Criminalist tells how to reconcile a triathlete’s routine with work

Run, swim, cycle and run one of the largest Corporate Criminal Law offices in the country. The lawyer’s routine Leonardo Avelar gives a new dimension to the slogan repeated by 11 out of ten criminal lawyers: ”The defense doesn’t stop”.

In an interview with the electronic magazine Legal Adviserhe explained how he manages to balance his routine as a lawyer with that of a triathlete.

Avelar’s passion for sport began before his interest in Law.

”I was born in the city of Santos, which was known as the national capital of triathlon. It was the time of Fernanda Keller, who is a sports icon. There were many competitions and I always watched them. And I asked myself: how can these guys swim, cycle and run? I liked it and started training. I passed the entrance exam and went to college in São Paulo, but I never stopped training,” he said.

As a student, Avelar woke up at 5 am and trained in cycling. At lunchtime, he swam, and after college he used to run home. ”I’ve been waking up at 5am for 25 years,” he summed up.

So much focus paid off. Avelar was already the São Paulo triathlon champion, runner-up in Brazil and completed the dreaded Ironman four times, consisting of no less than 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and a marathon (42.195 kilometers).

Avelar dedicated himself to triathlon competitively for 25 years, in more than 200 competitions. And anyone who thinks that his routine became more pleasant after he founded his own firm is mistaken. In a normal week, he usually trains for 12 hours, divided between running, swimming and cycling. However, at times, life as a criminalist puts limits on the athlete.

”It has happened many times that they call me in the middle of training. And there’s no way. It has to stop. When a criminalist’s phone rings at 6 a.m. it’s always a serious matter.”

According to him, the routine in sport is his escape from the daily life of criminal law. ”I learned a lot from the sport. About consistency and always doing what needs to be done. All day. If I win a race, I’ll think it’s great, but tomorrow I have to train again. If you win a case in the Superior Court of Justice, for example, it’s the same thing. Beautiful. Great to win. But tomorrow I have to dedicate myself with the same intensity. All over again. I learned this from the sport and it makes me want to compete until I’m about 80 years old.’