Charting a path toward becoming an international lawyer can be difficult without strong mentoring, experts say.
Marissa Brodney, a second-year student at Harvard Law School with an interest in international law, says students like her need to attend a law school that has a full roster of potential career mentors who can guide students to options they might not have otherwise contemplated.
“There’s no one way to enter the international law field,” she says. The key, Brodney says, is discovering a fulfilling personal path.
Here are five ways to identify a school that prepares law students for international legal careers, whether their dream job is to be a human rights lawyer that pursues justice for victims of war crimes, or an in-house attorney at a multinational firm.
[Learn about earning an online LL.M. from a U.S. school as an international student.]
1. An eclectic, long list of international law courses: Law professors say that applicants with international career aspirations should target schools with a flexible curriculum, so they can tailor their courses to their personal interests.
One sign of a comprehensive international law curriculum, professors say, is when a school offers all of the following types of international law courses : survey courses that provide an overview of how public international law and private international law works, comparative law courses which explore the differences between the laws of various countries and topics courses that drill into specific specialties within international law.
Susan Karamanian, associate dean for international and comparative legal studies at George Washington University Law School, says that international law courses have become more common at law schools over the past three decades, and some law schools offer more courses on that subject than any one student could possibly take.
2. Courses that focus on your dream specialty: Kevin Davis, vice dean for global affairs at the New York University School of Law, says applicants should look for schools that delve deep into the intricacies of international law, rather than simply offering survey courses.
“I’d look for schools that go beyond the basics on public and private international law,” he says. “I think it’s particularly important to look for advanced courses that pull everything together.”
Some examples of desirable advanced course topics for students interested in international business law include international intellectual property, international mergers and acquisitions, and international arbitration, Davis says.
[Consider which law schools provide the best preparation for a global career.]
3. Intensive, comparative law courses: The laws of various countries can differ dramatically, Karamanian says, and understanding those differences is crucial. For instance, she says, lawyers who practice business law in both the U.S. and the Middle East need to know about how traditional Islamic law addresses financial transactions and why it prohibits the collection of interest.
Davis from NYU says it is essential for any aspiring international business attorney to learn about law in the European Union, since most multinational firms have a presence in the EU and it has distinct policies regarding privacy and trade.
4. Opportunities to engage with lawyers from foreign countries: Both recent graduates and professors agree that exchange programs and joint degree programs can bolster law schools’ offerings in international law by expanding students’ horizons.
One of the key benefits of these programs, Davis says, is that they expose students to the diverse ways lawyers in foreign countries think about law and use the law.
“I do think, if at all possible you should look for a school that offers opportunities to work or study abroad,” he says. “There’s really no substitute for being immersed.”
Stephanie Shyu, an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and founder of AdmitSee.com, says that joint degree programs are a sign that a school takes international law seriously.
“Even if you don’t necessarily want to study abroad, you can consider it a strong signal if a school is putting resources behind partnering with international law schools,” she said in an email.
[Consider specialized programs when choosing a law school.]
5. Strong careers counseling: It can be difficult to break into the international legal field, particularly in the public sector, so you want to choose a school that will give you the network and skills you need to get ahead, says Brodney from Harvard.
Brodney, who is simultaneously pursuing her law degree and earning a masters in public affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, says applicants should identify law schools that provide postgraduate fellowships in international law.
“Fellowships can be a great way to gain a foothold if a student is interested in public international law,” she says.
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Choose the Right International Law Program originally appeared on usnews.com
