Cristiano Zanin

Cristiano Zanin Martins (born 15 November 1975) is a Brazilian attorney and professor who serves as justice of the Supreme Federal Court. He gained notoriety as personal attorney of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in lawsuits related to Operation Car Wash.

On 1 June 2023, Zanin was appointed by president Lula da Silva as Justice of the Supreme Federal Court, replacing retired Justice Ricardo Lewandowski. His nomination was approved by the Federal Senate in a voting of 58–18 on 21 June 2023.

Early life and academics

The son of Maria Roseli and Nelson Martins, Cristiano Zanin was born in Piracicaba into a middle-class family and moved to São Paulo in 1994 to study at the Law School of the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP), graduating in 1999. He concluded a specialization in civil procedure at the same university.

He taught civil law at the Autonomous School of Law (FADISP) in São Paulo.

Zanin is one of the authors of the book "Lawfare: uma introdução", which talks about "the strategic use of Law for political, geopolitical, military and commercial objectives" and founded in 2018 the Lawfare Institute for the production of content about the subject and analysis on real cases.

Career

Attorneyship

Zanin began his attorneyship in 2000 as an attorney at the office of Arruda Alvim, where he was an intern during college. In 2004, he became partner of Teixeira Martins Attorneys-at-law. In 2022, he opened his own attorney office, in a partnership with his wife Valeska Martins, daughter of his former partner Roberto Teixeira.