Getting to know your EXCO: Bernardo Mendez Vianna
Bernardo began his university studies in Law in the early 1980s, aiming to pursue a diplomatic career, following in his paternal grandfather’s footsteps. As part of his studies, he spent time in the United States and France. Nearing graduation and already working at a law firm for a few years, he received a job offer to join the team of associates. He faced a dilemma since his aspirations had always been to become a diplomat, but the circumstances and the offer led him to a legal career. Despite feeling a sense of loss for his original vocation, he decided to pursue law.
During the first decade of his professional career, he worked extensively with civil law, contract law, and numerous litigation cases. Brazil, a country with a relatively new democracy, has an exorbitant amount of litigation: over 100 million ongoing lawsuits, representing practically one lawsuit for every two inhabitants. Brazil also has nearly 1.5 million practicing lawyers.
Without realising it, this prior experience significantly helped him in the practice of maritime law, which he took on shortly thereafter. As the years went by, his work in maritime law grew and improved, and he began connecting with the international community. Initially, he was invited to direct and coordinate the legal committee of the French Chamber of Commerce in Rio de Janeiro, a role he has held for almost 15 years (as of 2024), and is now in his third term as Counselor. Subsequently, his involvement with international associations such as the IBA and UIA brought him important contacts with international maritime law specialists and introduced him to discussions and studies conducted by organizations such as IMO and CMI, among others.
His engagement with the IIDM (Ibero-American Institute of Maritime Law) about 20 years ago made him aware of the unique challenges faced by Latin American countries, which differ significantly from those in North America and Europe, regions more advanced in the application of international maritime law conventions. He had the honor of serving as President of the Brazilian Section of IIDM (IIDM-BR) for two terms, from 2016-2018 and 2022-2024. This experience helped him better understand the Brazilian reality regarding the application of international norms and the quest for broader normative uniformity, a challenging task given the internal legislative regulations of each country.
His dedication, combined with a simple, transparent, and above all unifying approach in carrying out his functions, naturally led him to his second term as Vice-President of the Brazilian MLA, as well as to an active, invited member role on the international law committee of the Bar Association in Rio de Janeiro and the maritime law committee of the Bar Association of São Paulo.
He is certain that the strong friendships he has built and the serious work he has undertaken throughout this intense journey were fundamental to his appointment – and later election – to serve on the ExCo of the CMI.
“Without a doubt, it is a very special recognition and I am very grateful for it. Today I clearly see that the aspiring diplomat was not entirely frustrated. The exercise of diplomacy is not only an integral part of the maritime lawyer’s duties but also an essential skill to their mission. I could not be happier to exercise diplomacy and maritime law in favour of such a relevant international organization as the CMI. Now I feel I am exactly where I have always wanted to be”, he states.
