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Career
Opportunities in
International Law
International Law is an interdisciplinary academic
field for students who are interested in cross-border issues such as
international business and human rights. To practice International Law, it is
essential to first develop your legal knowledge and skills. Increasingly,
international lawyers are specializing in at least one other area by combining a
focused master’s degree that supplements their legal skills. While a J.D. and an
international degree cannot guarantee work that is global in nature, the
combination will give you a leg up when such jobs develop within an
organization. Additionally, it is beneficial to be proficient in at least one
other language and to have overseas experience.
For every job in international law, analytical ability, research and writing
skills, and the knowledge of the basic differences in the world’s legal systems
as well as their political and cultural contexts is essential.
Career Paths and Entry Salaries
The available career paths for an international
lawyer can be broken down into law firms, federal government, corporate counsel,
international organizations and non-profit groups.
Private law firms handle most international business transactions, although the
degree varies on the specialty of the firm. New York City and Washington D.C.
have the largest number of international law firms. However there are quite a
number of firms in smaller cities. Law firms with foreign offices usually send
mid-level associates overseas based on skills and language ability. Once there,
an attorney may choose not to return to the United States and still be able to
achieve partnership. The starting salary for an associate in a New York law
firms ranges from $82,000 to $86,000.
The federal government’s largest employer of lawyers is the Department of State
and Defense. However, each division either has an in-house legal division or a
General Counsel Office. Lawyers at the State Department will have timely
policymaking work and have the opportunity to advise policy-makers. While the
government cannot offer all the perks and comforts of a private firm, a young
government attorney is likely to be given an immense amount of responsibility
early on. Salaries for government lawyers also are lower than those in the
private sector.
Corporate lawyers are the most active international lawyers today as most of the
work done by law firms has now moved in-house. Corporations are more prone to
hire lawyers well versed domestic issues like antitrust law, contacts,
securities regulations, or trademarks and then train them for international law.
Each company has its own bureaucratic ladder within the legal department for
young lawyers to climb and as a first and second-year attorney you can expect to
work very long hours on long-term cases.
International organizations and non-profit agencies offer a wide variety of
options for an international lawyer. These organizations typically do not offer
solid legal training and lawyers are expected to hit the ground running. The
United Nations Legal Counsel’s Office, the legal departments of the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund have the most active legal shops. The United
Nations Legal Office is deeply involved in legal problems arising from the
administration of United Nations operations. The World Bank and International
Monetary Fund attorneys can be assigned to leading operations or participate in
the settlement of investment disputes between countries. Legal positions in the
private non-profit field include organizations such as Amnesty International
USA, Catholic Relief Services and CARE. It is advisable for attorneys to begin
their careers in the private sector and then move into an international
organization or non-profit.
Qualifications Necessary to
Enter the Field
“Of the two degrees, law and international
affairs, you will find the former of paramount importance in the job hunt,” (Kocher
Segal, International Jobs, 5th Ed.) It is essential to first hone your legal
knowledge and skills though internships and clerkships. A master’s degree in
international affairs, or a related filed, should supplement your legal
education by providing insight into the international legal world and exposing
you to jobs as they arise within your firm.
Other skills that are highly recommended include foreign languages, overseas
experience and a strong interest in practicing law in an international setting.
The most common foreign languages required by organizations include French,
German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. Overseas experience allows you to immerse
yourself in a foreign culture and develop the understanding and patience
required to work in an international environment. Participation in the Jessup
Moot Court competition, working for an international law journal and securing a
summer position in an international law firm are further ways to expand your
credentials. By adding these skills to a background of law and international
affairs you will have a solid foundation on which to build an international
legal career.
Sample Group of Employers:
·
American
Civil Liberties Union,
http://www.aclu.org/
·
Amnesty
International,
http://www.amnestyusa.org
·
Baker and
McKenzie, Chicago, IL,
http://www.bakerinfo.com/BakerNet/default.htm
·
CARE,
Inc.,
http://www.care.org/
·
Cleary,
Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, New York, NY,
http://www.cgsh.com/
·
Court of
Justice of the European Union,
http://curia.europa.eu/en/
·
Constitutional Court of South Africa,
http://www.concourt.gov.za/
·
Debevoise
& Plimpton, New York
http://www.debevoise.com/
·
Davis,
Polk, and Wardwell, New York, NY
http://www.davispolk.com/
·
Gibson,
Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles, CA
http://www.gibsondunn.com/Pages/default.aspx
·
Inter-American Court of Human Rights,
http://heiwww.unige.ch/humanrts/iachr/iachr.html
·
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda,
http://www.ictr.org
·
International Monetary Fund,
http://www.imf.org/
·
The
United Nations,
http://www.un.org/
·
Woodrow
Wilson International Center,
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/
·
World
Bank,
http://www.worldbank.org/
·
World
Policy Institute,
http://www.worldpolicy.org
Demand
Generally, competition for jobs is high due to the
large number of law school graduates and the current economic climate that is
forcing some firms to cut back on hiring. Increasingly, law graduates are using
their specialized training to secure jobs in related fields.
