I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My parents were of French, Portuguese descent. Both of my parents were into the study of the Portuguese Language and its correctness in the way it was spoken in our home. I have three sisters and since we were little we were encouraged to learn as many sophisticated and correct words as possible. While still in Junior High I used to read dictionaries and try to memorize about five fancy words a day in Portuguese and five in English. Although dad majored in the Romance languages and I know French well, I felt that I had to learn English really well because of the influence of the American and British music and the American cinema. I started studying music when I was four years old, and have been playing the piano since. I also, was born with the gift of voice and drawing and an keen eye for colors. Law was something that I never thought about studying, what I really wanted to do was to pursue a career in the arts: acting, singing. But having to choose a major after I went to the college of music, I picked law, because my father was a Baptist pastor and his answer about pursuing arts was no. I figured that law would be good for me as an artist because I heard about all those artists that die in poverty because someone takes all their money. Thus I went to law school. While in Law School I decided that teaching law is what I wanted to do. I was inspired by a Civil Procedure Professor, Brazilian Law Supreme Court Justice Jose Luis Vasconcellos. He was a sharp and inspiring professor. As it turned out the practice of law was not for me because it stressed me out. I wanted to get a Masters and a Doctorate in Law and write. At the University of Sao Paulo law graduate program, the top school in Brazil, the Brazilian Harvard, a proficiency in a foreign language is required. My older sister lived and still lives in the U.S. and I thought that a three to six month trip to the US would improve my language skills. Well, after two weeks in the U.S., I met my husband Alex and after 25 years I am still in the U.S. We lived in Brazil long enough for me to take my classes in residency at USP and I did part my non-residency classes as of my course work at University of Florida. I did go back and defend my thesis there titled “Conflict of Law According with the American Case Law.” The first book that has the case and comments in them published at U.S.P. to my knowledge. I earned a Masters in International Law in 1988. I felt that I needed to be commercial in both countries and went to University of San Diego, CA to earn a degree in Comparative Law, now called simply an LL.M. After all taken about 64 credit hours in an Law School approved by the American Association of law Schools, I was eligible to take the bar. I believe that 84 hours is what is required to an someone to earn a JD in the U.S. While taking the Bar Exam I came up with the idea that I could use all that knowledge to write a dictionary. Five minutes of inspiration lead me to ten years and hard work. I credit all the discipline that I have to my music, because in music if there is something wrong you can hear it right the way. So I wrote to Georgetown Law School and was invited to come as an independent scholar, and I accepted the invitation. I sat in that law library for three years and compiled all my material. My husband was then working as a Research Associate at the Georgetown Medical Center. After that I have been entering data on the computer, and have learned a lot about computer:) Writing a dictionary requires discipline and the ability to endure what for many would be a very tedious work, but I just love it, more than it does brains. The material is out there on the codes, books, case law, statutes. This work is more like an encyclopedia than a dictionary because I go into detail in very concept. I will be updating my work all year round for the rest of my life. I hope this helps many because I really needed something like this while in law school in the US and there was nothing out there that was or is similar to my work. This was a labor of love, and all the financial and emotional support was given to me by my lovely husband Alex. Enjoy!
