Practice Settings

Because the type of work varies from one agency and one country to another, highlighted below and in the narratives section, are some examples of…

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…

Many students enter law school with a passion for a particular issue or set of issues, such as education or civil rights. Others develop a…

Public defenders represent indigent defendants in criminal cases.  Public defender offices exist at the federal, state, and local levels; there are also specialized offices that provide legal…

A prosecutor is the government attorney who charges and tries cases against individuals accused of crimes.  Prosecutors’ offices exist at the federal, state, and local…

Plaintiffs’ firms are private, for-profit law firms that represent individuals and groups seeking to redress injuries, commonly in the fields of workers’ rights, consumer rights,…

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…

Nonprofit organizations are nongovernmental groups that specialize in the problems of particular populations or specific sets of issues. Types of advocacy can vary dramatically, depending…

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…