"No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná."
Brazil
President of the Paraná State Bar Association points to the failure of the Code of Civil Procedure.
By Daniel Gullino
Luiz Fernando Pereira states that the legislation attempted to import mechanisms from the US that don't work here.
The president of the Paraná Bar Association, Luiz Fernando Pereira, believes that the Code of Civil Procedure has not fulfilled its objectives. The new version of the legislation dates from 2015.
Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira takes office as president of the Paraná Bar Association.
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SELECTED QUOTATIONS FROM THE SPEECH
Casagrande Pereira declared unequivocally:
> “Less formality, more efficiency.”
> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”
> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”
> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”
> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”
> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”
> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”
_______________
Pereira, who holds a doctorate in Civil Procedure from UFPR, will give a presentation on the topic on Thursday at the HLS Brazil Legal Symposium 2026, an event promoted by the Brazilian Studies Association of Harvard Law School.
"The conclusion is inevitable: we have a system that needs to handle an unusual number of cases with a structure that can no longer grow," says the lawyer.
Pereira believes that Brazil attempted to import mechanisms adopted in the United States, such as encouraging the self-compositional resolution of conflicts and creating a system of binding precedents,but disregarded the structural conditions of the system in which these instruments would need to operate.
Read more : https://veja.abril.com.br/brasil/presidente-da-oab-do-parana-aponta-fracasso-do-codigo-de-processo-civil/
Check out the full text of President Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira's inaugural speech .
LESS FORMALITY, MORE EFFICIENCY:
THE INAUGURAL SPEECH OF OAB-PR PRESIDENT LUIZ FERNANDO CASAGRANDE PEREIRA
Posted on January 29, 2025
Today marked the inauguration of the new administration of the Brazilian Bar Association – Paraná Section (OAB-PR), under the presidency of Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira. In his inaugural address, the new president made clear that his administration intends to combine institutional efficiency, democratic legitimacy, defense of lawyers’ prerogatives, professional self-regulation, legal education reform, and the protection of democracy and fundamental rights.
From the outset, he emphasized that the ceremony itself had been intentionally designed to reflect the management style to come:
> “Less formality, more efficiency.”
According to Casagrande Pereira, the legal profession and the Bar demand agility, not bureaucratic ritualism.
A DEMOCRATIC MANDATE AND A NEW JOURNEY
The president stated that his speech had one clear purpose: to present the guidelines that will govern the administration, stressing that those principles were democratically approved in direct elections and therefore belong to the entire legal profession in Paraná.
Recalling former president Marilena Winter’s words that “the inauguration ceremony represents the beginning of a new journey,” he framed the moment as one of institutional continuity, gratitude, and renewal.
He also delivered a message of unity:
> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OAB?
Casagrande Pereira proposed a fundamental question: what is the purpose of the Brazilian Bar Association?
He recalled that the decree that created the OAB in November 1930 originally entrusted it with the functions of discipline and selection of lawyers. Nearly a century later, those functions remain central, even though the institution has accumulated many others over time.
Citing Egon Bockmann, he described the OAB as:
> “our professional self-regulation body.”
From that foundation, he defended a management model centered on efficiency, especially in activities where the OAB holds monopolized responsibilities: registration, discipline, law firms and societies, and the defense of prerogatives.
He warned that monopolies and mandatory annual fees can generate complacency and bureaucratization if not checked by a serious commitment to performance and responsible spending.
EFFICIENCY, LEGITIMACY, AND INTERNAL COHERENCE
A major theme of the speech was the need for the OAB to submit itself to the same standards it demands from the justice system.
In that sense, Casagrande Pereira argued that the Bar loses moral authority to demand speed and seriousness from the courts if it cannot deliver the same internally—especially in its Ethics and Discipline Tribunal.
He praised recent progress already made and announced the goal of building:
> “the best and most efficient disciplinary sector in Brazil.”
He further stated that the administration will adopt:
the national pact for simple language;
standardized summaries based on the CNJ model;
and the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
He summarized the institutional goal as follows:
> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”
THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONS
The speech also emphasized the importance of the OAB’s commissions. Casagrande Pereira noted that the previous administration had made major progress in democratizing access to the commissions, and that the new phase should now be marked by a qualitative leap.
