Partner
Felipe Palhares
Felipe Palhares is a partner in BMA's Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, and Blockchain and Innovation practice areas. He has extensive experience assisting local and international companies in strategic matters that involve the processing of personal data, in managing the response to security incidents, data breaches and ransomware attacks, and in dealing with regulators. He is admitted to the practice of law in Brazil and in the New York State.
Languages
- Portuguese
- English
OAB
- OAB/SC nº 31.129 | OAB/SP nº 309.006 | OAB/DF nº 66.480 | OAB/RJ nº 233.451
Professional experience
Felipe advises clients from various jurisdictions in designing, carrying out, and reviewing privacy programs, assists companies on data privacy matters during the development of new products and services, and provides support in the response to security incidents and cyberattacks.
Felipe also has extensive experience in strategic litigation, both judicial and administrative, acting for clients from a wide variety of sectors, such as technology, payment means, infrastructure, airlines, gaming and entertainment. He also works in M&A transactions and capital markets offerings, conducting due diligence related to technology and data privacy matter.
Felipe is the only person in the world to have earned all current certifications and designations issued by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), including the CIPP/A, CIPP/C, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, CIPT, CDPO/BR, CDPO/FR, FIP and PLS.
Among some of the relevant cases in which he worked are:
- Represented publicly listed companies in the crisis management due to ransomware attacks, participating in discussions during the forensics investigation, managing the communications with regulators and business partners, and representing the clients in administrative and judicial proceedings.
- Represented a payment institutions regulated by the Brazilian Central Bank in a civil proceeding launched by the Public Prosecutor's Office related to a security incident involving personal data.
- Represented one of the leading video game company in the world in several lawsuits filed against it due to personal data processing activities carried out by one of its most popular games.
- Assisted a health company in the assessment of a cyber incident, and mapping appropriate measures to mitigate such risks.
- Assisted one of the largest platforms of online content in Brazil in its compliance with the Brazilian General Data Protection Law and in the structuring of an intragroup international data transfer agreement for the entities of its economic group.
- Assisted a company from the aviation sector, world leader in air transport communications, in the conduction of its privacy program to comply with the Brazilian General Data Protection Law and in reviewing its internal policies and procedures related to processing personal data.
- Assisted several national and international companies in their compliance with the Brazilian General Data Protection Law, from carrying out data mapping exercises to structuring complete privacy programs.
- Assisted a startup from the health sector in assessing the risks from a data protection standpoint on the recording and sharing of personal data from patients that uses its telemedicine services.
He is also certified as a Data Protection Officer by Maastrich University, in the Netherlands, and as a Data Privacy Solutions Engineer by ISACA.
Felipe is a guest lecturer on data privacy at INSPER, FGV/Rio, Damásio and other educational institutions.
He worked during an exchange period at the UK law firms Eversheds Sutherland and Bristows.
Education
LL.M. in Corporate Law - New York University (2016).
Specialization in Corporate Law - INSPER (2015).
Specialization in Business Law - FGV/SP (2013).
LL.B. - Faculdade de Ciências Sociais de Florianópolis (2010).
Associations
International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA).
International Technology Law Association.
Recognitions
Felipe was also selected as a prize winner in the Lexology's Client Choice Awards 2025, an award that recognizes excellence in client care and quality of service.
Awarded as Lawyer of the Year 2023 in the Brazil TMT: Cybersecurity and Data Privacy category by Legal 500.
Recognized among the 40 remarkable data protection professionals in the world under 40 years-old, being ranked in the 40 under 40 2021 list of the Global Data Review.
Felipe is the only Brazilian to be recognized as a Privacy Law Specialist by the IAPP. He is also the first Brazilian to be recognized as a Fellow of Information Privacy by the IAPP.
Felipe is frequently recognized as one of the best and most important data privacy lawyers in Brazil by specialized publications such as Chambers and Partners, Global Data Review, Lexology Index, Latin Lawyer, Legal 500, Leaders League, Análise Advocacia and LACCA Approved (The Latin American Corporate Counsel Association).
He is also recognized as a Thought Leader in Data, technology and privacy law by LACCA - The Latin American Corporate Counsel Association.
PUBLICAÇÕES DO PROFISSIONAL
Publicações
O Direito no Metaverso (coord.) São Paulo: Editoria Revista dos Tribunais, 2022.
Compliance Digital e a LGPD. São Paulo: Editora Revista dos Tribunais, 2021.
Estudos sobre Privacidade e Proteção de Dados (coord.) São Paulo: Editora Revista dos Tribunais, 2021.
Temas Atuais de Proteção de Dados (coord.) São Paulo: Editora Revista dos Tribunais, 2020.
Relatório de Impacto à Proteção de Dados. In: LGPD – Manual de Implementação. São Paulo: Editora Revista dos Tribunais, 2019.
Brazil's DPA has arrived: Is it a blessing or curse in disguise? International Association of Privacy Professionals, 16 January 2019.
Autoridade de Proteção de Dados. Valor Econômico, 28 January 2019.
Brazil's GDPR-style DP law is a game-changer. Privacy Laws & Business International Report. Issue 159, June 2019, pp. 3-5.
As Mudanças na LGPD. Valor Econômico, 14 June 2019.
Requisitos do 'Data Protection Officer'. Valor Econômico, 5 August 2019.
O valor positivo da LGPD. JOTA, 25 November 2019.
Agenda prioritária da Autoridade de Dados. Estadão, 12 September 2019.
O ano da LGPD. Estadão, 28 January 2020.
O adiamento da LGPD. Valor Econômico, 5 May 2020.
Brazil: Impact of possible postponement of LGPD. Data Protection Leader, Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2020, pp. 12-14.
Brazil: Operationalising the LGPD: Part One – DSARs & breach notification requirement. DataGuidance, 27 July 2020.