International legal practice: how to specialize

1. How much does a lawyer specializing in international law earn?

The answer depends, first of all, on the working relationship under consideration. The salary of an employed lawyer, remuneration as a partner or associate, an internship stipend and the revenue of a self-employed practitioner are not equivalent measures. Experience, region, working arrangements, the nature of the engagements and the cost of the practice structure can alter the results substantially. Any comparison of figures would require knowledge of the sample, the date, the working hours, the collection criteria and the composition of the remuneration.

The range of R$4,000.00 to R$37,000.00 mentioned in the historical version of this article was not accompanied by those elements. It should be understood as an estimate published at the time, not validated as a current average, a professional minimum, a promise of income or the price of a firm’s services. Gross receipts also do not necessarily correspond to net income: expenses, taxes, the division of work and continuity of client service must form part of the economic assessment.

Article 22 of the Statute of the Legal Profession distinguishes agreed fees, fees fixed by the court and fees awarded against the losing party. Consultations, specific acts and remuneration linked to the outcome, where legally permissible and properly agreed, require examination of the engagement contract and of professional ethics. The amount received does not, in itself, demonstrate technical ability or experience. Fees must be set in accordance with articles 48 and 49 of the Code of Ethics and Discipline and the rules of the competent OAB State Section.

2. What does a lawyer specializing in international law do?

The work consists of identifying and resolving the legal effects of a connection with another legal system. That connection may arise from the parties’ residence, the location of assets, the performance of obligations, the origin of a decision or the countries in which an act will need to take effect. A difference in nationality is one possible element, but it does not by itself determine jurisdiction or the applicable law.

Contracts, trade, investment, intellectual property, human rights, migration and family relationships may all call for international analysis. Drafting a contractual instrument involves examining obligations and dispute-resolution mechanisms; a family claim may require coordination of custody, maintenance, property and the circulation of decisions; an immigration matter depends on its own categories and procedures. The range is broad, but it does not justify attributing to any individual practitioner personal mastery of all these subjects.

Representation before international courts and tribunals, work in arbitration and practice before national courts are different activities. Each depends on the constitutive instrument, the procedural rules and the relevant authorization. In child abduction cases, the analysis of return is not the same as deciding custody; in assisting displaced persons, refugee status, asylum, residence and naturalization must likewise remain legally distinct. Defining the service comes before choosing the team and the strategy.

3. Can someone who studied law in Brazil work as a lawyer abroad?

A Brazilian law degree and admission to the OAB do not confer a universal authorization to practise. The destination country may require recognition of studies, a professional assessment, registration, experience or other conditions. It is not correct to assert that every legal system necessarily demands a complete new degree, nor can local verification be dispensed with because a firm has a presence in several countries.

Portugal should not be presented as an automatic exception either. In a statement of 4 July 2023, the Portuguese Bar Association announced the termination of the reciprocal registration regime from 5 July 2023, with protection for applications then pending. This historical fact prevents the former exemption from being reproduced as a current general rule. An applicant’s position depends on the applicable regime and on the assessment of the competent body at the time of the application.

Advising on Brazilian law abroad, research, support roles, internships or employment within an organization may fall under classifications different from local legal practice. The designation of paralegal or trainee does not remove restrictions on reserved activities, nor does it replace immigration and work authorization where required. In the opposite direction, OAB Provision No. 91/2000 governs a specific authorization to advise on foreign law in Brazil, without permitting advice on Brazilian law or representation in court.

4. Which area of international law pays the most?

Without comparable data, there is no basis for singling out one segment as the most lucrative. Corporate transactions, arbitration and commercial advisory work may involve substantial sums, but also costly structures, specialized teams and significant professional risks. The economic size of a transaction is not the same as the fee of each participant, and that fee does not automatically correspond to net income.

Criminal defence involving foreign elements calls for the same caution. The client’s liberty and the seriousness of the consequences do not support the inference of a higher average remuneration, nor do they justify treating the vulnerability of the accused as a criterion of commercial opportunity. Moreover, a transnational criminal case before domestic courts is not necessarily the same as a prosecution for international crimes before the International Criminal Court.

