Special Considerations for International J.D.s
International J.D. students pursuing public interest work face some constraints that U.S. citizen law students do not. No matter the challenges, OPIA staff are here to support international J.D. students in the job search.
All students will need to identify the kind of work that matches their interests and apply for positions within organizations that meet their needs. 2Ls and 3Ls pursuing public service work will need to be proactive because there is only a small, limited on-campus interview process as compared to recruitment for private sector work.
For 3Ls, entry-level positions in nonprofits and government agencies tend to be more competitive than the large law firm positions. It is very rare for public interest employers to make permanent job offers to law students who intern with them. Most students use a combination of fellowship applications and job applications to successfully land a position.
Working in the U.S.
Returning to Your Home Country
If you return to your home country to work, you will not face the same citizenship or visa issues that you would face in the United States and many other countries. Please bear in mind that we in OPIA cannot be expert in the opportunities in every country. Because Chinese, Canadian, South Korean students make up a significant percentage of the international J.D. population at HLS, we have highlighted resources that we are aware of particular to public interest work in those countries. Often, we find that students know more about the opportunities in their own home country than we do. Another great resource are LL.M.s from your home country; they have usually worked before coming to HLS and can be a source of information about opportunities. Advisors in OPIA can offer you insights into how to build a public interest career and conduct a public interest search and can help edit written material.