RedeJur - Associação de Escritórios de Advocacia Empresarial

História

REDEJUR – A story of valor, friendship, and professional development.

Dear friends, Redejur now celebrates its 6th anniversary! This magnificent reality started with the observation of the business law trends in Brazil in the last decade, motivated by the economic growth, the migration of the companies from the South or Southeast to the other regions in Brazil, and globalization itself. In addition to this observation of the trends in the Brazilian market and in the world market, the sense of opportunity of some colleagues was also a contributing factor, for they surmised in that new scenario some brand new ideas, many of which are essential today for the operation and projection of the member law firms which integrate Redejur.

• 2002

  It all started at the end of 2002 with a simple phone talk between Mauro Freitas, who was at the time establishing his law firm in the state of Ceará, and Raul Moreira, from Profit, in the city of Porto Alegre. They talked about the future of their profession, the new era of legal practice, the market predictions, as well as the new challenges and how to face them.
  Mauro Freitas’s moving to Ceará in 1997 reflected the migration of companies from the South to the Northeast of Brazil. He settled in Fortaleza to open an office of a labor law firm in Porto Alegre, so as to provide services for a big company in the South of the country in that state. After some time and due to the great wave of privatizations in Brazil in the 90's, other business law firms from the Southeast and South of Brazil began to open new offices in other cities and states, resulting in an unprecedented competition among business law firms.
  At that time, due to his clients' needs, he was forced to contract law firms in the seven states in the Northeast and to standardize reports, defense theses, and routine procedures. The history of Redejur began at that moment.
  An informal network of law firms, made up by the union of friendship and work for providing services to specific clients. In addition, the existence of new large law firms, migrating and being established in the states of the Northeast, North, and Center-West indicated the need for small business law firms to have a structure for their clients who were also migrating to other regions. A new framework was born, based on local services with national reach.
  The smaller law firms didn't have financial balance to establish offices in other states, but they could and needed to gather to, as a group, provide services with international reach and with excellence in local services, which was an advantage in relation to the large law firms with no tradition of providing services in the places beyond the borders of their bases. It was a way for the law firms to represent their clients in other states with reduced costs, through known colleagues and with acknowledged local services.

  The idea was already being developed when Mauro Freitas moved to the state of Pernambuco in 2002, to contract another law firm to represent his clients, and met his colleague, Bruno Coêlho. At that time they exchanged ideas about the need to constitute a network of law firms, with low costs and using the new technologies in computers and telephones. On that day the decision to constitute a national network of business law firms was made.

• 2003

  In January 2003, they went on to find colleagues who would be interested in founding an association for that purpose.
  They agreed that it was necessary to immediately take a few steps to face the competition imposed by globalization, for the paradigms which made the practice of law grow until that moment were not the same.
  Mauro, Bruno Coêlho, and a few friends and colleagues who already worked in partnership agreed to hold the first meeting for the creation of the law firm association. Severino Brasil (Paraíba), Bruno Coêlho (Pernambuco), Rodrigo Falconi (Rio Grande do Norte), Mauro Moreira (Ceará) and Raul, a friend of Mauro's and the group’s advisor at that time, were invited to the first Redejur’s meeting in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, at the main office of Rodrigo Falconi’s law firm.
  They all left the meeting, which only Mr. Brasil didn’t attend, with the mission to form Redejur. At the time, Star Alliance was the model, based on the airlines' idea of keeping their individuality while still working together. Thus, each firm would have partners in other states, with no need to establish branch offices.
  A group of law firms was necessary for Redejur to be formed, according to the guidance of Francisco Helder Nascimento, invited at that moment by Mauro Freitas to join the group in order to draft the first Articles of Association. This way, they came up with the name Redejur - Associação de Escritórios de Advocacia Empresarial (Association of Business Law Firms), after a heated debate among its founders. Some colleagues were invited, who were either professional partners or personal friends.
  The first meeting was called for the formation of the Association and it was held on June 26th 2003, in Fortaleza, when the General Meeting to form Redejur took place, and its minutes were recorded in July of the same year.
  With quick steps, on August 16th, 2003, in Fortaleza, the first meeting was held with the attendance of several colleagues who had been invited to begin the journey. Marco Lima came from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, invited by Mauro due to their friendship and to the fact that they had worked together for the same law firm in Porto Alegre from 1993 to 1997. Ronald Rocha came from the state of Rio de Janeiro, also invited by Mauro, who had been his partner in that state. From the state of Pernambuco came Bruno Coêlho. From the state of Rio Grande do Norte came Rodrigo Falconi, and from the state of Ceará came Mauro and Christianna, the only partners, at the time, of the law firm Oliveira Freitas. Also from Ceará came Helder Nascimento, who would, right after that, become a partner in the law firm Oliveira Freitas. Marcelo Brabo Magalhães came from the state of Alagoas. Rogério Avelar, from Brasília, was Mauro’s friend and gave a great contribution with his ideas and encouragement to go on with the project. Cláudio Feitosa, from the state of Piauí, who later left Redejur. Severino Brasil, from the state of Paraíba, who advised us in the drafting of the first Bylaws. Raul, from Profit, who helped us in the choice of the name Redejur, in the logo, in the colors, in the homepage, and in the first manual for the trademark use by the members, as well as in other marketing-related issues. Rodrigo Fernandes, who at the time worked for the law firm Oliveira Freitas, in Ceará, was the secretary for the first meeting.
  In a meeting held in the beautiful city of Fortaleza, in a hotel by the sea and inspired by the wonderful beaches of Ceará, those founders’ dreams and ideas came true, in a country of continental dimensions where their association had just been created. The minutes of the formation were officially recorded on July 11th 2003. It was just the first step towards many challenges that would arise.
  

