Despite the fact that understanding and mastering group dynamics is crucial for all leaders, there was a sense in our conversations that it may, regrettably, be more likely to be put to the test if a female is in charge of the group than a male. Although dealing with unconscious prejudice can be challenging, it may present a chance to improve crucial listening skills that might never be put to the test. Legal leadership is distinct in and of itself. Even though there are many common traits of effective leadership, the demanding technical expertise required of lawyers adds extra elements to success in the field.
Elected as a Leading Individual in the list of the best lawyers in the world in the area of corporate litigation by the British magazine Who`s Who`s, Ana Tereza Basilio is a Founding Partner at Basilio Advogados and a renowned name in the area of arbitration.
Journey to the Best
Ana Tereza Basilio is a Brazilian judge and lawyer, completed her Bachelor of Laws at the Cândido Mendes University of Rio de Janeiro (UCAM) in December 1989 and her graduation in US Law at the University of Wisconsin. She was a partner at Sergio Bermudes Law Firm from 1990 to 1998 and an international partner at Baker & McKenzie, responsible for the civil and commercial litigation and arbitration areas in Brazil, from July 2002 to 2005. She was an honorary partner of the Andrade e Fichtner Law Firm, in the civil and commercial litigation and arbitration departments from January 2006 to December 2008. In 2008, Ana and her brother João Basilio took on the challenge and launched themselves into the new project. They invited prominent lawyers on the national scene and graduates of law firms within the country. They founded Basilio Advogados Law Firm, which has grown exponentially in specialized civil litigation, arbitration, and consulting firms in the past 12 years.
In her journey, Ana had the honor to be a judge of the Regional Electoral Court of the State of Rio de Janeiro, from December 2010 to July 2015. She was a member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), based in Paris, in the Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (ADR) commission, Director of Mediation and Arbitration of the Institute of Brazilian Lawyers elected in 2018 for the biennium 2018-2019, and President of the Mediation and Arbitration commissions of this Institute since 2019. In 2019, Ana was nominated as Member of the Permanent Forum of the Arbitration Commission of the Escola de Magistratura of the State of Rio de Janeiro (EMERJ), and in August 2021, together with great names of the legal profession, she founded the Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos em Proteção de Dados – IBRADADOS, assuming its presidency until April 2022.
Basilio Advogados is well-known among Brazilian families and is skilled in providing legal services in the fields of corporate, real estate, family law, and civil litigation. It focuses on business and is built around serving huge corporations in a variety of industries, including public service concessionaires, healthcare, mining, banking, construction, retail, and individual customers. The firm’s diverse team works in a variety of industry sectors, but it excels at strategic civil litigation and arbitration. They respond to demands that have both domestic and international implications, as Ana is proud to state.
Gains Accolades and Recognition
In November 2018, Ana was elected to serve as the Vice-President of the Brazilian Bar Association, Section of the State of Rio de Janeiro for the 2019–2021 biennium, and in November 2021, she was chosen to serve once more for the 2022–2024 triennium. The Permanent Forum of Transparency and Administrative Probity, of the School of Magistrates of the State of Rio de Janeiro-EMERJ, nominated Ana as a member in May 2022. She was awarded the Medal of Judicial Merit, from the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro, in 2014 and the Medal of Merit from the Federal Regional Court of Rio de Janeiro in 2015; she was finally awarded the Tiradentes Medal in September 2019 by ALERJ – Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro and recently, in August, 2022, she had the honor of being awarded the Medal of Merit Pedro Ernesto, conferred by the illustrious councilors that make up the City Council of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Growing as a Litigator
It is everyone’s responsibility to learn and evolve. Evolving means growing by putting down strong and deep roots. It means consolidating itself in the market, having a strong base, and transmitting security to the customers and employees. Ana herself keeps changing, modifying, and developing in accordance with society and the law. She keeps studying, improving herself, exchanging experiences with her colleagues, and dedicating her time to each new challenge she comes across.
“Solving our customers’ challenges is the result we seek, the fruit we want to reap day after day. Nowadays, what I see that young lawyers lack, not all of them, but in some, is precisely this constant search for learning, the desire to grow, to develop.” Exhorts Ana
As per her considerations, one cannot be conformist and stagnate. If society changes, the law adapts to new realities, laws fall out of favor, and new laws are written and enacted, then this evolution must be followed.
Secrets of Success
Ana, Joo, and Márcio Notini, three partners, run Basilio’s management. Operations and financial duties are managed on a daily basis by Joo and Márcio Notini. When it comes to working with clients, managing cases, putting teams together, creating procedural tactics, and, of course, meetings, dispatches, and oral arguments, Ana is in charge. Ana intends to keep up her aggressive legal advocacy since she finds her greatest enjoyment and satisfaction in being at the forefront of her clients’ and their interests.
Another source of her happiness is her horses, who steal her attention from work. From childhood only she craves for horse riding. “It is through my animals that I recharge my energies. It is a sport and a hobby that I recommend to everyone.” Says Ana.
Being on such a success peak is also a reason for having the best team, Ana finds that each team is made up of professionals with unique characteristics that, together, add to everyone on the team. She always looks for someone with a combative spirit and a nonconformist soul, who should be passionate. In addition to technical qualifications, Ana is in search for ethical person who shares relentless pursuit of excellence to provide best outcome to the clients. Ana adds, “This is because we are lucky to have an extremely qualified and truly combative team of professionals, but always bearing in mind that our priority is work that is worthy of our clients, transparent, and ethical.”
Impacted by Technology
Although digitalization in the judiciary was unthinkable 15 years ago, technology is now used for agility, transparency, and procedural speed. These developments are amazing. The judges and lawyers are now more connected thanks to digitalization, which is a major step forward for the legal profession. Ana explains that it is simpler to observe protocol and behave vehemently across the nation’s territory while remaining in the comfort of one’s home. Lawyers can also participate in procedural acts, hearings, oral arguments, dispatch at the virtual counter, distribute the action, and monitor notarial steps overall, all from a cell phone. According to Ana, this generation was affected by technology in a way that made digitization the foundation of the fundamental principle of access to justice.
Statement on Women’s Professionalism
Since women gained professional freedom, there have been many differences in the range of salaries. Ana asserts that women have already proven their worth in terms of professionalism and commitment; however, they are not naive, and some issues, such as women being paid less than men and motherhood being taboo in certain areas, need to be addressed in the corporate and legal sectors. Ana highlighted the current scenario, “It is a matter of time, a short time, until the quantitative scenario of female leadership in large offices is equated with the male one. Based on which arguments do I say this? Certainly, based on history. The legal career, as many others, stopped being eminently masculine because every day, more doors opened for women.”
Ana believes that success does not depend on gender; the one with an intellectual mindset and determination surely gains peak position, it’s just a matter of time.
Suggestions for Young Leaders
Ana suggests that future leaders should concentrate on their studies and work to get better. She advises that in order to overcome laziness and give up quickly, one must possess a passionate spirit. Advocacy, in Ana’s opinion, is a rewarding and democratic job. One should keep in mind that success only comes through perseverance and hard work. Although cliche, these conclusions are frequently true.
Written by Steve Sanchez.
