Venezuelan attorney Alfredo Fernandez enjoyed helping clients and working pro bono on human rights issues, but with the country’s economy in shambles, corruption rampant, and attorneys regularly subject to government harassment, practicing law in Venezuela became almost impossible. So he decided to leave, even if that meant losing his career in the law.
And Fernandez is not alone. Practicing law in Venezuela has become so difficult that an increasing number of Venezuelan attorneys seem ready to emigrate, even if they won’t be able to practice law in the U.S., said Adriana Kostencki, a partner at Moreno Kostencki in Miami. While some do pursue a U.S. law degree, more are looking to start businesses or find work wherever they can.
