Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant

Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (born 15 July 1966) is a Brazilian jurist and International law scholar. He is also a professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)and the founder of the International Law Center (CEDIN), in Belo Horizonte. Brant is one of the nominees for the International Criminal Court judges election, 2014.

Brant graduated from the UFMG School of Law in 1991. In the same year he obtained a diploma of advanced studies in Humam Rights at the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights. In 1993 he obtained a master’s degree in International law at UFMG with the thesis “The Right to Development as a Human Right". In 1993, Brant was qualified in advanced Studies in International Law, at The Hague Academy of International Law (HAIL). In 1996 and 1997, he obtained diplomas of Advanced Studies in Human Rights at the Institut International des Droits de L’Homme and Advanced Studies in United Nations Reforms at the United Nations Study Programme respectively.

From 1996 to 2000, Brant studied at Université Paris X – Nanterre, France, where he obtained his PhD. He was awarded Doctor of International law with the thesis “The Authority of Res Judicata In International Law”. The thesis was awarded with the “Prix du Ministère de la Recherche, Département Sciences de la Société de la République Française”.

Brant started as Professor of Public international law and International criminal law at UFMGin 1994. Since 2002 he is also Professor of Public international law and Human Rights at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, in Belo Horizonte.

In 2002, he co-founded Nemer Caldeira Brant Law Firm, specialized in International law, International criminal law and Human Rights.

From 2003 to 2004 he worked as a legal advisor at the juridical department of the International Court of Justice ICJ). He was the Counselor foreign Affairs at the City Hall of Belo Horizonte from 2005 to 2009.

In 2005, Brant founded the Brazilian International Law Center (CEDIN), a research center specialized in International law, Humanitarian law, International criminal law and International Security. CEDIN and its associates have held important international events such as Congresses and Seminars. Furthermore, the Center has coordinated several profound studies on specific areas of International Law.

Brant also founded the Brazilian Yearbook of International Law (BYIL), in 2006. He is the Chief editor of the periodical, which is published in several foreign languages and distributed to the largest and most relevant Universities and international academic centers. Its main goal is to establish in the country an annual publication engaged in the promotion and consolidation of the Latin-American view of International Law.

In 2007 Brant worked at Université Caen Basse-Normandie, France, as a visiting professor. In 2009, also as a visiting Professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Internationales he taught at the Université Panthéon Assas Paris II, France. The following year, at the XXXVII Course on International Law of the Organization of American States (OAS). Brant was also a visiting professor at Université Paris-Ouest Nanterre la Défense, in 2013.

In June 2014, Brant was officially indicated by the Brazilian Government to the application to the charge of judge at the International Criminal Court. The judges elected during the 13th session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court scheduled for 8 to 17 December 2014 in New York, will serve for nine years until 2024.

2013 – to the present day: Member of the Advisory Committee, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

2007 – to the present day: Chairman of International Relations at the Brazilian Bar Association of Minas Gerais (OAB-MG), Brazil

2007: Legal Officer at the 73rd meeting of the Institut de Droit International (IDI), Santiago, Chile

2006 – to the present day: Coordinator and Chief Editor of the collection Understanding International Law, with four volumes per year.

2005 – to the present day: Director of the Brazilian branch of the International Law Association (ILA), Brazil

2004 – 2008: Director of the International Law branch at the Minas Gerais Bar Association (IA-MG), Brazil