Career choices should take account of the services one intends to provide, the training required, the capacity to sustain client service and compatibility with personal interests and values. Planning may estimate costs, time and the need for collaboration; it should not turn revenue hypotheses into a promise of prosperity or an argument for the superiority of a given practice.

5. What should one know about the field and its market?

Public international law, private international law and substantive disciplines with foreign connections have related but distinct subject matters. The first covers, among other topics, international legal persons, treaties, responsibility and organizations. The second examines problems such as jurisdiction, the determination of the applicable law and the effectiveness of foreign acts. Trade, taxation, family and employment add their own substantive rules and procedures.

Opportunities exist in legal practice, advisory work, companies, international organizations, teaching and research. Diplomacy is a separate career, with its own entry requirements and functions. The existence of these environments does not in itself demonstrate growth in positions or continuous demand. Statements about saturation, competition and remuneration depend on properly defined surveys; globalization and economic integration are no substitute for hiring data.

To study a market, it is useful to identify who requires the service, in which jurisdictions it will be performed, what deliverables are needed and which structure allows them to be produced. Arbitration, commercial negotiations and compliance may form part of that inquiry without being presented as areas of guaranteed expansion. Training acquires direction when it is linked to concrete problems and verifiable sources, rather than depending solely on the breadth of the label “international”.

6. How does an international lawyer’s career develop?

Development may take place through legal research, document review, contract drafting, supervised client work, litigation and coordination with colleagues. The tasks undertaken must correspond to the authorization and experience available. A path through a large firm is one possible form of training, but it is not a general condition of entry; smaller structures can also offer sound learning in well-defined engagements.

Companies, States and international organizations have different needs. Representing a company in a negotiation or arbitration is not the same as performing diplomatic functions or joining the staff of an organization. The Brazilian diplomatic career has its own selection and training process, overseen by the Rio Branco Institute. Admission to the OAB does not, in itself, confer a diplomatic post or an international function.

In teaching and research, what matters is method, academic output and the requirements of the institution. In commercial advisory work, the subject matter may require dialogue with accounting, logistics, regulation and professionals from other jurisdictions. In any of these paths, the development plan should set out competences, responsibilities and means of keeping up to date. The diversity of paths does not justify promising recognition, stability or particular economic results.

7. How do lawyers handle international cases?

The analysis begins with the facts, documents, time limits and intended effects. The competent authority, the applicable law, the taking of evidence, the necessary communications and the mechanisms for recognition or enforcement are then examined. The choice among negotiation, litigation, arbitration or institutional cooperation should follow from that assessment. The mere presence of a foreign element does not transfer the dispute to an international court.

The International Court of Justice admits only States as parties in contentious cases, under article 34 of its Statute; its jurisdiction and representation by agents and counsel follow their own rules, particularly articles 36 and 42. The International Criminal Court, in turn, exercises criminal jurisdiction over persons and crimes defined by the Rome Statute, complementary to national jurisdictions. Neither functions as a general forum for any private international dispute.

In practice across countries, the team must allocate tasks, identify the person responsible in each jurisdiction and organize language, time zones, confidentiality and the lawful transmission of information. Knowledge of cultural differences assists communication but does not replace verification of rules and documents. Cooperation among professionals should enable the client to understand the scope of the engagement, the stages that depend on third parties and the expected costs.

8. How does one become a lawyer specializing in international law?

Admission to practice in Brazil depends on the requirements of article 8 of Law No. 8,906/1994. From that starting point, specialized training may combine systematic study, supervised experience, research and continuing education. Postgraduate specialization, master’s and doctoral degrees and the LL.M. have their own purposes and academic requirements; they do not form a mandatory sequence for every field of practice, nor do they automatically produce professional authorization abroad.

The study plan should connect the foundations of public and private international law with the chosen substantive field. Humanitarian law, trade and family relationships, for example, call for different paths. Seminars, discussion groups and moot court competitions may develop argument and research skills. Their usefulness depends on the content and on the work actually done, not merely on participation or the certificate received.

