Italian law student seeks advice on coming to Ireland

An avid Irish Legal News reader in Italy has reached out to Irish lawyers to ask for advice on how he can come to Ireland for study and work.

Italian citizen Matheus Vanderlei, 18, was inspired to study law based on his experience living in Brazil, where his father comes from.

He told ILN: “The sense of injustice that permeates the country, and most of Latin America, is really strong.

“Everybody feels like the only people who have to answer to the law is the common folk, while the powerful politicians steal and corrupt the most, but never lose their salaries and jobs, and all the crimes they commit go unpunished.

“My wish to study law came from living in this chaotic, beautiful, corrupt and tropical country called Brazil. I want to get my degree and help bring justice to people, wherever I am, whether in Europe or Latin America, it just makes me feel useful and fulfilled.”

Matteo said he started to gain an interest in coming to Ireland because he heard “many stories from friends, Brazilians and Italians, who went there to study and/or to work, and they say very positive things about the country and its people — and its beer!”. He added: “They say it’s an open-minded and multicultural place, full of opportunities.”

The student discovered ILN last year while researching the possibility of studying in Ireland. He said: “I like the style of its articles; they are diverse on its topics, straight to the point, comprehensive at the same time, and help me expand my English vocabulary! It’s news from a country I like, that talks only about stuff I’m interested in. It’s amazing!”

But Matteo told ILN that he’s still unsure how difficult it would be to start a career in law in Ireland as a young graduate with an Italian law degree, or whether he should look into studying Irish law soon.