Most young lawyers spend so much time and energy establishing themselves in the United States—going to law school, finding a job, passing the bar, learning how to practice—that working abroad remains a wonderful, mysterious experience only other people have. But the fact is that firms often feel lucky when lawyers volunteer for an international stint. And now that the globe is so tightly wound in fiber-optic cable, conducting business across oceans has never been easier. But for the time difference, an attorney could be toiling in Boston just as easily as she could be in—well, Sydney, for example, where one of the lawyers profiled in this story works. Or Shanghai, Moscow, Paris, or Sao Paulo, where the other four live. Talk to a partner or recruiting director to find out what the possibilities are at your firm, and you may soon find yourself packing up your suits and brushing up on your Portuguese. As you're about to find out, the only obstacle between you and a life-changing international adventure may be a plane trip. So, please turn off all portable electronic devices and make sure your seat back and tray table are in their upright and locked positions. We're ready for takeoff.
Paris Rachel Thorn Age 33 This might sound corny, but my favorite thing here is the Eiffel Tower. It's between my office and my apartment, so I walk past it all the time, and I drive by it if I take a cab home. In the course of my work, sometimes I can forget that I'm in Paris. But then I look up at the Eiffel Tower and it reminds me I'm here.
I practice international arbitration with Latham & Watkins. When the firm merged with the French practice of a Dutch firm two years ago, the co-chair of the group in New York decided to move here. Since I worked mostly with him, he asked me if I'd relocate. I came with my husband, and I'm one year into a three-year stint.
One of the first things that struck me when I arrived is the extent to which the French are more fashion-forward than Americans. Parisian women seem to take greater pains with their appearance. More attention is paid to the fact that you are a woman. I've seen fishnet stockings paired with a conservative skirt during the day. I bought a suit here recently that was by a French designer, and the cut is much closer than anything I would have worn in the Unites States. Women wear heels everywhere—I haven't taken to this yet. In fact, when I walk to work I get some strange looks for wearing running shoes with my business suit. I've tried to dress French, but frankly, I'm too preppy.
What I've come to appreciate is that the pace here reflects an appreciation for the quality of life. At a flower cart or a fish stand, the vendor will set up his goods with such care. People take the time to make things look nice. The pace at work is slower, too-there's not the sense of urgency that there is in New York. Things take longer—preparing documents, copying, faxing—so we have to plan ahead.
One surprise: The options for takeout when we work late are very limited. I never thought getting food would be so complex and expensive. Baguette sandwiches are a staple—ham and cheese, usually. It seems like when we do takeout, that's all we eat. There are a bunch of boulangeries near the office, but there's not a lot of variety. It comes down to, "What kind of baguette do you want?" I get a little sick of them, but I know I'll miss them when I leave.
Shanghai Catherine Wang Age 27 The first time I came to Shanghai was in 1998, and I was amazed at how modern it was. Skyscrapers, housing complexes, and other buildings were going up left and right. There was, and still is, so much optimism among the people, which is really refreshing. The city feels like Hong Kong and New York-it's very urban, very dynamic. I returned right after law school, in the fall of 2001. I planned to stay a few months to visit my parents, who retired here, but then I decided this was where I wanted to work.
I'm used to being an expat. I was born in Michigan, but I grew up in Tokyo and Hong Kong because my dad's job took us there. I returned to the United States for college and law school. My ancestry is Chinese, but I'm not fluent in the language. My parents often spoke to me in Chinese while I was growing up, but I always replied in English. I was pretty indignant about being forced to study Chinese, and I didn't realize the importance of knowing the language until my first visit here. I can disappear into the crowds because I'm Chinese, but that also means most people expect me to speak the language. It's only then that I'm seen as different, and that can be tough.
Thankfully, most of the work I do is in English. Our office is small, so I get to dabble in different areas-I'm more of a generalist than anything else (though technically I'm a corporate lawyer). I love that I'm able to experience a small-firm environment and still conduct large-firm transactions. I do a lot of drafting and a lot of contracts, but the bulk of my work is helping negotiate technology licenses. I also assist non-Chinese clients in establishing a presence in China or forming joint ventures here.
One thing about working with the Chinese: They love to drink and they love to make you drink as well. They celebrate deals by throwing great banquets with amazing foods—shark fin, turtle shell, fried snakes (I don't quite like those)—and with a lot of drinking. After one shot of baijiu ("white alcohol") they turn red but they keep on going. They shout "gambei," which basically means "bottoms up!" You have to finish your drink-it's considered rude not to. It's a bonding experience.