  The eagerness demonstrated by the group, which was still small, pointed in those days to a promising future. There was a lot of work to be done in the first meetings for the drafting of the bylaws and the consolidation of the network. As the questions were answered, more people adhered to the idea. The capital of Brazil was chosen for the second event, in November of the same year, held in Hotel Nacional, for it was an easy to access place for everybody and the meeting had been organized by Rogério Avelar. In this second meeting, the Redejur we wanted was beginning to be outlined.

• 2004

  And then 2004 came and again in Brasília we started working, in March, then in Recife in August, and finally in Brasília once more at the end of the year. And Redejur went on growing and getting stronger. In each meeting there was a new achievement and the certainty that we had chosen the right path. The commercial partnerships grew, and the commercial and technical exchange intensified.

• 2005

  In 2005, the first meeting was held in Brasília, in April, always with new colleagues joining. In September 2005, in Porto Alegre, our first Redejur Seminar was held, entitled “The evidence in the digital era”, in partnership with the Federal University of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

  Three months later another meeting was held, this time in Rio de Janeiro, and it was a great event organized by the colleague Ronald Rocha in partnership with the local bar association. Another year of intense work came to an end.

• 2006

  In 2006 there were three other important events. In April, the colleagues from Belo Horizonte organized the second Redejur Seminar, whose meeting and event would establish a new moment for Redejur, for their boldness, importance, and dimension, with great attendance and in partnership with UNA – an important university in the state of Minas Gerais. The meeting showed the group’s maturity and began to project Redejur as an important institution in Brazil. After the meeting there was a great gathering and a visit to Ouro Preto. It was an unforgettable and remarkable meeting with exchange of legal information and establishment of new friendships.
  In that same year, Redejur held another meeting, in Brasília, with a Workshop organized by the colleague Rogério Avelar, bringing remarkable professionals to talk about the Clean Development Mechanism and the carbon credits. This subject was brand new at the time and today is being consolidated in the Brazilian market and among the professionals within Redejur. In the same year, Mauro Freitas, as President of Redejur, and Tiago Lima, partner of the law firm Lima & Falcão and a present member of Redejur in the state of Pernambuco, took the initiative to travel to Europe and visit law firms in Portugal and Italy with which they could establish a partnership. After a few recommendations, they went to Lisbon to visit the law firm of Mr. Vera Jardim, renowned attorney in Portugal, who had also been Minister of Justice.
  From that meeting came the idea of establishing our first international partnership. The search for a law firm in Portugal was a natural choice due to the identity of language and legal systems. Our first international partnership thus started.

  In November 2006, there was another landmark in the history of Redejur. The third meeting, in Curitiba, organized by the law firm Maran, Gehlen was unforgettable for its quality and for the presence of various clients and local authorities. In this meeting the entrance of the Portuguese law firm was sealed, with the presence of its partner, Mr. Julio Caldas, attorney who had been the President of the Bar Association of Lisbon for two times and Minister of Defense of Portugal, and Mr. Gonçalo Areia, also a partner of the same group of law firms which would become a member of Redejur – the JSC Group. With the participation of the Portuguese colleagues, the Consul of Portugal in the state of Paraná, and the Ambassador of Portugal in Brazil, Mr. Seixas da Costa, the entrance of the first foreign member was executed. It was a memorable event, with the participation of several colleagues from all over Brazil and Portugal, a speech by the Ambassador of Portugal, and a beautiful party at Graciosa Country Club. It was a new moment, with the internationalization of Redejur and the creation of a new work routine in the meetings, for the meetings for the discussion of Redejur's configuration were over, and a new stage began, one of business meetings and expansion of new projects for the members of Redejur.

