Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant

Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (born 15 July 1966) is a Brazilian jurist and International law scholar. He serves as judge of the International Court of Justice since 4 November 2022. He is also a professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the founder of the International Law Center (CEDIN), in Belo Horizonte.

He was elected to the ICJ in the 2022 special election to complete the term of Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade, after his passing.

Education Brant graduated from the School of Law, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, in 1991. In the same year, he obtained a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Human Rights at the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, San José, Costa Rica.

In 1993, he obtained a Master's Degree in International Law at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, with the thesis "The Right to Development as a Human Right". In the same year, he also obtained a Diploma of Advanced Studies at the Hague Academy of International Law, The Hague, Netherlands.

From 1996 to 2000, Brant studied at Université Paris X - Nanterre, France, where he obtained his PhD. He was awarded Doctor of International Law with the thesis "L'autorité de la chose jugée en Droit International Public". His thesis was awarded the "Prix du Ministère de la Recherche – Département Sciences de la Société de la République Française-Paris" (2000) and the "Prix de la Chancellerie de l'Académie de Paris" (2000). He also obtained a Diploma in Advanced Studies at the Institut International des Droits de L'Homme, Strasbourg, France (1996), and a Diploma in Advanced Studies at the United Nations Study Programme, Geneva, Switzerland (1997).

Career Brant started as a Professor of Public International Law and International Criminal Law at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil (1994–present). From 2000 to 2021, he was also a Tenured Professor of Public International Law at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte.

From 2003 to 2004 he worked as a Legal Advisor (Juriste) at the Juridical Department of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague.

In 2007 Brant worked at Université Caen Basse-Normandie, France, as a visiting professor. In 2009, also as a visiting professor at the Institut des Hautes Études Internationales, he taught at the Université Panthéon Assas Paris II, France. In the same year, he was a Visiting Senior Researcher at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Cambridge University, United Kingdom, where he worked alongside specialists in international adjudication. In 2010, he was a visiting professor at the XXXVII Course on International Law of the Organization of American States (OAS), Rio de Janeiro. Brant was also a visiting professor at Université Paris-Ouest Nanterre la Défense in 2013. From 2016 to 2017, he worked as visiting professor at L'Institut d'Études Politiques d'Aix-en-Provence – SciencesPo Aix, France.

In 2011, he delivered the Gilberto Amado Memorial Lecture before the United Nations International Law Commission in Geneva, on the scope of consent in international dispute resolution. He also served as a speaker at the 73rd Congress of the Institut de Droit International (IDI) in Santiago, Chile (2007).

In June 2014, Brant was one of the candidates nominated by the Brazilian Government for the position of judge at the International Criminal Court. Ultimately, he was not elected; however, fellow Brazilian Sylvia Steiner was elected.

2022 International Court of Justice judges election

Brant was one of the two Brazilian candidates running for the 2022 International Court of Justice judges election. In October 2022, he was elected judge in replacement of Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade. According to Opinio Juris (blog), he will "continue Latin America's legal legacy at the Court, after the passing of Judge Trindade".