Experience should make it possible to verify sources, draft advice and carry out tasks with commensurate responsibility. Keeping up to date requires following legislative changes, case law and the functioning of the relevant institutions. To advertise a specialty in Brazil, article 3, III, of Provision No. 205/2021 requires a certified qualification or recognized expertise. Using the expression in a professional profile does not, by itself, prove either condition.

9. Which firms practise international law?

The expression requires a distinction among law firms, consultancies, in-house legal departments and international organizations. A firm may concentrate its practice on cross-border matters or distribute the work among several specialties. Its name and geographic presence do not demonstrate authorization to provide all legal services in every country. The regime for foreign legal consultancy in Brazil remains subject to the OAB’s rules.

As examples of structures that present themselves as operating in more than one jurisdiction, the institutional information of White & Case, Clifford Chance and Baker McKenzie may be consulted. Historical names also need updating: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer announced in September 2024 the adoption of the name Freshfields; Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling completed their combination to form A&O Shearman on 1 May 2024.

These references allow forms of organization and fields of practice to be examined, without establishing a ranking, a recommendation or a partnership. Trade, arbitration, finance, competition, investment, regulation and litigation may appear in the structures described, with varying distribution among entities and jurisdictions. The analysis of a specific provider should identify the contracting entity, its professionals, the relevant authorization and the subject of the work; a global brand does not dispense with that verification.

10. What does an international lawyer do in family law?

The work may include divorce, property, maintenance, parental responsibility, contact, adoption, marriage and succession with foreign connections. Habitual residence, domicile, the location of assets and the effects sought may be more relevant than a difference in nationality. It is necessary to determine where a claim may be heard, which law governs it and how its outcome will circulate among the countries involved.

In matters concerning children, a custody action and a return application have different objects. The 1980 Hague Convention examines wrongful removal or retention in light of habitual residence and rights of custody, not the diversity of the parents’ passports; article 19 makes clear that a decision on return is not a determination on the merits of custody. Intercountry adoption, for its part, follows its own safeguards: article 2 of the 1993 Hague Convention looks to habitual residence and movement between Contracting States, not simply to the foreign nationality of the prospective adoptive parents.

Marriages and succession planning require attention to capacity, formalities, the matrimonial property regime and assets located in different places. Articles 7 to 10 of the LINDB (Law of Introduction to the Norms of Brazilian Law) provide Brazilian starting points, whose application must be coordinated with the Constitution, substantive rules, procedure and the relevant treaties. Responsible practice coordinates these questions without assuming that a single act will resolve every family, registry and tax effect in any country.

11. What are the main rules governing international law?

There is no single code covering all international relations. The selection of sources depends on the subject matter, the parties and the jurisdictions. The Charter of the United Nations establishes the purposes, principles and organs of the organization. The 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties governs treaties between States; in Brazil, Decree No. 7,030/2009 promulgated it with reservations to articles 25 and 66. Research must identify the exact instrument and the conditions of its application.

“Hague Convention on Private International Law” does not identify a general treaty on marriage, divorce, custody and judgments. The HCCH develops distinct instruments, such as the 1980 Convention on child abduction and the 1993 Convention on adoption, as well as others concerning cooperation and the circulation of acts. In each case, the subject matter, the States involved, entry into force, reservations, declarations and, where applicable, acceptances of accession must be examined. The existence of a convention does not permit its bilateral application to be presumed.

In the law of the sea, the 1958 Geneva instruments must be distinguished from the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, whose entry into force in Brazil was declared by Decree No. 1,530/1995. They should not be merged into a supposed single convention with an imprecise name. In human rights, the repertoire includes the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, each with its own scope and mechanisms.

Refugee protection combines the 1951 Convention, the 1967 Protocol and Law No. 9,474/1997. Refugee status cannot be reduced to requesting asylum or obtaining ordinary immigration documents. The legal classification depends on the grounds for protection and the relevant procedures, with no automatic equivalence between international displacement and recognition of refugee status.

