heyy, can someone help me?
I am willing to apply for Competition, Business and Regulatory Law Program at Freie University in Berlin.
I would like to ask you about the acceptance of this masters in english in terms of finding a job with it in Berlin.

dankeschön!

I replied to your message with some information specific to Brazil ;-) Hope that's useful!

I replied to your message with some information specific to Brazil ;-) Hope that's useful!

aqui esta! boa sorte!!

MBL-FU May 09, 2017
Dear _brazilian_lawyer_,

I am glad that you are interested in our programme and job perspectives is one of the most frequently asked questions. I assume that you have qualified as a lawyer in Brazil?

Working in Germany as a foreign-trained lawyer means that you will have to find a job that takes advantage of your unique set of skills. It also means that learning German will sooner or later come in handy. I would suggest focussing on International Business law or other areas of law with a strong international aspect (Intellectual Property Law, Competition Law, Trade Law). As the world biggest exporting nation, Germany has precious contacts all over the world, and Brazil is an immensely growing market with rising importance! Nevertheless, it takes some determination to find the perfect job in Germany as a foreign-trained lawyer. You are not easily admitted to the bar to practice German law. Since Brazil is a WTO member you can apply to practice under your Brazilian title ("advogado") and only relating to international or Brazilian law. There is a fair share of jobs for these specialised lawyers. A second aspect is how employers recognise your degree. Especially large international law firms will know everything about the Brazilian legal system. If you decide to work for an SME in Germany (e.g. an exporting one) it might more difficult. Here a German degree obviously will help, since employers know their home universities and their reputation.

I could probably get you in touch with a few graduates of ours. I remember that we had a student from Syria just last year who started working for German-Spanish law firm during the degree and is now working for Deutsche Bank (Germany's biggest bank). Syria being a civil war-torn non-EU state, I believe his starting position was considerably less advantageous than yours! (If you're interested: Here's the link: http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/international/berlin/testimonials/mbl-master/index.html) We also had our fair share of students from Brazil and my colleague is a Brazilian graduate of the programme who now works as a PhD researcher at the university. I could get you in touch with him, if you want me to?

Within Europe, the German legal education is known to be an extremely thorough one. Historically, it is a mix of Germanic customs, Roman Law (like the Anglo-American system) and Napoleonic Law (like the French system) and is a leading influence on EU law. While German degrees are highly esteemed, only few foreigners who do not speak English obtain such a degree since most German programmes are still held in German. I have studied in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands and have worked in the Netherlands, Belgium and France and I found out that lawyers trained in Germany are known to be very systematic, thorough in their research and fond of clear statutes and the letter of the law (case law is less important here than in the UK). So I would conclude that a degree from our programme would be seen as an important step towards establishing a professional basis in Europe.

I hope I could answer your question?
Best,
Dominik

Thanks for posting :-) Here's the other half from a different posting by _brazilian_lawyer_, it's maybe a bit less specific and provides broader information:

1. Specialisation and a programme that fits

It really depends on what you want to focus on! Specialised in International Criminal Law? The Hague and Leiden definitely have a reputation due to the ICC. Maritime Law? Try Rotterdam or Hamburg! International Arbitration? Swiss universities have focussed on this for ages!

As for business law in General, the two front-runners are usually Germany - as the most important economy in Europe and the biggest net export nation in the world - or the UK as the most important English-speaking country in Europe. France usually follows these two quite closely with a smaller Economy than both and less degrees in English but a great focus on academia. Smaller countries have made their mark, too, especially the Netherlands (for trade and maritime law) and Sweden by providing ample of English-taught programmes.

2. Employment after graduation

Bear in mind that after an excellent qualification, you still need to find a job. Europeans enjoy free movement of workers within the EU, so getting a qualification in Germany and moving to the UK afterwards is usually not a problem (this could change after Brexit). Before looking for a job, you have to decide whether you want to a) take advantage of your previous qualification (recommended) or b) start all over from scratch. If you do take advantage of your previous education, I would suggest having a look at the most important trading partners for your country. For Brazil, the largest EU exporters are Germany (14%) and Italy (1%) while the largest EU importers are the Netherlands (15%) and Germany (7%). Language also plays a role, especially when you can use your native language in an EU country (Brazilian portuguese in Portugal / Latin-American Spanish in Spain). In other Countries (France, Netherlands, Germany) learning the language will be on your to-do list sooner or later. You can work in English for quite a while without problems, but when you go to the bakery around the corner on a Sunday morning, you feel stupid after a while not knowing how to name those delicious treats correctly.

3. Living in the EU

I don't understand why so many people seem to ignore this crucial aspect when making a potentially live-changing decision. You will not only work in another country, but also live there. While the German or French economy might be strong and promising for a career, you might find after a few years that the German or French lifestyle just isn't for you and that you'd be happier in maybe Italy or Greece. There are ways to "measure" quality of life for a country or a city but it also has to fit your personal plans.

Good luck and success with your applications!