Rafael Rocha

Civil processes and procedures in the Brazilian Courts have been increasingly expedited due to the digitalization of case files and the assignment of courts specialized in specific matters (for instance, in corporate and intellectual property law). But the timeframe for judicial disputes involving IP rights in Brazil can be expedited even more for foreign companies by complying with the following procedural requirements.

Like most countries, Brazil has been facing severe restrictions in an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID-19.  Non-essential services are currently closed in almost all metropolitan areas and authorities are discussing plans to resume activities while the number of fatalities reaches its peak. In Brazil, the courts have approximately 450,000 employees, including more than 18,000 judges. If we also consider 1.2 million attorneys, it is reasonable to say that the justice system in Brazil involves at least 1.65 million people. The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) operates on a smaller scale, with no more than 1,000 public officials on duty. The IP community is on average quite smaller in comparison to other areas, such as banking and M&A, but still extremely active. The BPTO hears over 250,000 proceedings per year, including patent, trademark, design applications and contracts.