At the Brazilian level, the Constitution sets out principles of international relations in article 4, the powers of Congress and of the President in articles 49, I, and 84, VIII, and a specific provision on the International Criminal Court in article 5, § 4. These provisions do not mean generic submission to any international court. The LINDB contains rules relevant to the application of foreign law; the Civil Code governs substantive relationships, while the Code of Civil Procedure addresses the limits of national jurisdiction and cooperation, particularly in articles 21 to 41 and 960 to 965. These functions should not be confused.

In criminal matters, the territorial and extraterritorial rules of the Penal Code must be read together with special legislation. Genocide and torture are governed specifically by Laws No. 2,889/1956 and No. 9,455/1997; it is not accurate to present them simply as offences defined in the Penal Code. The Migration Law, Law No. 13,445/2017, governs its own field and expressly repealed Law No. 6,815/1980 through article 124, II. The former Foreigners Statute should not be cited as a general statute in force.

Bilateral treaties also require precise identification. The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Consultation promulgated by Decree No. 3,927/2001 was concluded with Portugal. For the relationship with Argentina, a distinct instrument is the Treaty of Integration, Cooperation and Development, promulgated by Decree No. 98,177/1989. The proximity of the subjects does not permit the parties or titles to be interchanged.

As sectoral examples, one may consult the Brazil–United States Air Transport Agreement, the Brazil–France Agreement on Defence Cooperation and the Status of their Forces and the Brazil–Portugal Extradition Treaty, promulgated, respectively, by Decrees No. 9,423/2018, No. 8,838/2016 and No. 1,325/1994. The reference identifies the instruments without certifying their application to a particular transaction or request.

In investment, the Brazil–Angola CFIA offers a documented example, promulgated by Decree No. 9,167/2017. For Japan, the Siscomex page on Mercosur–Japan describes the negotiation of an economic partnership and the mandate approved in June 2026. Negotiation, signature and entry into force are different stages; the existence of economic dialogue should not be turned into an assertion of a bilateral CFIA in force without identifying its text and status.

12. In which Brazilian states are international lawyers located?

The location of an office is not a sufficient measure of its field of practice. A professional based in a given city may handle matters with foreign connections, while a presence in an economic centre does not, on its own, demonstrate specialization or international experience. It is also necessary to distinguish address, principal registration, habitual practice in another OAB State Section and an effective presence in different jurisdictions.

The material in this article contains no reproducible survey that would allow professionals to be distributed by state or that would rank São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and Belo Horizonte by concentration of specialists. These cities may serve as starting points for researching services and institutions, but not as a ranking supported by data presented here. Registration information should not be converted automatically into statistics on international practice.

Article 10 of the Statute of the Legal Profession governs principal and supplementary registration in Brazil. Abroad, the rules are specific to each jurisdiction. Remote client service and collaboration among colleagues may change the organization of work, but they do not remove requirements of authorization, responsibility and protection of information. The choice of a professional should examine the service required and the capacity to perform it, in addition to location.

13. Must an international lawyer know the law of every country?

There is no requirement to master every legal system in the world. There is, however, a responsibility to identify the sources relevant to the engagement and to recognize the limits of one’s own knowledge. The work may require research into foreign law, a local opinion, specialized collaboration and verification of translations. The need for support should be made explicit and built into the definition of the deliverables.

A contract between parties in Brazil and the United States, for example, does not make any trade agreement applicable merely because it contains the expression “North America”. The USMCA entered into force on 1 July 2020 and replaced NAFTA among the United States, Mexico and Canada. Brazil is not a party to that agreement. Its examination may be relevant to a specific supply chain or transaction, but it does not follow automatically from the presence of a Brazilian party and a US party.

The material scope, parties and territorial and temporal reach of each instrument must be verified. Cultural practices help in understanding a negotiation without replacing legal rules. In Brazilian proceedings, article 14 of the LINDB allows the court to require proof of the text and validity of foreign law when the judge is not acquainted with it. Technical knowledge, documentation and research method must go together.

