Around 100 people attended the international congress of the Brazilian Lawyers’ Association (ABA), which was held at Blackhall Place on 20 September 2024.

Special guests included Minister-Counsellor Felipe Costi Santarosa from the Brazilian Embassy in Dublin and ABA president Esdras Dantas, who travelled from Brazil to attend.

Among the topics discussed were emotional management for lawyers, immigration law for women, entrepreneurship in the legal field, legal implications of artificial intelligence on the global stage, practical challenges of GDPR implementation and opportunities for obtaining green cards through national interest for lawyers in the US.

The landmark event was co-ordinated by a group of legal professionals, including Taise Azevedo, Daiana Emmendorfer, Fabiano Milani, Regina Cardoso, Helena Mendonça and Jamila Etchezar.

Ms Azevedo, a partner at Dublin firm McGrath Mullan LLP, told Irish Legal News: “The congress was an outstanding success, providing participants with an excellent opportunity to expand their knowledge, debate contemporary issues, and strengthen the network among legal professionals.

“The exchange of experiences and deep dive into such pertinent topics underscore the importance of initiatives like this for the continuous development of Brazilian lawyers abroad.

“As a co-ordinator and speaker, I was delighted to see the high level of engagement and interest from our colleagues. Moments like these are crucial for our professional growth and for consolidating the presence of Brazilian lawyers on the international stage.”

She added: “I have been witnessing the growth of the Brazilian community in Ireland. Just this week I had the honour of speaking at the launch of BRIA, the Brazil-Ireland Association, which focused on the inclusion of Brazilian professionals in the Irish labour market.

“The event aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities that both employers and employees face in pursuing the much-desired work permit.

“It was a privilege to represent the Brazilian community in front of authorities such as the minister of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Dara Calleary, and Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, who were present representing the Irish government.”