Moscow Matthew Arledge Age 33 I first came to Moscow after college for two years to learn a foreign language and to experience life abroad. Later, during my second year at Chadbourne, I came back on a temporary assignment. The firm was representing a cigarette manufacturer in the purchase of a factory in Russia. It was a $390 million deal that required a Russian speaker. For six months I traveled between three cities, handling negotiations in London, finalizing agreements and documents in New York, and conducting due diligence in Moscow.
After the cigarette deal closed, the firm asked me to remain in Moscow. Because of my language ability, I do a lot of client development. Most of our clients are Russian entities and a few foreign companies that want to do business in Russia. Knowing the language is key—you can certainly get by with little or no Russian, but if you want to win the best work and the most interaction with Russian lawyers and businesspeople, you have to be fluent. I'm a sixth-year associate now, and my responsibilities include overseeing the work of our Russian lawyers with respect to the language and wording of documents like deal sheets and memos.
Outside work, social life in Moscow revolves around nightlife, mostly because of the weather. The winters are bitter cold and there are months of darkness, so new bars and restaurants are constantly opening. Sometimes it seems like there's a different hot spot every week. But as a matter of fact, bowling—yes, bowling—is one of my favorite things to do here. It's hugely popular, especially with the natives. It's perceived as prestigious, so it's expensive—about $35 an hour. But that includes the shoes.
Sydney Cindi Lefari Age 34 This office is small. There are six lawyers, three of whom are partners. We only practice U.S. law, primarily corporate matters like securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. Mostly I advise clients seeking access to U.S. capital markets on corporate finance transactions. Right now, I'm representing an Australian company on an offering of debt securities in the United States. Most of the firm's clients are Australian companies that want to do business in the United States.
My husband is Australian. We moved here before we were married because he was in the U.S. on a tourist visa and couldn't work. We decided that if I was able to get a job in Sydney, we would come and stay a few years. I had been practicing corporate law in New York, and after several years I was ready to do something new.
The job market was very different in 2000—it was a good time to be looking. I called a headhunter in London who deals with Australian law firms, and I interviewed with what was then Winthrop Stimson (it merged with Pillsbury in 2001) and a couple of local firms. I got two offers. It all happened so fast—within three months I had accepted an offer, and we moved in December 2000.
The work volume here is less than what it would be in New York, and lawyers have more responsibility on a wider variety of projects because there's not as much of a hierarchy. In New York, there are many more junior associates staffing various deals. In this office, we all do everything. At first, I was the only associate here, which kept me incredibly busy. But while I was on maternity leave a few months ago, the firm hired another associate—who, fortunately, we've kept on—and upon my return, they hired a third. The long nights are far less frequent than they would be in New York, too. Overall, there's a healthy balance between work and family. My office overlooks Sydney Harbor and has spectacular views of the opera house and the bridge. I have lunch almost every day with my husband and my daughter, and in the summer we sit out by the water.
Sao Paulo Miguel Lawson Age 37 My freshman year of college, I took a course on the history of Brazil, and it changed my life. I decided to study Portuguese, and I took class after class on Latin American history. I spent a semester studying in Salvador, a city in northeastern Brazil. I have no Latin ancestry, no family ties to Brazil. But I feel I was meant to live here. It's hard to explain, but I felt a connection to the people. Still, it took me more than a decade to come back after that semester. In 1997 I was doing energy-related regulatory work for a firm in Washington, D.C. An old friend who was living in Brazil came to visit. Talking to him helped me realize what I was missing.
There weren't many U.S.-based firms in Brazil then. Headhunters laughed when I told them what I wanted. I was close to giving up when I got a call from a headhunter telling me that White & Case was looking for American lawyers to staff an office here. Within a couple of months, I moved.
As a corporate lawyer, I handle transactions in project finance, capital markets, equity, and investments. Many of the firm's deals play a role in Brazil's development—the firm has assisted multilateral agencies in structuring financing for an expansion of the Sao Paulo metro system and for a new electric power plant, for example. Our office consists of six lawyers, four of whom are from the U.S. We generally do what we'd do in the United States, but it's important to have attorneys who speak the language close to our clients, so we're here. Brazil is a country of insiders—to a certain extent, who you know determines how well you do. Getting your foot in the door is hard, but once you're in, if you do a good job there's strong client loyalty.
At this point, I don't know where else I'd live. This is my home. I'm not oblivious to the crime, the pollution, the poverty, the hunger, the corruption, or the lack of infrastructure. For tourists, it's easy to look beyond these problems; I don't have that luxury. At times, I get frustrated or sad. I get angry. But Brazil is a country that embraces everyone, and because of this, people who come here end up embracing it back.