While globalization brings the private and public sectors closer together, the
demand for international lawyers rises. Increasingly, larger organizations are
establishing offices in foreign countries to handle international issues. This
development has created a niche for lawyers with a master’s degree in
international affairs, language skills, cultural awareness and overseas
experience. Developing countries need lawyers to assist in their legal
transformations and organizations like the United Nations need lawyers to
interpret their charters and international law.
Future Challenges of the
Profession
The demand for international lawyers with
expertise in international relations and cross-border transactions will continue
to grow as the legal industry globalizes. The international legal field is
constantly redefining itself by adding new areas to the practice, making it
difficult for attorneys to describe themselves as all-inclusive international
lawyers.
The international law career field is unsystematic at best and preparing
yourself to meet its demands is challenging because there is no international
law career ladder to climb or road to follow. Another challenge of the
profession is to not be discouraged by the lack of international work at the
beginning of your career or the length of time it takes to develop your career.
As a rule, a lawyer will gain experience exclusively in domestic law until a
client involved in an international project requires their domestic expertise.
Resources for More Information
Associations/Websites
·
American
Bar Association,
www.abanet.org/intlaw/home.html
·
American
Bar Association
www.abanet.org
·
American
Society of International Law,
www.asil.org
·
Friends
of Jessup,
www.foj.org
·
International Law Students Association,
www.ilsa.org
·
International Bar Association,
www.ibanet.org
·
International Chamber of Commerce,
www.iccwbo.org/
·
International Municipal Lawyers Association,
www.imla.org
Directories
Kimes International Law Directory
Publications
·
ASIL’s
Careers in International Law: Your Indispensable Guide to Career Paths and
Internships in International Law
(1999)
·
Careers
in International Affairs, Editors: Maria Pinto-Carland and Lisa A. Gihring,
Georgetown University Press (2003)
·
Careers
in International Law: A Guide to Career Paths and Internships in International
Law (2003)
·
Careers
in International Law, Mark W. Janis, ed., Washington D.C.: Section of International Law and
Practices, American Bar Association, (1993)
·
Global
Law in Practice, Ross J. Harper, ed., The Hague: Kluwer Law International and
International Bar Association, (1997)
·
ILSA
Guide to Education and Career Development in International Law,
Jonathan C. Green et al, International Law Association, (1991)
·
The
Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice
Area, Lisa L. Abrams, Harcourt Legal and Professional Publications (2000)
·
Public
Service and International Law: A Guide to Professional Opportunities in the
United States and Abroad, 3rd edition, Stephen K. Park and Susan
J. Feathers, New Haven, Conn.: Yale Law School, (1998)
Internet Resources
-
intjobs.org – A tool to assist job seekers interested in
international employment as organizations such as the UN, International
Criminal Court, International Labour Organization, World Bank, etc.
-
www.lawcrossing.com –
Legal employment job and internship board and career resources for lawyers,
law students, paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal professionals.
-
www.idealist.org – A project of Action Without Boarders which
contains job and internship listings in economic development, social
services, human rights, environment, etc.
-
www.lib.uchicago.edu/~llou/careers.html - Website affiliated with
the University of Chicago Law School which provides a collection of links to
other job sites where users can search for law positions.
Field Specific Information
J.D./M.P.A. The combined Juris
Doctor/Master of Public Administration is available for students who plan to use
their law degree in federal, state or local government agencies and
not-for-profit or quasi- governmental organizations. The dual degree is intended
to enhance the student's career possibilities in law, government, health care,
non-profit and related fields. The dual degree can be valuable for persons
seeking careers as city managers, administrators of judicial and quasi-judicial
organizations, staff members in governmental agencies, and legislative
researchers, among others. The J.D./M.P.A. creates rewarding opportunities in
law firms, health care facilities, insurance companies, public interest
organizations
Edited
for the use of Maxwell graduate students and alumni by the staff of the Office of Career
and Alumni Services. Written
by Career Directors from the Association of Professional Schools of
International Affairs
This page current as of: April 24, 2008 |