14. What is a Central Authority and what are its practical functions?

A Central Authority is the body designated to perform the cooperation functions provided for in a given instrument. There is no single authority competent for every international matter, and the expression does not necessarily refer to a court. The first step is to identify the treaty or mechanism being used and to consult the relevant designation, including where a State has more than one authority.

Under the 1980 Hague Convention, articles 6 and 7 provide for designation and cooperation with objectives such as locating the child, preventing further harm, seeking an amicable resolution, providing legal information and facilitating proceedings. In Brazil, ACAF exercises functions concerning adoption and international abduction within the DRCI/Senajus/MJSP. This does not permit every request concerning divorce, maintenance or other civil matters to be attributed to the same body without examining the instrument.

Receiving and transmitting requests, reviewing requirements and facilitating communication are functions different from deciding the judicial merits or privately representing an interested party. Cooperation may involve location, obtaining information and forwarding requests, to the extent authorized by the applicable convention. The administrative route must be distinguished from judicial proceedings; the 1980 Convention, in article 29, also preserves direct access to the competent authorities. The appropriate channel depends on the subject matter and the countries involved.

15. What is the classical definition of international law?

In its public sense, it is the body of rules governing legal relations in international society, especially between States and organizations, with legal positions also attributed to individuals under specific regimes. This formulation does not eliminate the diversity of subjects, sources and mechanisms. Private international law examines a different set of problems, concerned with coordinating legal systems in private relationships involving foreign elements.

Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice identifies conventions, custom and general principles, and treats judicial decisions and teachings as subsidiary means for the determination of rules, in the terms of its wording. It is not appropriate to present case law and treaties as interchangeable sources or to infer that every decision is universally binding. The analysis must consider the nature of the rule and the institutional context in which it operates.

The development of the discipline reflects historical forms of political organization, trade, conflict and cooperation. A single narrative of the birth of international law simplifies diverse processes and historiographical controversies. In practice, what matters is to recognize which rule is invoked, to whom it is addressed, how its existence is demonstrated and which mechanism allows its application. Doctrinal definition and normative basis must remain identifiable.

16. Which academic authors should be studied, and which Brazilian references consulted?

A useful bibliography should be built by subject and method rather than by ranking authors as “the best”. For the history of ideas, Hugo Grotius, in De iure belli ac pacis (1625), and Emmerich de Vattel, in Le droit des gens (1758), offer classical references. Reading them requires placing their arguments in context; the conventional attribution to Grotius of the paternity of the discipline should not erase earlier traditions and critical perspectives on its formation.

In theory and systematization, Hans Kelsen, author of Principles of International Law, and Hersch Lauterpacht form part of important paths of study. Philip C. Jessup allows the notion of transnational law to be examined, according to the institutional reference from Columbia Law School. Antonio Cassese is a reference in international criminal law; the ICTY record identifies his first presidency. Martti Koskenniemi develops critical and historical inquiry, documented by the University of Helsinki. These are distinct paths of study, without equivalence among their theoretical positions.

Among Brazilian references, Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade must be placed in historical context: he was a member of the International Court of Justice, presided over the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and died on 29 May 2022, according to a statement by the International Court of Justice itself. Pedro Dallari has an academic career in international law documented by the IRI-USP. Valerio de Oliveira Mazzuoli is the author of the Curso de Direito Internacional Público. The choice among works should consider scope, edition, currency and the problem under research, without turning the list into an institutional ranking.

The Brazilian bibliography and Latin American scholarship are not coinciding categories. Óscar Correas, originally from Córdoba, Argentina, developed his career in Mexico and in critical legal studies. Marcelo Kohen is professor emeritus of international law at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Their contributions may form part of a course of study without being classified as the work of Brazilian authors. Identifying institutional functions also requires precision: the United Nations International Law Commission, the Institut de Droit International and other academic bodies differ in nature and composition; membership in one does not prove a connection with the others.

Bibliographic study should combine original works, articles, normative sources and relevant case law. Identifying a work in a catalogue or an institutional career does not amount to endorsing all of the author’s theses. Professional citation requires examining the passage used and recording edition and page where appropriate; general reading references do not replace that verification.

