Recently,
I
had
a
fascinating
conversation
with
Flavia
Naves,
an
accomplished
lawyer
who
transformed
her
LLB
from
Brazil
into
a
successful
career
in
the
United
States.
For
many
foreign-trained
attorneys,
the
journey
to
a
U.S.
legal
career
can
feel
like
navigating
a
labyrinth.
But
as
Flavia’s
story
shows,
it’s
possible
not
only
to
find
your
way
but
to
thrive
by
embracing
the
unexpected.
Here
are
three
unconventional
lessons
from
our
discussion
that
can
help
guide
your
path.
1.
Embrace
The
Power
Of
Pivoting
Flavia’s
journey
is
a
masterclass
in
the
art
of
pivoting.
When
she
moved
to
the
U.S.,
her
goal
was
to
enhance
her
qualifications
for
a
legal
career
in
Brazil.
But
life
had
other
plans.
Flavia
encountered
roadblocks
—
like
unexpected
state-specific
bar
requirements
and
rejections
from
law
firms.
Instead
of
letting
these
obstacles
deter
her,
she
saw
them
as
opportunities
to
pivot.
For
example,
when
job
offers
from
law
firms
didn’t
materialize,
a
chance
conversation
led
her
to
a
clerkship
with
a
judge
in
Pennsylvania.
Though
it
wasn’t
part
of
her
original
plan,
this
experience
became
a
critical
stepping
stone,
boosting
her
credibility
in
the
U.S.
legal
market.
The
lesson?
Be
open
to
changing
directions.
Sometimes,
the
detours
are
where
you
find
the
most
growth.
2.
Find
Your
Unique
Edge
In
a
competitive
job
market,
standing
out
can
feel
like
an
uphill
battle
—
especially
for
foreign-trained
lawyers
who
don’t
fit
the
traditional
U.S.
JD
mold.
But
Flavia
discovered
that
her
differences
were
actually
her
greatest
strengths.
Instead
of
seeing
her
background
as
a
barrier,
she
leveraged
her
unique
skills
and
experiences,
like
her
fluency
in
Portuguese
and
her
expertise
in
international
transactions,
to
carve
out
a
niche
for
herself.
Flavia’s
advice
is
to
identify
what
makes
you
different
—
whether
it’s
your
cultural
background,
language
skills,
or
specialized
knowledge
—
and
use
that
to
your
advantage.
Rather
than
blending
into
the
crowd,
stand
out
by
becoming
the
go-to
person
for
your
specific
expertise.
This
approach
not
only
sets
you
apart
but
also
makes
you
indispensable
in
a
market
that
values
diverse
perspectives.
3.
Network
Beyond
Your
Comfort
Zone
Networking
is
often
touted
as
a
crucial
component
of
career
success,
but
Flavia
took
it
a
step
further.
She
didn’t
just
network
within
the
legal
community;
she
built
relationships
across
various
industries,
including
finance,
product
development,
and
engineering.
This
broad
approach
allowed
her
to
gain
insights
from
different
sectors
and
created
unexpected
opportunities,
such
as
job
recommendations
from
nonlegal
professionals.
Flavia’s
strategy
demonstrates
the
importance
of
stepping
out
of
your
comfort
zone.
Don’t
limit
yourself
to
just
legal
circles;
engage
with
professionals
in
other
fields
who
can
offer
new
perspectives
and
open
doors
you
didn’t
even
know
existed.
Effective
networking
isn’t
just
about
expanding
your
contacts;
it’s
about
creating
a
diverse
support
system
that
can
provide
unique
opportunities
and
insights.
Embrace
The
Unconventional
Path
Flavia’s
journey
from
Brazil
to
becoming
a
successful
in-house
counsel
in
the
U.S.
is
a
testament
to
the
power
of
flexibility,
leveraging
unique
strengths,
and
strategic
networking.
For
foreign-trained
lawyers
navigating
the
U.S.
legal
landscape,
the
path
may
not
always
be
straightforward.
But
as
Flavia’s
story
shows,
embracing
the
unconventional
can
lead
to
incredible
opportunities.
Take
these
lessons
to
heart.
Be
open
to
pivoting
when
the
unexpected
happens,
find
and
amplify
what
makes
you
unique,
and
build
a
diverse
network
that
reaches
beyond
the
usual
legal
confines.
These
strategies
will
not
only
help
you
navigate
the
complexities
of
the
U.S.
legal
market
but
also
enable
you
to
create
a
fulfilling
career
on
your
own
terms.
For
more
insights
from
Flavia’s
inspiring
journey
and
her
practical
advice
for
foreign-trained
lawyers,
stay
tuned
for
the
full
episode.
It’s
packed
with
valuable
tips
and
strategies
that
will
help
you
turn
challenges
into
opportunities
and
build
a
successful
legal
career
in
the
United
States.
Olga
V.
Mack
is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:
Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
@olgavmack.