Michelle Thompson
Summary
Licensed U.S. and Brazilian attorney with 10+ years of international experience advising Fortune 500 companies, law firms, and venture-backed startups on employment law and compliance.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Employee Relations Specialist-US, Canada and LATAM
Google
São Paulo, Brazil
01.2022 - Current
- Global ER partner responsible for managing complex employee relations matters, providing guidance on investigations for misconduct, restructures, policy enforcement.
- Guided risk mitigation and compliance with U.S., Canadian, and LATAM labor laws.
- Managed a portfolio of over 150 ER cases, achieving a 92% closure rate within 60 days.
- Designed and led ER policy guidelines for Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, aligning with global frameworks while honoring local labor norms.
- Championed global initiative to establish Early Resolution Protocols, decreasing formal investigations via proactive intervention.
Deal Specialist
Oracle
San Antonio, Texas
04.2021 - 12.2021
- Handled high-volume contract negotiations across Latin America, ensuring alignment with regional regulatory frameworks and Oracle’s global compliance and revenue protection objectives.
- Reviewed and negotiated 200+ contracts including MSAs, SaaS, technology transfers, and cloud licensing, ensuring commercial clarity and risk mitigation.
- Served as privacy liaison for LATAM, ensuring all client contracts complied with LGPD, GDPR, and CCPA obligations.
General Counsel
StartupRunner Capital LLC
New York
06.2018 - 04.2021
- Led the legal and compliance operations for a multi-market VC firm investing in high-growth startups across Brazil and the U.S.
- Oversaw risk governance, employment law, data privacy, and investor negotiations.
- Supported Series seed and series A funding rounds totaling over $10M USD, managing term sheets, corporate governance, and due diligence.
Staff Attorney
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
New York
01.2017 - 06.2018
- Specialized in securities fraud, anti-bribery, and shareholder protection litigation with a focus on multijurisdictional corporate misconduct and FCPA violations.
- Conducted forensic legal analysis of IPO fraud, stock options abuse, and FCPA breaches across the energy, tech, and manufacturing sectors.
- Co-led litigation strategy for a class action suit against a multinational company involved in a $2.3B corruption scandal—case settled favorably for shareholders.
- Reviewed over 500 SEC filings, identifying material misstatements that became pivotal to investor recovery. Acted as point counsel for LATAM-related discovery, leveraging bilingual skills for translated depositions and cross-border subpoenas.
Associate Attorney
Attux Advogados Associados
Brazil/Texas
04.2012 - 09.2016
- Advised U.S. and Brazilian multinationals on cross-border workforce structuring, compliance with labor codes, and complex litigation.
- Represented clients in 300+ labor litigation cases, winning favorable rulings in 87% of claims.
- Assisted U.S. clients with business expansion in Brazil, including incorporation, due diligence, and operational licensing.
Education
Master of Laws (LLM) -
The University of Texas School of Law
Austin05.2015
Post Graduate Degree - International Labor Laws
Universidade Salgado Filho
Rio de Janeiro01.2009
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) -
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás
Goiás05.2003
Language
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Portuguese
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Spanish
Advanced (C1)
Timeline
Employee Relations Specialist-US, Canada and LATAM
Google
01.2022 - Current
Deal Specialist
Oracle
04.2021 - 12.2021
General Counsel
StartupRunner Capital LLC
06.2018 - 04.2021
Staff Attorney
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
01.2017 - 06.2018
Associate Attorney
Attux Advogados Associados
04.2012 - 09.2016
Post Graduate Degree - International Labor Laws
Universidade Salgado Filho
Master of Laws (LLM) -
The University of Texas School of Law
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) -
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás