International Public Interest Work

IGOs are typically organized by their membership and by their purpose. For example, the UN is called a global organization because all countries are allowed…

Many students seek government work, particularly in the international arena, because of the greater likelihood that they will be given an enormous amount of responsibility…

There are opportunities to gain international experience and to learn about international issues throughout law school. There are also opportunities to obtain summer internships, particularly…

Basic Skills and Specialized Knowledge There is no one size or formula that fits all international careers so in selecting your academic program you should…

Just as there is no easy way to define international law, it is just as difficult to define the skills required for an international practitioner…

Obtaining post-law school positions with international NGOs is very complex; more so than landing a job with a domestic nonprofit and dramatically more complicated than…

If possible, obtain a summer job at an NGO. The difficulty for many students is that most international NGOs will not be able to pay.

What issues most engage you? Human Rights? Environment? Democracy Building? Law Reform? Economic Development? Health? Religious Freedom? Women’s Rights? Reproductive Rights? Children’s Rights? Foreign Relations?…

It may require perseverance and an entrepreneurial spirit to break into the career area of your choice. Embarking on a public international career is to…

International Criminal Law Though criminal tribunals fall under the auspices of the UN, the opportunities available to attorneys in these courts are unique compared to…

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are typically mission-driven advocacy or service organizations in the nonprofit sector. There are large and small NGOs operating around the world and…

Maame A.F. Ewusi-Mensah, YLS ’01 International Human Rights and Private Practice I knew when I came to law school that international human rights law was…

Chi Mgbako, HLS ’05 International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Office of the Prosecutor The following is an excerpt taken from two letters Ms. Mgbako wrote…

Antonio L. Cortes, YLS ’89 Koror State Government, Republic of Palau Beginning three years after graduating from Yale Law School, I was fortunate to spend…

Julia Harrington, HLS ’95 Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa I decided to go to law school after working for a year in…

There is no question that international positions can alter one’s lifestyle more so than domestic government positions. International work can require long hours, and several…

What types of NGOs exist? NGOs generally fall under one of two categories: international NGOs (INGOs) and “local” NGOs. In the former category are large…

International Public Interest Work in U.S. Governments The opportunities in government for international work are very diverse, as global issues span many different types of…