacks, and breaches of corporate confidentiality. The INSS and Banco Master scandals, and the US government’s classification of the PCC and CV as terrorist organisations, are pushing that conversation forward, with clients renewing their focus on risk.
Brasília. New tax and labour & employment tables sit alongside the established dispute resolution table. Whilst Dispute resolution is stable, the new tables show more fragmentation. In labour & employment, large full-service firms have taken the place of boutiques and traditional firms. In tax, full-service firms and boutiques generally share the table.
Diversity. Women accounted for 17.28% of ranked lawyers in 2022. In 2026 that figure is 23.14%. Progress, but the regional guides still lag behind the Industries & Sectors numbers.
What to do with this
The research behind both guides tells you what clients and peers are saying about the market. The submission you put in next cycle should reflect that. If your work sits in any of the newly ranked areas, your narrative and your referee selection should show that you understand what the market is saying and where it is going.
If you would like help with that, get in touch.
Read the full guides at Chambers.com.
