Bernardo Leite

Bernardo Leite advises and represents clients in matters related to international trade and competition law, with experience across sectors such as chemicals, metallurgy, steel, capital goods, construction, materials, and energy.

His experience includes representing domestic and foreign companies, as well as sectoral associations, on diverse issues involving trade remedies (anti-dumping, subsidies, and safeguards), tariff and non-tariff measures, sanctions, bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements, and customs law.

Bernardo is often retained for advising companies on strategic issues related to international trade, including for strategy review on on-going trade investigations.

Bernardo also has significant experience assisting Brazilian companies participating on trade investigations conducted by foreign authorities, working closely with clients and partner law firms in jurisdictions such as Argentina, Canada, the European Union, and the United States.

In competition law, Bernardo advises and represents Brazilian and foreign companies in investigations of anti-competitive conduct, including cartels and unilateral practices, as well as in negotiating settlements with authorities, and developing compliance programs. He also supports the development and implementation of compliance programs tailored to antitrust regulations and corporate governance standards.

 

PRACTICE AREAS

International Trade; Competition/Antitrust

 

EDUCATION

  • Master in Business Economics (MBE) – Escola de Economia da Fundação Getúlio Vargas (EESP/FGV);
  • LL.B., Law – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
  • Participated in the Trade Policy Training Program at the Brazilian Embassy in the U.S.A.

 

RECENT CLIENTS

In the past years, Bernardo attended major companies such as The Dow Chemical Company, Dow Brasil, Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), Gerdau, ArcelorMittal, Unigel, Borregaard and Aperam, among others.

 

RECOGNITION

  • Chambers & Partners – Associate to Watch for International Trade/WTO
  • Legal 500 – Leading Associate for International Trade
  • Legal 500 – Key Senior Associate for International Trade
  • Who’s Who Legal – Global Section for Trade & Customs in Brazil

 

AFFILIATION

  • Member of the ABCI Institute;
  • Former Coordinator of the International Trade Commitee of IBRAC;
  • Member of of the International Trade Commitee of IBRAC.

 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Co-author of the Practice Note on “Trade Remedies in Brazil: Overview” published by Thomson Reuters Practical Law, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
  • Co-author of the article “(Ir)retroatividade e alterações na política de conteúdo”. In: Revista de Direito Público da Economia, v. 19, 2021.
  • Co-author of the article “Sham Litigation e revisão de mérito: limites à atuação do Cade. Comentários sobre o caso Abbott/Abbvie”, In: Leonor Cordovil, Daniel Athias. (Org.) Direito Concorrencial em Transformação: uma Homenagem a Mauro Grinberg. 1ª ed. São Paulo: Singular, 2020.
  • Co-author of the article “O Spaghetti Bowl e os Acordos Preferenciais dos EUA: a crise anunciada do multilateralismo”. In: Rabih Nasser. (Org.). Revista de Direito do Comércio Internacional. V.03. Nº 03. São Paulo: Enlaw, 2020, p. 167-186.
  • Co-author of the article “O setor siderúrgico e a defesa comercial em um contexto de sobrecapacidade”. In: Rabih Nasser. (Org.). Revista de Direito do Comércio Internacional. V.01. Nº 01. São Paulo: Enlaw, 2019, p. 213-228.
  • Co-author of the chapter “O caso US-Poultry (DS392) e os métodos para definição de produtos similares à luz das regras da Organização Mundial do Comércio”. In: Juliana Oliveira Domingues. (Org.). OMC – Funcionamento do Sistema de Solução de Controvérsias – Reflexões dos Especialistas sobre os Principais Casos. 1ed.Curitiba: Juruá, 2017, p. 150.

 

RECENT EVENTS

  • Author and moderator of the panel “The rise of evasive and fraudulent practices in imports and the response of the Brazilian Government” on the 24th IBRAC International Trade Seminar (24º Seminário de Comércio Internacional do IBRAC), in August 2024.
  • Author and moderator of the panel “Debates on the political and procedural dimensions of tariff adjustment mechanisms”, on the 23rd IBRAC International Trade Seminar (23º Seminário de Comércio Internacional do IBRAC), in August 2023.
  • Moderator of the panel “Tariff Changes under the New Government Administration” on the 7thIBRAC/IASP International Trade Seminar (7º Seminário de Comércio Internacional IBRAC/IASP), in September 2019.
  • Discussant on the event “IBRAC Meetings – The Public Interest on Trade Defense”, in May 2019.