He highlighted the work of the OAB Human Rights Commission, especially its diagnosis of the prison system in Paraná, which led the state to be invited by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) to participate in hearings concerning the Just Sentence project.
The new president promised to strengthen the commissions with both energy and budget, showing that the OAB also exists to serve society through substantive institutional action.
A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE HIGHER SCHOOL OF ADVOCACY (ESA)
Casagrande Pereira praised the reach already achieved by the Higher School of Advocacy (ESA), stating that 25,000 lawyers in Paraná had benefited from it during the previous administration.
Building on that base, he announced an ambitious expansion plan:
quadrupling the school’s budget;
quadrupling the number of courses;
creating the largest mentoring program in Brazil;
and establishing law firm incubators.
He also proposed transforming the annual fee into credit, describing this as one of the most well-received proposals among Paraná’s lawyers.
COURT-APPOINTED LAWYERS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE
The president stressed that Paraná has the largest proportional system of court-appointed lawyers in Brazil. He praised the recent adjustment to the fee schedule but said that the time had come for a qualitative leap, particularly in:
continuing education; and
the creation of service centers for people in need of free legal assistance.
He emphasized the social scale of this demand, noting that nearly ten percent of the population has required such assistance over the last ten years.
THE DEFENSE OF LAWYERS’ PREROGATIVES
One of the strongest parts of the speech concerned the defense of lawyers’ prerogatives.
Casagrande Pereira declared unequivocally:
> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”
He then addressed the controversy surrounding CNJ Resolution No. 591, criticizing the proposal to curtail or suppress lawyers’ oral arguments. In his words, the CNJ seeks to export the arbitrary model already adopted by the Supreme Court.
He forcefully defended oral argument as a core dimension of legal representation:
> “Depending on the specific case, the lawyer speaks on behalf of thousands of people, on behalf of an entire profession, a state, a race. When a lawyer takes the stand, what is there is the drama of Mr. José, Mrs. Maria, children, women, the elderly. It is the Supreme Court deciding not to listen to the citizen.”
He added:
> “Nobody can accept this; we will not accept it.”
And he expressed confidence that the Court of Justice of Paraná would not reproduce what he described as a grave affront to the most important prerogative of lawyers.
THE JUDICIARY IN PARANÁ: PRAISE AND CRITICISM
Addressing the many judges present at the ceremony, the new president stated that, as a rule, lawyers in Paraná approve of the general level of judicial services in the state. He cited the 3rd Diagnostic of the Judiciary of OAB-PR as evidence.
At the same time, he identified serious bottlenecks:
delays and problems in the first instance, both in the capital and the interior;
problems concerning court orders and payment orders;
and, especially, judges who refuse to receive lawyers.
He stated clearly:
> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”
According to him, such conduct violates the Statute of the Legal Profession, CNJ guidelines, and even the standards of the Paraná judiciary itself.
THE TRAGEDY OF LEGAL EDUCATION
Casagrande Pereira also denounced what he called the tragedy of Brazilian legal education, particularly the uncontrolled proliferation of low-quality law schools.
He promised that the administration would rely on the applicable resolution of the Federal Council and would demand the closure of law courses that fail to meet minimum standards.
In a strong line, he declared:
> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”
INTERNAL DEMOCRACY AND DIRECT ELECTIONS WITHIN THE OAB
A central political point of the speech was the need to reform the OAB’s own electoral structure.
Casagrande Pereira argued that the defense of democracy in society must begin with a democratic internal structure inside the Bar itself. Recalling the historical legacy of Diretas Já, he announced the launch of the “Alberto de Paula Machado Amendment”, named after the Paraná lawyer who once dared to challenge the only election permitted under what he called a flawed and politically weakened system.
He summarized the point memorably:
> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”
He was careful to add that this criticism was directed at the system, not at individuals, and that he expected good relations with the current leaders of the Federal Council.
THE OAB’S HISTORICAL ROLE: DEMOCRACY, LEGAL ORDER, AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
Casagrande Pereira then turned to what he described as the other side of the OAB’s dual identity: not merely a professional self-regulation body, but also an institution charged by law with safeguarding democracy and defending the legal order.
