BCALFAT Advogados

Vera Lúcia Lima

Vera Lúcia Lima holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Catholic University of Petrópolis and has completed courses in Comparative Law at the Complutense University of Madrid and in Criminal Justice at the University of Seville, both in Spain.

She joined the law firm Bruno Calfat Advogados as a consulting partner in April 2025, after 28 years dedicated to the federal judiciary, serving as an Appellate Judge of the Federal Regional Court of the 2nd Region (TRF2) from 1997 to 2025.

She began her tenure as an Appellate Judge of the TRF2 after being appointed to the position by the Constitutional Fifth Panel to fill a vacancy from the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, initially serving on the First Panel and, in August 1998, on the Fifth Panel.

She was appointed by the Plenary of the TRF2 to serve as a Presiding Judge on the Regional Electoral Court of the State of Rio de Janeiro for the 2005–2007 term; Member of the Board of Directors for the 2009–2011 term; Vice President for the 2009–2011 term; member of the Special Body from 2014 to 2025; served on various panels of the TRF2; and presided over the 5th and 8th Panels.

He has been a member of the Association of Federal Judges of Brazil (AJUFE) since 1997.

She served as a Federal Prosecutor from 1984 to 1997, during which time she served on the Federal Judge Selection Committee in 1986 and the Rio de Janeiro State Penitentiary Council in 1987. She served as Chief of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Rio de Janeiro, overseeing the Campos and Niterói branches, in 1993, until she was appointed Regional Federal Prosecutor to serve on the 4th Panel of the TRF2.

She practiced private law before joining the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. In the 9th Subsection of the Brazilian Bar Association—Nova Friburgo, she served as Secretary of the Board of Directors and Member of the Human Rights Commission.

She was awarded the Commemorative Coin by the National Association of Federal Police Delegates in 2023; the Judicial Merit Medal by the TRF2 in 2021; the Medal awarded by the Court of Auditors of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro in 2014; with the Medal awarded by the Association of Federal Judges of Brazil – AJUFE and by the Association of Federal Judges of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo – AJUFERJES in 2011; with the Medal of the Order of Naval Merit, awarded by the Brazilian Navy in 2005; with the Diploma of Commander of the Order of Naval Merit, awarded by the Brazilian Navy in 2005; with the Tamandaré Medal of Merit, awarded by the Brazilian Navy in 2002; with the “Don Quixote de La Mancha” trophy, awarded by the magazine Justiça e Cidadania in 2000.

She has published articles in specialized journals and periodicals, such as the Revista Dialética de Direito Tributário, the Revista Ibero-americana de Direito Público, the Revista de Jurisprudência do TRF2, INFOJUR – Informativo de Jurisprudência, and the Revista da Escola de Magistratura Regional Federal da 2ª Região.

Visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Germany, conducting research on “Error of Type and Prohibition,” including participation in seminars held from 1990 to 1991.

Participated in the Criminal Procedure Seminar held at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in 1991, in Germany, on the topic Das Strafverfahren aus der Sicht der Verteidigung (Criminal Procedure from the Perspective of the Defense).

Admitted to the Brazilian Bar Association, Rio de Janeiro State Chapter.

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