In March, as countries around the world began to lock down in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, Brazilian law firm Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados had six associates stationed in London and the same number in New York.

Those associates headed home in June, while the next round of junior lawyers slated to participate in the firm’s work-abroad program remained in Brazil. Quarantines and travel difficulties prevented those one-year secondments from starting in earnest.