Ernesto Tzirulnik Ernesto Tzirulnik Advocacia

A PhD in Law from the School of Law of the University of São Paulo (2014), Ernesto Tzirulnik graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (1981) and since then has been practicing Insurance Law. After setting up and managing the Legal department of a major Brazilian risk insurance company, Companhia de Seguros Aliança da Bahia, he founded "Ernesto Tzirulnik – Advocacia" law firm (1984), the oldest and most renowned Brazilian boutique insurance law firm, known by the initials ETAD, with its main office in São Paulo and an office in Brasília.

Tzirulnik founded the Instituto Brasileiro de Direito do Seguro (2000) [Brazilian Insurance Law Institute], IBDS, a non-governmental organization which he chairs.

He also coordinated the Commission of Jurists that prepared the first bill on insurance contracts in Brazilian history (PL 3.555/2004, PL 8.034/2010 PLS 477/2013 and PL 8.290/2014). Enacted in 2016 as a Supplementary Bill - PLC 29/, the text is currently being discussed by the Brazilian Senate.

Tzirulnik is the founding partner of IDEC – Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor [Brazilian Consumer Protection Institute] (1987 through 2018). He was a Law Professor at the School of Law of São Paulo, and at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (2007 and 2008); an officer and director of Sociedade Brasileira de Ciências do Seguro [Brazilian Insurance Science Company] (1989 to 2009) and of the Brazilian chapter of AIDA – Associação Internacional de Direito do Seguro [International Insurance Law Association] (1989 to 2000); consultant to the Settlements Office in the Reinsurance Area of the New York Insurance Department (USA, 1991 to 2004); and honorary advisor to the Jean Bastin Scientific Foundation (Belgium/2002).

He is the author of the books "Loss adjustment (juridical essay)" (3rd edition, 2001), "Insurance contract in accordance with Brazilian Civil Code" (3rd edition, 2016), "Construction risks insurance: instrument for development" (2015, with an English version published 2017). Ernesto Tzirulnik is the author of the chapter on insurance contracts in the Treatise on Business Law (2015, vol. 5) and the Portuguese-Brazilian Human Dignity Treaty (2008). He has published dozens of articles on insurance law, consumer law and civil liability in Brazilian law magazines (RT, Revista Brasileira de Direito do Seguro, Revista do IRB, Coleção Estudos de Direito do Seguro do IBDS, Boletim AASP etc.) as well as in foreign magazines (Rivista de Economia e Diritto dell'Assicurazione, etc.).

He has organized and chaired several conferences, courses and workshops on insurance law, including seven international conferences. He has taken part in stricto sensu post-graduate examination boards. He is an arbitrator for the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce, and speaker as a legal expert at the Civil Law and Business Law seminars held by the Federal Court Council and Superior Court of Justice. He has been a speaker or chairman of round tables on insurance law at every edition of the Brazilian Business Law Conference (2011 to 2018).