Fernando Friedmann

Imagine that it’s 2020 again, COVID-19 cases are on the rise and the second wave is about to commence. You wouldn’t think this would be the best time to enter a competitive law degree, but Fernando Friedmann proves us wrong with his story.

During the opening ceremony of the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program, with a specialization in International Business Law at IE University, I saw a clear sense of distress as I looked across the faces of my 23 classmates of 18 different nationalities. On the other hand, there was a wave of pride to even be part of the event, imagining the next ten months of deep study and interactions we would face from that moment forward. Despite online classes and health concerns, we knew we were embarking on a fantastic journey.

MY WORK EXPERIENCE SHAPED MY DECISION

I am currently an international associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York. I chose to study the IE University Master of Laws (LL.M.) because law school has always been an academic priority of mine, and business law has been my area of expertise for many years now.

My focus on business law began in 2008 when I was interning at a law firm based in Brazil. I then graduated law school in 2011 and was hired as a junior associate where I was working at the time. In 2012, I moved to a bigger firm to focus on corporate law as I’d always been interested in capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.

Five years later, I was hired at Pinheiro Guimarães (PG), another large firm that places its focus on business law. While working at PG, I realized how beneficial it could be to study an LL.M. abroad. With the support of the partners I was working with, I took the leap and moved forward with my next academic project: IE University’s Master of Laws (LL.M.).

CHOOSING IE UNIVERSITY

Having decided to invest in an LL.M., my next step would be to choose which university to apply to. It’s no surprise that many universities offer exceptionally well-qualified LL.M. programs, mainly in the United States or Europe. However, despite much admiration for US universities, I wanted to follow an innovative path that would set me apart from other lawyers in the same industry.

With this in mind, I discovered IE University and the Master in Laws (LL.M.) with the possibility to specialize in International Business Law.

What caught my attention was the dynamic and practical approach that IE University offers. They also offer a well-regarded MBA program, which has courses that are available to law students, including accounting, data analysis, valuation, global economics and negotiation. This wide range of options ultimately led to my decision to study at IE University.

I find that my area of practice (capital markets and banking) rests on the border between law and economics. As a result, I think it’s essential to comprehend specific accounting and financial concepts to be an excellent lawyer. So, I really appreciated the opportunity to learn from the MBA faculty while studying the Master in Laws (LL.M.).

THE ROAD TO THE FUTURE

Since completing the program in July 2021, I have joined the corporate and capital markets team of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP as an international associate in New York. The firm is one of the world’s leading law firms and has been featured in a variety of publications. Once my international associate program has finished, I will return to my position in Pinheiro Guimarães as a more well-rounded and skilled lawyer than I was before completing the Master in Laws (LL.M.).

I believe that the pandemic continues to prove to us that there will always be a stone in our path, no matter how well we plan everything out. However, it is up to us to find a way around it and allow ourselves to focus on our ultimate ambition. Long story short, for anyone considering applying for the Master in Laws (LL.M.) program, my advice to you would be: don’t think twice! Do it because the experience is incredible and Madrid is a very welcoming and unique city.