I spent my 1L summer working in an intellectual property firm in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was incredible. Not only did I learn about the mechanics of the Brazilian legal system, I made lasting relationships with a number of colleagues, experienced the rich Brazilian culture, and spent quality time soaking up sun on its beautiful beaches. I would highly recommend that any 1L students consider a foreign internship and I would doubly recommend an internship in Brazil.

The Brazilian legal world is both interesting to study and frustrating to work with. In Brazil, corruption and intimidation is rampant and often the victor of a legal controversy is the one with the most guns, money and political connections. After meeting a criminal prosecutor, he declined to give me his business card for fear that it might fall in to the wrong hands and compromise his and his family’s safety. Many intellectual property courts are consistent only in their inconsistency and protectionist policy regularly outweighs written law. However, Brazil has a promising future. Its vast natural resources and tremendous economic growth bring a potential for change. And unlike many other developing nations, it now has a stable democracy, a strong commitment to raise its citizens out of poverty, and good foreign relations within the global community. Even though many courts are still loath to uphold intellectual property rights, the tide is slowly turning as more high-tech industries set up shop in Brazil.

But to only talk about the government and legal system in Brazil is like talking about sushi but only mentioning the rice. Brazil is an intensely beautiful country. In Rio, the mountains shoot towards the sky, the white-sand beaches are miles long and clean, and everyone celebrates outdoor sports with a passion I have yet to see elsewhere. Brazil’s numerous and diverse musical genres, literature, religions and delicious cuisine stem from its blended mix of African, Native American and European cultures. Cariocas (i.e., people from Rio) are friendly towards Americans, are easy to converse with, and party till dawn.

Michael Sander, 2L

Contributor

For current 1Ls, I highly recommend working abroad for your first year summer. You will keep your friends and connections forever and any employer that sees a foreign legal experience on your resumé will be impressed that you would take on such an adventure.

Of course there are barriers to working abroad; the process may seem daunting and can, quite frankly, be scary. But going through the process in baby steps is much easier than you would think and it doesn’t take long for you to feel comfortable in your neighborhood. As far as actually landing an internship, it is probably easier to get a job in a Brazil than to get one here in New York City. If you need some help looking for a job, ask me or career services. I have left them with my tips on how to land a job in a developing country.

The first year summer is a chance for you to dabble in an area of the law that you’re unfamiliar with or to do something really interesting. It may be one of the last summers that you have to really jump out of your shell and take a big risk. When you’re thinking about what you want to do this summer, think about Brazil.