Deborah Melo

Professional Experience

Déborah de Sousa e Castro Melo joined the Firm in 2023, as a senior lawyer. She integrates the Competition and international trade practice group, with a focus on international trade. With over 13 years of experience in the field, she advises domestic industries, importers, and exporters on anti-dumping investigations, countervailing duties, and public interest assessments.

Awards and Recognitions

Déborah Melo has been recognized for her work in International Trade by the main legal directories such as  Chambers and Análise Advocacia.

Academic Background

She holds a master’s degree and a PHD degree in International Trade law from the São Paulo University (USP) law school with research focused on the public interest in trade investigations and the extraterritorial application of US economic sanctions.

Activities outside the office

In addition, Déborah Melo acts as an invited speaker at events and courses related to international law, in addition to being legal director of the International trade working group of the Women Inside Trade network.

Publications

Déborah Melo is the co-author of several works and publications, including:

– Biden Administration’s trade policy: Buy American Act (again). Journal of International Trade Law. Enlaw, 4th edition, June 2021. Available at: <https://www.enlaw.com.br/revista/780/ler>. Coauthor.

– Multi-party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA): Considerations on the temporary solution proposed by the European Union, Brazil, China and 13 other WTO members in the context of the absence of an Appellate Body quorum. Journal of International Trade Law. Enlaw, 3rd edition, June 2020. Available at: <https://www.enlaw.com.br/revista/705/ler>. Coauthor.

– The participatory teaching model in International Law: report of an experience. GV Law Magazine, 12(3), 632-647. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2317-6172201626. Coauthor.

– Re-reading of the WTO Agreements: as interpreted by the Appellate Body. Participation in the volume on effects on the application of international trade rules. Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. Available at: https://ccgi.fgv.br/pt-br/projeto-releitura. Coauthor.

Representative matters and clients

– Representation of a company in the compressor sector in anti-dumping and countervailing measures investigations and respective assessments of public interest for hot-rolled products. Two of the most relevant precedents involving public interest evaluations in Brazil.

– Representation of a company in the compressor sector in the original suspension of the anti-dumping measure on GNO steel imports. Leading case involving suspensions of anti-dumping measures in the public interest in Brazil after the institutionalization of the procedure.

– Representation of a class entity of companies in the electronics sector in an anti-dumping investigation into imports of cold rolled products, assisting in the obtention of very favorable result for the entity’s members.

– Representation of the domestic industry in reviews of anti-dumping measures on imports of table fans, assisting in the obtention of successfully renew the measures.

– Representation of the domestic industry in public interest investigations into the anti-dumping measures in force on imports of PET resin, assisting in successfully maintain the measures.

– Representation of a company in the paper sector within the scope of the public interest assessment on imports of caustic soda.

– Representation of a company that imports PET resin in the context of an anti-dumping investigation into the product.

– Representation of a company in the PET resin sector in claims related to the product before the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – CADE.

– Representation of a company in the home appliance sector in an anti-dumping investigation into imports of polymeric MDI.

– Representation of a company in the tire sector in an anti-dumping investigation into imports of bicycle tires.

– Representation of companies in the lamp sector in notification of the creation of a class entity for the reverse logistics of products before CADE.

– Representation of companies in the lubricants sector in notification of the creation of a class entity for the reverse logistics of products before CADE.

– Representation of a company in the television sector in a cartel investigation on LCD televisions before CADE.

– Representation of a company in the fuel sector in a cartel investigation before CADE.

Languages

Portuguese and English.