Paulo Guerra

- Juiz Desembargador - Tribunal da Relação de Coimbra

Graduated in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (1981-1986). Has been a Judge since 1988, currently serving as an Appellate Judge at the Coimbra Court of Appeal. Author of several legal works in the field of Family and Children’s Law. Served as a lecturer at the Center for Judicial Studies (CEJ) for 6 years in this area, acting as Coordinator of the Area for 3 years. Served as Secretary Judge of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (2004-2007). Has been a speaker at over 600 seminars, meetings, and congresses. Conducted training in 69 training sessions in Portugal, Spain, France, Macau, and Mozambique. Is an invited trainer for postgraduate courses and master’s programs at various Portuguese universities. Represented the Portuguese State – appointed by the Government – during Portugal’s Presidency of the European Union (July 1 to December 31, 2007), chairing the Working Group of the EU Civil Law Committee in Brussels, which focused on the EU regulation on maintenance obligations (Regulation 4/2009, of December 18, 2008, concerning jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions, and cooperation in matters of maintenance obligations). Participated as Portugal’s representative (and subsequent coordinator of the positions of the 27 EU countries) in negotiations for the new Hague Convention on the recovery of maintenance owed to minors and other family members (and its Protocol on the applicable law to these maintenance obligations), held from November 5 to 23, 2007, in The Hague (within the framework of the Hague Conference on Private International Law), and co-signed the Convention and Protocol with the Portuguese Ambassador in The Hague on November 23, 2007. Is an associate of the Family Law Center (Faculty of Law, University of Coimbra) and a member of the Permanent Adoption Observatory (CDF – Coimbra).