i am looking to go to an american law school and practice american law but i would like to live and work in italy. possibly working for an american law firm that has offices abroad? im told corporate law is the way to go but im just wondering if theres anyone out there who has done this or even if its not italy, just practice law in another country with american law degree? i forgot to add that i am fluent in italian
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1 :
First, learn Italian and other common languages on top of your law degree. A family member of mine is studying Arabic and law. You can also work for the Dept. of State, work for the government in other areas, become a JAG lawyer for the military, etc. International business would be a good specialty, or military law.
2 :
There are certainly American lawyers who work abroad. A friend of mine works for a large BigLaw firm and just got transferred from one of their US offices to the firm's Paris office. It may be possible to do this unilaterally, but certainly not recommended. A firm (which yes, would usually be some sort of corporate law specialization) has the support structure in place (not to mention the clients) to allow American lawyers to work abroad. Without an attorney who's licensed to practice in the country signing off when necessary, you could get yourself in a lot of trouble very quickly. American public interest lawyers also practice abroad but not usually in Italy, though of course there are exceptions. Your law school can help you look into this if corporate law is not your thing. Another option may be in-house for the European branch of an American company, though these positions are usually only open to you a little later in your career. For these kinds of firm jobs you'll need to be in the top 10% of your class from a well-regarded law school to have any kind of chance at all. To have a good chance you'd need to be in the top 33% from a T14 school. You'll also need to speak Italian (or whatever language) nearly fluently.
