Tony Barbuto- Tony Barbuto Delegate, WLG | regional New York ‘24, TozziniFreire Advogados (Brazil)

Member Voices 

Tony Barbuto

Delegate, WLG | regional New York ‘24

TozziniFreire Advogados (Brazil)
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1. Briefly describe your practice.

I'm a dispute partner at TozziniFreire Advogados in São Paulo, Brazil. I started as a trainee in 1999 and became a partner in 2010. For the past 25 years, I've been having fun (yes, fun!) representing clients in all types of disputes before courts, arbitral tribunals, and administrative bodies. 

 

2. You attended WLG | regional New York '24. Which session did you most enjoy, and why?

 

I was very impressed with the event, its organizers, and its participants. The "speed networking session" was a great tool to break the ice and create a sense of community amongst the participants. The session on "AI and Its Evolving Role in Law" was very useful, especially because of the hands-on approach.

 

3. How do you plan to implement your takeaways in your work?

I'm already using what I learned in the AI session: I've been having productive conversations with ChatGPT about engaging ways to structure a defense, an opening statement, and so forth (mindful of our professional responsibilities regarding privacy, of course!). Also, I shared with my partners the tips and tools I learned during the session on developing client relationships that foster mutual growth.

 

4. You shared incredible news with fellow delegates in New York regarding a health-related achievement. Can you tell us about this and how your journey has impacted you?

Sure! I was diagnosed with brain cancer 18 months ago. I underwent a 14-hour surgery, followed by radiotherapy sessions and a yearlong chemotherapy program. Scary, indeed… But three weeks before WLG | regional New York ‘24 I received the good news that I was cancer free. I even had the MRI images of my brain framed! It seems cliché, but this situation has made me appreciate life even more. The MRIs will still be a constant in my life, but I am privileged to be able to fight this with the full support of my family and TozziniFreire. I'm very honored to share this news with my colleagues at WLG! I can't wait to share new pictures of my cancer-free brain in the next meetings!

 

5. What is a must-see or do that you would recommend to those visiting São Paulo?

 

First order of business: visit our office at Rua Borges Lagoa, where we serve the best "legal cappuccino" in town on our beautiful lawn. Also, São Paulo has great restaurants, and WLG members will certainly be spoiled once they visit us!