Carolina Oger Affonso de Almeida

Class of:

2019

Why have you decided to pursue a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree?

Enhancing professional skills and seeking career improvement.

Why did you choose to study at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law?

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is one of the top 10 law schools within the U.S., being recognized for its global community and excellence, as well as a business-oriented curriculum of great value for professionals with a consolidated knowledge. The possibility of attending an accelerated program with full immersion within the university and a program specifically designed for legal professionals with a certain level of experience was in fact a differential of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

Describe the LL.M. course you are studying:

Executive LL.M. Chicago – An accelerated program designed for professionals with a certain level of experience. The program is highly business-oriented, as its curriculum is composed by subjects such as Business Associations I, II and III, Negotiations, Bankruptcy Law, International Taxation, Intellectual Property, among others.

Which classes did you like most and why?

Constitutional Law, as a forum of debates regarding relevant issues and which provided the opportunity of exploring the legal and cultural differences between legal systems of the countries of each of the students in class.
Business Associations, in relation to the development of the case law in US, especially concerning the liability of directors and officers, as well as to discuss the most trendy and developed practices in Corporate Governance.
Negotiations, which provided us with an intensive experience combining theory and live negotiations, as well as encouraged us to conduct a self-analysis of our skills and issues to be improved. We also had the experience of negotiating with both similar and very different cultures.

How did you finance your education?

Financial aid from my law firm, bank loan and personal resources.

What is your most exciting, interesting, astonishing or hilarious experience at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law so far?

The Negotiation sessions were definitely a high point of the program, where we had the opportunity to interact with students from other programs and to experience several live negotiations such as one-on-one sessions, negotiations in groups and simulations of hard negotiations.

What is the best thing about the program?

The highly credentialed faculty members, the business-oriented curriculum and the opportunity of connecting with other international professionals enhance the quality of discussions and cultural knowledge and provides a valuable networking experience.

Name three terms that you associate with the word “law”.

Democracy, culture and development.

What are your plans after graduating?

Expanding and consolidating my portfolio of clients and becoming a partner in my law firm in a short to medium term.

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Enjoying not only the valuable academic experience, but also the opportunity of learning other cultures. The program is also a great time to search for networking opportunities outside the university, with international law firms and clients.