S1: Bonus Episode: Andrés Felipe Esteban Tovar

International Arbitration Associate at Foley Hoag LLP

Andrés Felipe Esteban Tovar the International Arbitration Associate at Foley Hoag LLP, embarked on his job search journey even before arriving in the U.S. He dedicated 60% of his time in the second semester of his LLM year to job searching. How did he identify and network with meaningful contacts? How did he narrow down his target firms to apply to? How did he manage to turn his externship into a fulltime international associate position? How did he secure a visa without relying on the H1B lottery?

Please tell us your professional background.

I'm a Colombian lawyer and I primarily worked for the government for almost eight years before I came to Georgetown. I have focused in international law, specifically in international trade disputes within the WTO, and I have experience at the Ministry of Trade in Colombia. I have spent nearly three and a half years in investor-state arbitration at the National Agency for the Legal Defense of the State. In Colombia, I have managed to combine my professional practice with teaching, delivering lectures on public international law, international economic law, and litigation before international courts and tribunals at various universities. I aimed to merge these two spheres throughout my career. After completing my degree, I worked at a law firm before returning to the government for the past eight years until my enrollment at Georgetown in 2021.

How did you find your first job in the U.S.?

You have to start early to stay ahead in the job search. Before I even arrived at Georgetown, I took the opportunity to establish connections and reach out to individuals by sending emails before my arrival, expressing my interest in meeting for coffee. During the program, I kept them updated on my progress and expressed my intention to work for their firm.

Maybe this might sound a little crazy, but what I actually did was plan everything in an Excel spreadsheet. I included the names of law firms, the contacts (particularly the partners or decision-makers), and whether I had direct contact or needed someone to bridge the connection between me and that person. When seeking a connection, I looked for someone like myself, a lawyer from Latin America with an LLM. In some cases, the partners themselves had an LLM. For instance, the chair of my practice is a Georgetown alum, which made the connection easier. I identified the law firms with prominent international law and investment arbitration practice. I used the resources at Georgetown, such as CAROLA Georgetown Law or Center for Advancement of the Rule of Law in the Americas (CAROLA). They conduct research on investment arbitration.

They also conducted research on law firms representing the state and the top 10 law firms representing investors.

Is that how you narrowed down target firms?

Yes. Exactly. Based on this information collected by CAROLA, I identified my top 20 choices from the collective pool of state and investor representation. However, I primarily focused on connecting with law firms that represented states because of my background working for the government and my alignment with government values. It felt like a natural fit for me. Nonetheless, I also made efforts to establish connections with law firms representing investors to keep my options open.

To narrow down my choices, I concentrated on the top 5 law firms representing states and the top five representing investors. Using my Excel spreadsheet, I sought face-to-face contact with the decision-makers through Zoom calls, phone calls, coffee meetings, or lunches. This allowed me to personally share my story, background, and what I could bring to the table. I aimed to make a genuine connection and convey my determination to secure a position within the law firm. My strategy involved more than just sending emails and waiting for replies. Instead, I focused on making connections through the bridges I found, leveraging the people who could connect me to others.

These firms typically had JDs and international trade lawyers, offering a blend of expertise. In my experience, the initial contact was smoother if the person I reached out to have some common background with me, such as similar struggles or experiences during our LLM studies and job search. Approaching them became easier because they understood the challenges of job hunting within limited time constraints for LLMs. During my second semester of the LLM program, I dedicated around 60% of my time to the job search.

How do you identify people who are likely to turn into meaningful connections in your job search journey?

I sought general advice and positioned my words around entering a new chapter in my life, asking for guidance and suggestions. It was in that context that I would request the person to connect me with others they knew. Initially, I focused on individuals from my previous university in Colombia, gradually expanding my network to include South America and then Latin America.

I sought out individuals with similar cultural backgrounds and shared experiences. Some connections were direct, based on my previous work, while others were established through my university contacts. Sometimes, it was simply connecting with individuals who had been in a similar situation a few years prior.

Throughout this process, I dedicated significant time to building connections, having coffee meetings, and tailoring my CV for each law firm to demonstrate my interest. This meticulous preparation took up approximately 60% of my time in the second semester of my LLM year.

Did you do an externship with the firm you are working for? How did you turn the externship into a full-time position after you graduate?

Exactly. One key factor in my success was the externship I completed before receiving the job offer. The externship allowed me to showcase not only my work but also my personality. It provided an opportunity to determine if we were a good fit and could work well together. Ultimately, the externship demonstrated our compatibility and alignment of values, which solidified the connection.

I utilized the externship as a way to establish a connection and assess whether it could be a mutually beneficial and long-lasting opportunity. This law firm, which had represented Latin American states in 41 cases, was my top choice. I sought the externship with the intention of exploring the firm and, if possible, securing a position there once the program concluded. This was made clear to them from the beginning.

There are two aspects in the process to consider: things you can control and things you cannot control. You have control over the quality of your work, your commitment, your knowledge, and your attitude towards work. However, there are factors beyond your control, such as the workload and specific needs of the law firm at a given time.

In my case, there was a demand for a Spanish-speaking lawyer, which was something I couldn't control. However, I took proactive steps to identify law firms that were likely to have such a need, increasing my chances of finding a firm that matched my background as an international trade lawyer and Spanish speaker.

Many international lawyers are concerned about is visa, even after they receive a job offer. This is a challenging year to get a H1B visa through lottery. Would you share your journey in securing a visa?

I know. Itʼs a challenging year. I was unable to apply for the H-1B visa lottery, which led me to explore alternative options. The firm was supportive to explore O-1 visa, also known as the extraordinary abilities visa.

To qualify for this visa, you must demonstrate extraordinary abilities in your field by meeting at least three out of the eight required criteria. These criteria include having a high level of expertise, published works, significant contributions to the field, and evidence of reviewing the work of others.

Obtaining the O-1 visa required a significant amount of work. I had to gather documentation of my speaking engagements, publications, panel participation, and other relevant achievements within my field. This evidence was crucial in proving my extraordinary abilities. The advantage of the O-1 visa is that it allows you to bypass the H-1B lottery system. Additionally, it grants a three-year work visa initially, which can be extended on a yearly basis indefinitely.

Do you have any advice for those international lawyers who are interested in pursuing a career in international litigation and arbitration?

Sure. International litigation and arbitration are extensive and growing fields. It's not just about the need for Spanish speakers. We handle cases in various countries such as Armenia, India and Europe, in addition to Latin America.

The applicable law in these cases is international law, so if you have built a strong career before pursuing an LLM, you can bring valuable skills and knowledge to law firms specializing in these areas. In my office, there are international trade lawyers from different backgrounds, including lawyers from Greece, Mexico, Nicaragua, Argentina, etc. So, there is a diverse mix of internationally trained lawyers in both associate and partners within the firm.