Charles Johnson

Partner

Practice Description

Charles Johnson is the head of Chadbourne’s office in São Paulo, Brazil where he has been based since January 2002, having joined Chadbourne in July 2010 from another major global law firm where he was head of their Brazilian banking and finance practice. Mr. Johnson represents financial institutions, public and private companies, private equity funds and hedge funds on a wide range of financial and commercial transactions. He has over fifteen years of cross border experience with particular focus on structured trade, project, asset and development/export credit agency financings in emerging markets, especially Brazil and wider Latin America. Mr. Johnson also has extensive experience of advising in relation to commercial matters, particularly in the mining, energy and offshore oil sectors.

Mr. Johnson is listed in Chambers Latin America, ILFR 1000 and PLC Which Lawyer as one of the leading locally based international lawyers for banking and finance in Brazil.

Representative Matters

• Acted for the sponsor in relation to a US$430 million ECA backed project financing for the construction and chartering of a deepwater drilling platform to be chartered to a Brazilian state oil company.
• Acted for the joint lead arrangers of a US$725 million syndicated secured pre-export finance facility for a Brazilian petrochemicals company. Named Deal of the Year 2008 by Trade Finance magazine, Global Trade Review magazine and Trade & Forfaiting Review magazine and Best Syndicated Loan 2008 by Latin Finance magazine.
• Acted for a Brazilian metals and mining company as offtaker and lender in relation to a US$50 million junior loan to finance a nickel mine project in Brazil.
• Acted for a Brazilian petrochemicals company in relation to a US$210 million syndicated finance facility for the acquisition of a US company.
• Acted for a Chinese state development bank in relation to a US$10 billion trade backed financing facility for a Brazilian state oil company.
• Acted for a Brazilian metals and mining company in connection with a joint venture for the development of an iron ore project and associated logistics project in West Africa.
• Acted for a European bilateral development agency in relation to separate structured pre-export finance facilities for an Argentine agricultural producer in the amounts of US$210 million, US$150 million, US$75 million and US$60 million.
• Acted for a Brazilian state petroleum producer on several different transactions involving the chartering and/or financing of offshore platforms.
• Acted for a Brazilian gas distribution company in relation to a EUR200 million loan from a European development bank with the benefit of commercial bank guarantees.
• Acted for a Brazilian state owned electricity company in relation to a EUR13 million loan facility from a European development agency for the construction of small hydroelectric power plants.
• Acted for the financial advisor in relation to the issuance of US$30 million secured export finance notes by a Brazilian metals producing group.
• Acted for the arranger in relation to separate US$400 million, US$225 million and US$255 million structured import finance facilities for a Brazilian petrochemicals company.
• Acted for the lenders in relation to the restructuring of separate US$25 million and US$30 million pre-export finance facilities for Brazilian sugar and ethanol producers.
• Acted for the borrower in relation to the restructuring of a US$25 million pre-export finance facility for a Brazilian soya producer.
• Acted for the arranger in relation to a US$70 million structured export finance facility for a Peruvian copper mining company and the subsequent US$55 million refinancing of the same.
• Acted for a Brazilian sugar and ethanol company in relation to related structured pre-export finance facilities in a total amount of US$140 million.
• Acted for the bank purchaser in relation to a US$80 million receivables purchase facility from a Brazilian petrochemicals company.
• Acted for a Canadian development bank in relation to a US$50 million financing for a Chilean state oil company, a US$500 million financing for a Brazilian state oil company and a US$1 billion financing for a Brazilian mining company.
• Acted for the placement agent in relation to an issuance of US$150 million convertible notes by a Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer.
• Acted for the lead arranger in relation to separate US$200 million and US$60 million import finance facilities for The Republic of Angola.
• Acted for the lead arranger of a US$30 million secured export finance note issuance for a Mexican metals and mining company.
• Acted for the lead arranger of a US$300 million secured syndicated acquisition pre-export finance facility for a Brazilian metals and mining company. Named Deal of the Year 2006 by Trade Finance magazine.
• Acted for a Brazilian mining company in relation to a US$310 million secured syndicated finance facility for the development of an alumina refinery.
• Acted for the arranger in relation to a US$135 million structured export finance facility for a Venezuelan iron ore producer and the subsequent refinancing of the same. Named Deal of the Year 2005 by Trade Finance magazine, Global Trade Review magazine and Trade & Forfaiting Review magazine.

Honors