LEONARDO RAFAEL DE SOUZA

Leonardo is one of the most recognized experts in Cooperative Law in Brazil and around the world. He balances the practice of law with an academic and teaching career, residing not only within the Florianópolis-Curitiba corridor but also maintaining a significant international presence. In addition to overseeing the postgraduate program in Cooperative Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), he is widely acknowledged for his role within one of the largest Compliance programs dedicated to cooperatives, serving over 45 cooperatives throughout Brazil. On an international scale, he is an active member of esteemed research and integration entities in Cooperative Law, even contributing to legislative drafting in multiple countries. He possesses extensive expertise in advising cooperatives and their governing bodies, as well as in litigation on significant issues protecting their unique business model. He serves as a consultant and one of the coordinators of the Cooperative Law practice (MH-Coop), currently focusing on strategies related to the digital transformation of cooperatives, with a particular emphasis on Information Security and Cybersecurity.

• Master in Cooperative Management, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná – PUCPR (2019);
• Extension in Cooperative Enterprise Law at the University of Helsinki – Finland (2017);
• Postgraduate in Cooperativism, Universidade do Vale dos Sinos — UNISINOS (2016);
• Bachelor of Law, Universidade do Vale do Itajaí – UNIVALI (2003).

• Coordinator of the Postgraduate Programme in Cooperative Law at PUCPR;
• Professor in postgraduate programs related to Cooperativism and Cooperative Law at various educational institutions (PUCPR, UFPR, Unochapecó, Unidavi) since 2021;
• Researcher in Innovation and Technology at CNPq, where he studies the implementation of virtual general assemblies in Credit Cooperatives based on the Strategic Planning of the Central Bank of Brazil;
• Researcher at the Laboratory of Cybersecurity and Cybercrime (LabUBINET) at the School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja) in Portugal;
• Member of the International  Cooperative Alliance Global Office Network of Cooperative Law, based in Belgium;
• Member of the International Association of Cooperative Law (AIDC), based in the Basque Country, Spain, where he serves on the International Advisory Board of its scientific journal;
• Member of the IUS Cooperativum Community of Co-operative Lawyers, based in Luxembourg, where he serves on the International Advisory Board of its scientific journal.

English and Spanish.

Litigation and Arbitration; Credit Recovery; Compliance.

Credit Unions and Financial Institutions.