He recalled the Bar’s historical role in difficult national moments and stressed that the OAB must continue to use its institutional respect and legitimacy in the defense of:
fundamental rights;
democracy;
and the Democratic Rule of Law.
POLARIZATION, COURAGE, AND DUE PROCESS
The president described the current political moment as one of radical and sad polarization, where rational deliberation is replaced by pre-defined camps and public discourse becomes distorted by social media and what he called the:
> “marriage between anger and the algorithm.”
Even so, he insisted that the OAB must not retreat from difficult issues. He explicitly denounced what he called gross violations of due process in the Supreme Court’s endless investigations, insisting that this is not a matter of right versus left, but of legality and democracy.
He argued that the OAB must insist on the immediate end of such investigations.
MINORITY RIGHTS AND CIVILIZATIONAL COMMITMENT
Another important part of the speech concerned the defense of minority rights.
Casagrande Pereira warned that polarization has stigmatized the struggle for minority rights to the point that some now suggest abandoning those causes. He rejected that path completely.
He affirmed that it is the OAB’s mission to defend the values of the current level of civilization, to resist setbacks, and to protect progress.
He fully endorsed the work of commissions devoted to:
women;
racial equality;
gender violence;
sexual diversity;
children;
the elderly;
persons with disabilities;
and religious freedom.
UNITY OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION
In closing, the president returned to the theme of unity. In a polarized age, he argued, the legal profession must put aside illusory divisions and remember what unites it.
He promised that if lawyers remain united, they will have the strength to defend the profession and society alike.
CONCLUSION
Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira’s inaugural speech outlined a program that seeks to combine administrative efficiency, professional dignity, internal democracy, defense of prerogatives, educational reform, and institutional courage in the face of democratic and constitutional challenges.
The central message was consistent throughout: the OAB must serve lawyers, but it must also serve society. It must regulate itself with rigor, defend democracy with credibility, and act with firmness whenever the legal order or fundamental rights are threatened.
He concluded with gratitude to his colleagues, advisors, family, and parents, ending the ceremony on a deeply personal note.
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SELECTED QUOTATIONS FROM THE SPEECH
> “Less formality, more efficiency.”
> “The election is over. The legal profession is united.”
> “Efficient and low-cost deliverables. That’s what the Bar Association is for.”
> “No lawyer will be disrespected in Paraná.”
> “We cannot accept judges who refuse to meet with lawyers.”
> “This administration will not surrender to the tragedy of law courses.”
> “Words convince, but example moves. Direct elections now for the Federal Council of the Brazilian Bar Association.”
---
SUGGESTED TAGS
OAB-PR, Luiz Fernando Casagrande Pereira, inaugural speech, lawyers’ prerogatives, oral argument, due process, democracy, legal profession, judicial reform, OAB Paraná
Presidente da OAB do Paraná aponta fracasso do Código de Processo Civil
Luiz Fernando Pereira afirma que legislação tentou importar mecanismos dos EUA que não funcionam aqui
Por Daniel Gullino
Veja
O presidente da OAB do Paraná, Luiz Fernando Pereira, avalia que o Código de Processo Civil não cumpriu seus objetivos. A nova versão da legislação é de 2015.
Pereira, que é doutor em Processo Civil pela UFPR, fará uma apresentação sobre o tema na quinta-feira no HLS Brazil Legal Symposium 2026, evento promovido pela Associação de Estudos Brasileiros da Harvard Law School
“A síntese é inevitável: temos um sistema que precisa dar conta de um número incomum de processos com uma estrutura que não pode mais crescer”, afirma o advogado.
Pereira considera que o Brasil tentou importar mecanismos adotados nos Estados Unidos, como o estímulo à solução autocompositiva de conflitos e a criação de um sistema de precedentes obrigatórios, como o estímulo à solução autocompositiva de conflitos e a criação de um sistema de precedentes obrigatórios, mas desconsiderou as condições estruturais do sistema em que esses instrumentos precisariam operar.
Leia mais em: https://veja.abril.com.br/brasil/presidente-da-oab-do-parana-aponta-fracasso-do-codigo-de-processo-civil/
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