Bernardi Advogados & Associados Wins Global 100 – 2027 for Retail-Focused Legal Services in Brazil

Bernardi Advogados & Associados has been named Best Legal Services Business of the Year – 2027 – Brazil at the Global 100 – 2027 awards, recognising a practice built around the realities of modern retail. In a sector where a single growth decision can trigger issues across consumer law, labour, leases, data protection and regulation, the firm’s message is clear: integrated legal counsel helps retailers move faster—with fewer surprises.

“The law shouldn’t be the brake on retail. It should be the guardrail that lets it accelerate safely.” – Rafael Bernardi

Legal counsel built for retail: why integration matters

Retail expansion rarely arrives as a neat checklist. Opening one store can involve negotiating a shopping centre lease, building an employment structure for store and logistics teams, setting up supplier terms and customer-facing policies, and ensuring that marketing, e-commerce and data processing comply with Brazil’s legal requirements. When these streams are handled in isolation, risk can compound.

Bernardi Advogados & Associados positions itself as a retail-first legal partner that supports decisions before contracts are signed, systems are launched or hires are made. The goal is not to slow down growth, but to make it resilient—by aligning legal strategy with operational realities and commercial timelines.

A sector focus rooted in day-to-day retail operations

The firm’s differentiator, as described by the team, is a deep sector focus anchored in the “daily life” of retail: from returns, warranties and deliveries to sales commissions, mall rules and occupancy costs, marketplace operations and online promotions. This perspective reflects a practical view of risk—one that starts on the shop floor and in the fulfilment workflow, not only in the courtroom.

For executives, founders, general counsel and investors, this approach can be particularly valuable in Brazil, where legal and regulatory complexity often intersects with fast-changing consumer expectations and digital business models.

Recognised expertise in shopping centre law and commercial real estate

Shopping centres remain a major engine of Brazilian retail, with leasing decisions affecting operational costs, store performance and brand positioning. Bernardi Advogados & Associados highlights shopping centre expertise as a core strength of the practice, led by founder Rafael Bernardi.

According to information provided, he chairs the Shopping Center Law Committee of the São Paulo Bar Association (OAB/SP), holds an LL.M. in Contract Law and has a specialization in Shopping Centers from Insper. This combination of professional leadership and academic background supports the firm’s work across retail leasing and commercial real estate strategy.

What this can mean in practice

Retail real estate decisions can shape a brand’s trajectory for years. The firm’s stated focus includes lease negotiations and projects such as built-to-suit arrangements, as well as site risk analysis—helping businesses weigh legal exposure alongside footfall, logistics and unit economics.

Three ways of working: Preventive, Litigation and Integrated

Bernardi Advogados & Associados describes its services being delivered through three complementary ways of working. This structure is designed to match the rhythm of retail businesses—where legal needs can range from everyday guidance to high-stakes disputes.

• Preventive: proactive advice designed to anticipate risk, shape policies and support decision-making before issues escalate.
• Litigation: strategic and high-volume dispute management, particularly relevant for retailers that face recurring consumer and employment claims.
• Integrated: multidisciplinary collaboration when matters span multiple legal areas—such as expansion projects, restructuring, omnichannel operations or crisis response.

The emphasis on integration reflects the firm’s central theme: retail legal matters are interconnected, and counsel is most effective when it sees the whole operational picture.

Service areas aligned to the retail lifecycle

From established national chains to international brands entering Brazil, retail leaders often need support that can keep pace with growth while protecting the customer experience and the brand. The firm’s stated service coverage includes:

• Consumer relations and litigation: support for customer-facing policies and dispute management involving returns, warranties, deliveries and promotions.
• Labour and union relations: guidance for store and logistics teams, employment structure, internal policies and the realities of workforce representation.
• Shopping centre stores and commercial real estate: leasing strategy, built-to-suit projects and site risk analysis for physical expansion.
• Digital, e-commerce and data protection: advice on digital operations and personal data protection aligned with LGPD requirements.
• Commercial contracts: support for supplier, service, distribution and partnership agreements.
• Regulatory, compliance and government relations: monitoring legislation and engaging with public authorities, with an emphasis on legality and transparency.

For fast-scaling retailers, this breadth can reduce handoffs between separate counsel teams and help ensure consistency—so that, for example, marketing promises align with consumer rules, operational practices align with labour standards, and customer data processes align with LGPD expectations.

A bridge to regulators—grounded in transparency

Retail is highly visible, politically sensitive and directly tied to consumer protection. Regulatory shifts can quickly affect pricing practices, promotions, product disclosures and e-commerce operations. Bernardi Advogados & Associados notes that its compliance and government relations work includes monitoring legislation and engaging with public authorities, with a stated commitment to legality and transparency.

For executives and investors, this focus can help reduce uncertainty—particularly during expansion, brand repositioning or major operational changes.

Industry recognition and momentum

The Global 100 – 2027 award builds on a series of recognitions cited by the firm, including:

• Global 100 Reputation Awards: Winner
• Lawyer International Legal 100: Best Legal Services Business of the Year, Brazil
• American Business Vanguard: Nominee
• Análise Advocacia: Most Admired Law Firm in Greater São Paulo

Collectively, these acknowledgements point to a practice gaining visibility for its retail-focused model and its emphasis on aligning legal solutions with commercial execution.

What retail leaders can take away

For retailers operating in Brazil—or planning to enter the market—the most valuable legal support often looks less like reactive problem-solving and more like operational enablement. When counsel is integrated across consumer relations, labour, real estate, digital and regulatory issues, leaders can make decisions with greater clarity and speed.

Bernardi Advogados & Associados frames this as a shift in mindset: legal counsel is not merely a cost centre brought in after a dispute, but a strategic partner that helps protect growth. In a market as dynamic and complex as Brazil, that partnership can be the difference between expansion that scales and expansion that stalls.

Contact details

Bernardi Advogados & Associados
Office: Av. Pacaembu, 1976, Pacaembu, São Paulo/SP
Phone: +55 (11) 3511-1145
Instagram: @bernardiadvogadosoficial