17. What does sovereignty mean in international law?

Sovereignty comprises State authority and independence in international relations, but it is not equivalent to freedom to disregard legal obligations. The sovereign equality of members, the fulfilment of obligations and the peaceful settlement of disputes form part of article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations. The internal dimension of authority must be distinguished from the position of the State vis-à-vis other subjects and international regimes.

Non-intervention and the prohibition of the threat or use of force have their own regulation, particularly in article 2, paragraphs 4 and 7. The protection of human rights does not, by itself, create a generic authorization for one State to use force in another’s territory. The powers of the Security Council under Chapter VII and self-defence under article 51 must be examined in terms of their conditions, without merging them into an undifferentiated permission for intervention by the “international community”.

The conclusion of treaties may establish commitments and supervisory mechanisms; other duties may also arise from relevant international sources. The practical question is therefore not resolved merely by invoking sovereignty or international interest: it requires identifying the rule, the institutional competence and the legal basis of the measure sought. In Brazil, the principles of article 4 of the Constitution guide external relations together with the other constitutional provisions.

18. How are clients attracted in international law practice?

Solicitation of clients is not merely an expression regarded as pejorative. Article 2, VIII, of OAB Provision No. 205/2021 defines it for advertising purposes, and its limits must guide any communication strategy. Informative disclosure of practice areas and legal content must be distinguished from inducement to engage a lawyer, commercialization and the encouragement of litigation.

A website, a presence on social networks and the publication of articles may allow the public to learn about the field of work, provided the information is true and verifiable. Participation in seminars and events must maintain a purpose compatible with professional ethics. Advertising specialized services presupposes compliance with the requirement of article 3, III; promises, comparisons of superiority and the persuasive use of results do not become permissible because they are directed at foreigners.

Cooperation with other professionals may organize engagements across jurisdictions, but it requires clarity as to responsibility, confidentiality and authorization. Building a network does not authorize commercial intermediation or the presentation of non-existent competences. Communication should make it possible to understand the subject and limits of the service, without using complexity or urgency as a means of pressure on the interested party.

For e-mails and newsletters, the Single Annex to Provision No. 205/2021 prohibits direct mailing to the public at large and limits communications to clients, persons with whom one has a personal relationship or recipients who request or authorize them in advance, without offering services, solicitation or a commercial character. Segmenting a list does not, by itself, make a mailing compliant. The technical usefulness of the content and the legitimacy of the recipient must be examined together.

Institutional sources and further study

Research should separate bodies that produce rules and decisions, academic entities and training institutions. Reference portals include the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, the World Trade Organization, the International Law Commission, the International Criminal Court and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Consultation of each collection should take account of the competence of the institution and the nature of the documents it makes available.

For economic institutions and policies, the portals of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union may be used. In Brazil, the collections of the Federal Supreme Court, the National Council of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of the Attorney General of the Union and the Federal Council of the OAB offer materials serving different functions. For trade and investment, research should identify the competent body and the instrument rather than rely on a former generic page of the Ministry of the Economy.

Training and academic debate may also be followed at the American Society of International Law, FGV Direito SP, the Superior War College and the Rio Branco Institute, according to the relevance of the programme. Collections of associations and libraries should be evaluated by authorship, date, access and documentary quality. No portal or course replaces verification of the rule applicable to the professional engagement.

Related reading

The analysis of the market and of remuneration can be explored further in The International Lawyer: Training, Practice and Fees. Choices concerning entry and development are discussed in A Career in International Law — International Lawyer; the organization of client service is covered in The International Lawyer: Practice Structure and Service Delivery. For procedural cooperation, see Letters Rogatory and the Performance of Foreign Judicial Acts in Brazil.

The author’s body of work also includes A Lei Anticorrupção e os Programas de Compliance (in Portuguese), published on an external portal. Its use for a current question requires checking the sources and the relevant subsequent amendments, without presuming that it has been fully updated because the link remains available.