• 2007

  In 2007, we began the meetings in April, in Brasília, with our third seminar, in partnership with Uniceub and with the presence of three Justices of the Superior Labor Court and a Labor Judge of the 10th Region. The event was organized by the new member law firm in Brasília – Advocacia Maciel, which offered the colleagues a great reception for the presentation of its well structured main office. It was the first opportunity for all to participate in the “Round of Business”, adapted from the international economic missions of which Tiago Lima, Mauro, and Andrea Gallota (Italian attorney based at the law firm Oliveira Freitas, in the city of Fortaleza) were members. The round was very successful and today constitutes Redejur’s signature in its meetings, generating various opportunities and businesses among the members.
  In August of the same year, there was another memorable event for all members, this time in the city of Campina Grande. We had a presentation on strategic planning by Mr. Arthur Uenoyama. After that, there were many activities of Redejur reported by the local media. The meeting was distinguished by its organization and local repercussion, showing the growing involvement of the members. The reception by the members in the state of Paraíba, Brasil and Izinete, will certainly remain in the memory of those who had the privilege of going to Campina Grande to experience the hospitality and the art of the people in Paraíba.

  In the last 2007 event, we were rewarded with the beautiful beaches of Maceió, as the background for an event of great proportions and unforgettable hospitality of the local colleagues. The event featured a speech on Legal Marketing by attorney Rodrigo Bertozzi, and we had the presence of colleagues from Italy and Portugal, broadening even more our horizons, especially towards our first international meeting, having as our hosts the colleagues from Portugal, who would host a large group of colleagues from Lisbon in the event of May 2008. The meeting was closed with a great party organized by the law firm ALNPP, marking forever the good moments lived in the state of Alagoas.

• 2008

  In May 2008 the internationalization of Redejur was definitely established. Most members gathered in Lisbon for the 15th Meeting. It was a memorable moment of great repercussion for all who were involved. The event was attended by colleagues from Italy, Brazil, Portugal, and Spain. The excellent event was held in the Sheraton Hotel in Lisbon, attended by several authorities, including the Ambassador of Brazil in Portugal and the former Portuguese Ministry of Commerce. Issues related to investments in Portugal and in Europe were approached. Issues related to the Brazilian and Portuguese economies were discussed, which was of great value and interest to the participants. After that, the colleagues from Redejur gathered for another round of business and then visited the law firm JSC Group. The meeting was closed with a reception dinner offered by the colleagues from Portugal to the members of Redejur. On the last day of the trip, there was a gathering of the colleagues, who went to the beautiful cities of Lisbon, Sintra, and Caiscais, and then had lunch together.
  Five years of Redejur were accomplished, with a lot of faithful work to fulfill its goals, which has always been to prioritize its members’ interests.
  In August 2008 the second meeting of the year was held in São Paulo. It was a different event, which profited from the organization power of the members Faria e Faria Advogados Associados and Grunwald e Giraudeau. In this event the pragmatic view, which had been established after a year’s work, was consolidated, and Redejur’s Strategic Planning for 2009 and 2010 was introduced and approved by the members. We had great moments of celebration and work in South America’s largest city. In addition to the internal meetings, we held a meeting to approximate Redejur and Rede Integra, a business platform at the members’ service.
  The year’s last meeting was held in Natal at the end of 2008. The meeting was attended by most international partners, from Portugal, Spain, and Italy. There were moments of associative work, rounds of business, as well as a technical event with the participation of two managers of legal departments, talking directly to the members about the companies' expectations in relation to the attorney services in this new century. The group was still increasing, qualification programs were turned into reality, the rounds of business were consolidated, and the people were more integrated to each other, favored by the great environment that had been built.

  In this meeting, a paradigm was broken, for Redejur would for the first time have a president other than its creator and founder, Mauro Freitas. With the new Executive Board elected, a Board of Foreign Affairs was created due to the relevance of the issue to the members within the new reality.

• 2009

  The year of 2009 began for Redejur in the city of Cuiabá, in April, when the 18th Redejur Meeting was held. A lot of history since its foundation. A lot of achievements, but also a lot of expectations and the wish to do the best for the entity. The local members were fantastic, we had days of hard work in the capital of the state of Mato Grosso, and all were rewarded with a close and direct contact with Pantanal, one of the true wonders of the country.
  Now there is an agenda being executed, and the 19th Meeting is being held in the cities of Porto Alegre and Gramado, favoring the participation of law firms from Mercosur, which was a demand of the Strategic Planning, including the broadening of relations in South America.

  For the association, the year of 2009 will be closed in Vitória, capital of the state of Espírito Santo. In 2010 there are meetings planned for Milan, in Italy, São Luiz, in the state of Maranhão, and Florianópolis, in the state of Santa Catarina.

In these six years there have been heated debates and correction of directions in the search for excellence, but in the end we always toasted and had fun together. In addition of hard work, we could always add a lot of relaxation, for, most important of all, we knew we had to keep our friendship and union.

This way, after 18 meetings, we are together again. In this 19th meeting in the city of Porto Alegre we will speed up our actions, with the commitment to keep the principles which guided the creation of Redejur intact. Let the next years come! We are ready for the next challenges and developments, both personal and professional!