No. In free consultations, attorneys are incentivized to withhold divulging simple solutions until the client has hired their services, or worse, to recommend unnecessarily costly legal remedies.

I have designed my practice so that I can always act in your interest, whether that’s filing a time-consuming and costly lawsuit or advising you to simply ignore the threatening emails your former landlord is sending you. Either way, I use my expertise to help you find the solution that best protects your interests.

You have up to 60 minutes to pick my brain! Here are some examples of topics we can discuss:

“I’m planning to rent an apartment in Brazil, I’m confused about some of the language in the contract.” If it is a standard contract, we can usually get through at least a cursory analysis and explanation of the contract in one consultation session. I can also help you understand what the landlord may expect of you if you wish to break the contract early or when you otherwise move out.

“I want to open a business or sell my product in Brazil, what taxes will I have to pay?” I can give you an overview of what taxes you might owe. However, the Brazilian tax system is extremely complex and is also undergoing drastic changes at the moment. While you will likely have an enhanced understanding of the the tax system in Brazil after our consultation, being certain enough to decide on setting a price for your product will likely involve further research and cost.

“How can I start my business in Brazil?” We can discuss the various ways that foreigners can do business in Brazil and if Brazil is right for your business. If you do decide to open a business, I have a network of accountants and other professionals who I work with to open and maintain your business.

“I have a prospective business partner in Brazil, can you vet them for me?” In our initial consultation, we can go over the relationship you intend to have with this business or individual, and go over some of the general risks. If you wish, can perform more extensive due-diligence research afterward.

“I’m getting married in Brazil, what do I need to know?” We can talk about the legal ramifications of marriage, divorce, and inheritance if you get married in Brazil, all during our initial consultation. If you would like me to process your marriage paperwork, or prepare a prenuptial agreement, I’ll provide you with a pricing proposal after our initial consultation.

“How can I live in Brazil legally?” We can go over the various options for residency and their pros and cons. If you wish to proceed, I’ll send you pricing for each residency type and can assist you in obtaining your residency, and eventually naturalization as a Brazilian citizen, if you would like.

The questions above are merely examples—send me a message describing your specific situation, and I’ll get back to you.

I am committed to transparency in pricing so you never receive a surprise bill. Brazilian Bar Association regulations do not allow attorneys to advertise their fees. The price of my initial consultations can be found by clicking on the scheduling link. After your initial consultation, if you request further assistance, I will clearly detail my fees via email, at which point you can decide if you wish to continue.

The Brazilian legal services sector is large and diverse. My prices are likely at the upper-mid level of the market.

If your need is in immigration (to Brazil), naturalization, business/international trade, marriage, simple labor relations issues or civil law in general, I can usually not only give you comprehensive information in consultations, but also represent you during litigation or submit the paperwork on your behalf. Beware of attorneys that claim to be able to competently represent you in all areas of law.

If your need involves criminal law, social security law, or complex labor litigation, for example, I may not be able to take the lead in your case. If so, I’ll give you general guidance during our initial consultation and then refer you to a specialist attorney. Once you have selected which attorney you wish to use, I’ll explain your case to them in Portuguese, to make sure everyone is on the same page. All of this is included in the initial consultaiton fee.

I do not receive a commission from these attorneys, nor can I guarantee the quality of their work.

No attorney knows it all: beware of professionals who claim to be able to competently represent you in all areas of law.

After the referral service, some clients require ongoing liason services between them and the specialist attorney. This can be necessary for several reasons. Perhaps the true specialists in the area of law you need do not speak English, and you’ll need someone to intermediate some of the communications. Sometimes, only one or two members of the specialist law firm’s team speak English, meaning that your communication can be difficult. In other cases, you may just feel that the specialist firm is unable to clearly explain what is going on, due to cultural or other factors—and I can help with that.

In essence, you will be paying for two lawyers. However, this liason service can often give you access to non-English-speaking firms that may be highly specialized in your area of law, so you may get access to more highly-skilled attorneys than you normally would. Also, firms with English-speaking staff may be more expensive, so this liason service may allow you to save money.

No. Although I am originally from the US, I am not a qualified lawyer in any US state. If you have a transnational issue involving both the US and Brazil, I may be able to help by partnering with lawyers from my professional network in the US.