Most lawyers in Sao Paulo fail the BAR tests
In the latest tests of the OAB Sao Paulo (OAB stands for Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil, Order of Lawyers of Brazil, the counterpart of American BAR Association), 77% of the candidates failed to obtain the minimum level.
In Brazil, after finishing the Course of Laws (which take between five and six years), the students graduate as Bacharel in Laws; as a Bacharel, he/she can assume several juridical jobs (including public offices, all the way to Judges), but can’t represent on behalf of other before a Court. To become a Lawyer (which in Portuguese is referred to as Advogado, i.e., someone who advocates on behalf of others), a bacharel must be approved in tests conducted by the OAB of the respective State.
The high levels of failing at these tests are not uncommon. And if this happens in the richest State (with the best educational infrastructure in Brazil), the situation is even worse in the poorer States.
And the reasons are well known: the schools of Law in Brazil are bad. Until a few years ago, the opening of new institutions of superior learning was strictly regulated; today, it’s much easier to start a new faculty. And the easiest of all faculties to open is the School of Laws: no much need of physical instalations, no need of laboratories, no need of machines, etc.
And the result of this situation shows in the low quality of Brazilian ‘lawyers’ (everyone who finishes a Course of Law calls themselves a lawyer - advogado -, even though they are just bacharéis). The best graduates become successful and usually rich, by either working in private offices or in public offices (Judges and Prosecutors); several take clerical functions in offices and courts. But the vast majority of Brazilian lawyers end up with low paid jobs, often unrelated to the juridical career.
Being a lawyer in Brazil doesn’t have the same status as in other countries.