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Bernardo Buarque Schiller

Bernardo Buarque Schiller

He/Him/His
Partner, Campos Mello Advogados (cooperation firm)*
"He profoundly knows the law. He is always available and knows our business. I am satisfied with his skills”
— Chambers Brazil 2022
Rio de Janeiro
About

Bernardo Buarque Schiller is co-founder of Campos Mello Advogados and a partner in the firm’s real estate practice. He has an extensive practice in the areas of real estate and civil litigation, representing a wide variety of leading real estate construction companies and developers. 

He started his extensive experience in the public sector in 1974, when he passed the public exam for the Public Attorney’s Office of the state of Guanabara – currently state of Rio de Janeiro –, acting initially as a public defense attorney within the Civil and Probate Chambers and later as a public attorney within the Criminal Chambers, as well as a curator within the Bankruptcy and Judicial Recovery courts. 

Between 1977 and 1996, he was also chief advisor in the Legal Advisory of the Planning and Coordination Secretariat of the state of Rio de Janeiro (1988–1989) and Chief Advisor in the Civil Affairs Office of the state of Rio de Janeiro (1990–1991). A few years later, between 1998 and 1999, he was Chief Advisor in the Civil Law Advisory of the Attorney General’s Office of the state of Rio de Janeiro. 

In 1997, Bernardo became partner at LA Campos Mello Advogados, the firm that preceded now Campos Mello Advogados – which he and Luiz Antônio Campos Mello founded in 2005.

DLA Piper and Campos Mello Advogados (CMA) are separate and independent law firms, which work in cooperation with one another. Partners of DLA Piper are not partners of CMA; and CMA partners are not partners of DLA Piper.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsReal Estate
Bar admissionsRio de Janeiro, BrazilSao Paulo, Brazil
"Bernardo brings a lot of confidence in his analyses. He helps in moments of conflict bringing rationality and clear thinking.”
— Chambers Brazil, 2023
“He is an authority in the real estate market in Brazil.”
— Chambers Brazil, 2023

EXPERIENCE

  • Advised a luxury construction company on property acquisitions in the South Zone, City of Rio de Janeiro for developing luxury projects. Outstanding among them the acquisition of a well-preserved building at a prime location in upmarket Leblon, that will be retrofitted for residential purposes.
  • Advising a construction company in purchasing and developing a real estate development of residential type in Flamengo, south zone of Rio de Janeiro. It involves the renovation of a historical and, therefore, preserved building, which served, until recently, as a hotel.
  • Advised a Brazilian sports club on the sale of a real properties aiming the real estate development (incorporação imobiliária) and construction of high quality standard residential apartments in Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro. Drafting the all the related agreements.
  • Advised a construction company in the acquisition of the land and development of a large low-income project - part of the federal housing program named ‘Minha Casa Minha Vida’ - including the due diligence and draft of all the purchase agreements.
  • Advised a real estate company on the acquisition of an urban real property sold by PREVI-RIO, located at Leblon district, for a real estate development.
 
Languages
  • English
  • French
  • Portuguese
Education
  • B.A. in Law, University of Guanabara (currently the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro), 1972

Awards

Chambers Brazil

  • Senior Statesperson, Brazil Real Estate: Transactional (2021, 2023)
    Chambers comments, "Senior statesperson Bernardo Buarque Schiller remains active with a renowned practice advising clients on sale and purchase agreements. Clients report: "He profoundly knows the law. He is always available and knows our business. I am satisfied with his skills."

Chambers Latin America

  • Senior Statesperson, Brazil Real Estate (2020 – 2021)
  • Band 1, Brazil Real Estate (2016 –  2019)
The Legal 500 Latin America
  • Hall of Fame, Brazil Real Estate (2023 – 2025)
  • Leading Lawyer, Brazil Real Estate (2015 – 2019, 2021 – 2022)
    Legal 500 comments, "Other key partners include practice co-heads Bernardo Buarque Schiller, who is especially experienced in strategic property developments."
  • Recommended, Brazil Real Estate (2012 – 2014)
Additional Recognitions

Who's Who Legal

  • Recognized as Global Leader - Real Estate (2020 – 2023)
  • Recognized as National Leader - Brazil - Real Estate (2020 – 2022)
  • Recognized as Thought Leaders - Brazil - Real Estate (2022)

Analise Advocacia

  • Recognized as one of the most admired lawyers in Brazil in Real Estate (2018 – 2019)

Best Lawyers

  • Brazil - Recognized in Real Estate Law (2014 – 2023)

Latin Lawyer 250

  • Brazil - Mentioned Lawyer in Real Estate and Tourism (2020 – 2024)
Excellence and Relationship

Campos Mello Advogados was the first full-service Brazilian law firm to consistently use the NPS (Net Promoter Score) method. In the first year using the method, the firm achieved grade 83.

Pro Bono

  • Legal advisor to Beit Lubavitch, a non-profit organization based in Rio de Janeiro which is part of a worldwide network of non-profit organizations dedicated to promote awareness and appreciation of the Jewish identity

Prior Experience

His previous experience was extensively in the Real Estate sector, in others major Brazilian firm [1970-1972], [1973-1974] and [1977 -1996]

Bernardo also acted in the public sector, he passed in 1974 the public exam for the Public Attorney’s Office of the state of Guanabara – currently state of Rio de Janeiro –, acting initially as a public defense attorney within the Civil and Probate Chambers and later as a public attorney within the Criminal Chambers, as well as a curator within the Bankruptcy and Judicial Recovery courts. Between 1977 and 1996, he was also chief advisor in the Legal Advisory of the Planning and Coordination Secretariat of the state of Rio de Janeiro (1988–1989) and Chief Advisor in the Civil Affairs Office of the state of Rio de Janeiro (1990–1991). A few years later, between 1998 and 1999, he was Chief Advisor in the Civil Law Advisory of the Attorney General’s Office of the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Institute of Brazilian Lawyers (IAB) 

My latest insights

News

Campos Mello Advogados ranked in Chambers Brazil guides

28 October 2021 .3 minute read

Connect

Phone

+55 21 3262 3004
(Work, Rio de Janeiro)
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