São Paulo and New York, December 2, 2008—Shearman & Sterling is advising Banco Itáu and Unibanco on their recently-announced merger, a transaction that will create Latin America’s largest bank, with more than US$260 billion in assets. The firm was initially hired by Itáu and subsequently retained by Unibanco as well to advise both parties on US securities law issues pertaining to the merger.

The principal attorneys involved, representing multiple practice areas, are partners Bradley Sabel (New York) and Robert Ellison (São Paulo), counsel Charles Gittleman (New York) and Russell Sacks (New York), and associates Christian Gloger (New York), Irene Kelly Karapetyan (New York), Felipe Camara (New York), Jonathan Kellner (São Paulo), and Christina Milani (São Paulo).