From March 10 to 14, a delegation from Notre Dame Law School will visit São Paulo, Brasilia, and Rio de Janeiro, starting Monday, March 10. Led by G. Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean of Notre Dame Law School, the delegation seeks to establish full partnership agreements with Insper, the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, and Fundação Getulio Vargas, to create opportunities for research collaboration as well as faculty and student exchanges.

This trip supports the objectives of Notre Dame Law School's Global Lawyering Initiative, which aims to broaden the Law School's international partnerships and provide students and faculty with access to global learning and research opportunities. As one of the Law School's key priorities, the Global Lawyering Initiative continues to advance Notre Dame Law School's commitment to preparing students with a comprehensive understanding of legal issues that transcend national borders.

“Notre Dame Law School is committed to training lawyers and leaders of the future, and the future of law is transnational. The best lawyers will be ones who can lead and solve problems all around the world, and that means that Notre Dame Law School and Notre Dame Lawyers must be in Brazil,” said Dean Cole. “This country is emerging as one of the most important economies in the world. These strategic partnerships not only enhance our international presence, but also allow Notre Dame Law School to promote global academic excellence while broadening opportunities for our faculty and students consistent with our Catholic mission.”

Accompanying the decanal delegation from the University of Notre Dame are Paul Miller, the Robert and Marion Short professor of law and associate dean for International and Graduate Programs; Michael Hildreth, dean of the Graduate School, associate provost and vice president for Graduate Studies, and professor of physics and astronomy; Holly Goodson, professor and associate chair in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and Carlos Libardo Bernal-Pulido, who is affiliated with the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Thaïs Burmeister de Campos Pires, director for initiatives in Brazil for Notre Dame Global, will also join the delegation.

Reflecting the shared goals of the Law School and the Graduate School to expand global opportunities, Professor Hildreth is joining the Notre Dame delegation to recruit students from Insper to pursue graduate studies at the University of Notre Dame and to encourage research collaboration. Insper is a higher education and research institution in São Paulo, Brazil, dedicated to creating impactful leaders, fostering research that drives Brazil’s transformation, and cultivating interdisciplinary collaboration.

The initial part of the trip will focus on a visit to Insper in São Paulo, which will enter into a historic partnership with Notre Dame Law School through an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing scheduled to take place on Monday, March 10. After the signing, the delegation will meet with law professors and the dean of graduate studies at Insper. In the evening of March 10, Dean Cole will participate in a public Q&A round table discussion focused on legal practice and technological change in the global market. The conversation will explore how emerging technologies are reshaping the legal profession, addressing both opportunities and challenges that lawyers around the world may face in an increasingly digital landscape. The Notre Dame delegation will conclude the day by meeting with Insper guests and Notre Dame alumni based in São Paulo.

The delegation will then travel to Brasilia, where Dean Cole will participate in a Supreme Court fireside chat with Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, a Brazilian law professor, jurist, and president of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil. Their conversation will center on "Democracy, Fundamental Rights, and the Role of Supreme Courts.” Dean Cole will also meet with Notre Dame alumni in Brasilia.

The culminating activities of the trip will take place at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), a world-renowned higher education institution and think tank dedicated to promoting Brazil’s economic and social development. On Thursday, March 13, Notre Dame Law School will formalize its partnership with FGV through an official MOU signing, establishing opportunities for research collaboration as well as faculty and student exchanges.

In addition, Dean Cole will deliver a short talk, “Shaping the Future Legal Profession,” offering insights into Notre Dame Law School’s mission to develop a new generation of lawyers—individuals who embody principled leadership, unwavering social responsibility, and a steadfast commitment to justice. Later that day, Dean Cole will engage in a dynamic fireside chat with students, titled “Trump 2.0,” in which he will explore recent developments and the implications of the Trump administration’s policies during its second term.

The Notre Dame Law School delegation’s visit to Brazil marks a significant step in expanding the Law School’s global engagement and fostering meaningful academic partnerships. By partnering with leading institutions like Insper, the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil, and Fundação Getulio Vargas, the Law School aims to enhance research collaboration, and faculty and student exchanges on an international scale. Notre Dame Law School's Global Lawyering Initiative remains committed to leveraging strategic partnerships that align with the Law School’s mission to cultivate lawyers who view the practice of law as a service to others, not just a profession, and who are dedicated to advancing justice and human dignity on a global scale.

Learn more about Notre Dame Law School's Global Lawyering Initiative here: https://law.nd.edu/global/.

Originally published by Notre Dame Law School at law.nd.edu on March 10, 2025.