Best law schools for international advocacy law Forum

[mt2165]

Hey guys, for the third time, I'm an AA male student athlete (sophomore) at a good public university. I'm really interested in international development work, i.e. WTO, IMF,UN, other global institutions where I can make a difference, socio-economically principally, in a global sense. I've done some research as to which law schools will best prepare me for those fields, but some guidance would be appreciated. So far I'm looking into joint JD programs with MPP/MPA programs with a concentration in international relations/policy, including NYU, Chicago, Stanford, Duke, and Northwestern. What do you think is the best way I should go about trying to achieve these ends. Some info; I am a D1 athlete with a 3.6 in philosophy. Thanks.

[rad lulz]

Hey guys, for the third time, I'm an AA male student athlete (sophomore) at a good public university. I'm really interested in international development work, i.e. WTO, IMF,UN, other global institutions where I can make a difference, socio-economically principally, in a global sense. I've done some research as to which law schools will best prepare me for those fields, but some guidance would be appreciated. So far I'm looking into joint JD programs with MPP/MPA programs with a concentration in international relations/policy, including NYU, Chicago, Stanford, Duke, and Northwestern. What do you think is the best way I should go about trying to achieve these ends. Some info; I am a D1 athlete with a 3.6 in philosophy. Thanks.

There are almost 0 of those jobs for lawyers

Best way to break in to the field is to go make a difference in the field now

[mt2165]

Like do things to show that I'm committed to the ideals of global socio-economic justice? I mean I've done extensive missions work, I'm in extracurriculars focused on it, etc. I think I'm confused as to the nature of the question.

[Samara]

Like do things to show that I'm committed to the ideals of global socio-economic justice? I mean I've done extensive missions work, I'm in extracurriculars focused on it, etc. I think I'm confused as to the nature of the question.

He means get a job in the field and don't go to law school. Virtually all of the jobs you describe are attainable without a law degree. Start doing the work you want to do and don't waste the time and money on a law degree.

[romothesavior]

Like do things to show that I'm committed to the ideals of global socio-economic justice? I mean I've done extensive missions work, I'm in extracurriculars focused on it, etc. I think I'm confused as to the nature of the question.

Well for starters it wasn't a question.

Going to law school to do this kind of work is a really naive idea unless you 1) go to an insanely good law school (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.) and 2) have extensive background in the field, i.e. real world experience. Language skills are also a huge plus. Just being a K-JD with a liberal arts degree who visited a few impoverished countries for a church mission trip in high school likely won't cut it.

I'm not trying to disparage the work you've done or your goals in life, but you need to come to terms with the fact that they are incredibly lofty and law-oriented international public interest jobs are nearly impossible to attain without certain credentials. The idea of going into "international law" is a very naive and misguided thing to do, yet thousands do it every year. The field is impossibly small and competitive, by far the most competitive legal field there is. I can't think of a single American-born JD student who is going to practice "international public interest law" from my class, and I go to a top 20 school that "specializes" in the field.

There are so many ways to "help people" without a law degree, and the law degree is unlikely to open any new doors for you. If this is what you want to do, you need to go work in an NGO or something after college and forget the law school thing. Develop connections in the field, prove you are committed to it, develop language skills, etc. If down the line you find that a law degree would help you in your line of work, then you then need to go kill the LSAT and get into a top notch school. That's by far the best path into this field.

[mt2165]

Oh alright that makes sense. I should say that while I'm interested in this specialization there are other things the JD would do for me that I am interested in, like I'm really interested in domestic as well as international policy work, public interest, all that. I understand that my approach to this is naive, are we saying here that getting a JD would be a misappropriation of my time and money if I want to go into this field at a high level, or are we saying that it takes an amazing amount of success and commitment to earn these positions, like a tenure track law professorship? I think I can get into a very good law school, if I did get into, say Yale/Harvard, does this change my chances?

[rad lulz]

Oh alright that makes sense. I should say that while I'm interested in this specialization there are other things the JD would do for me that I am interested in, like I'm really interested in domestic as well as international policy work, public interest, all that. I understand that my approach to this is naive, are we saying here that getting a JD would be a misappropriation of my time and money if I want to go into this field at a high level, or are we saying that it takes an amazing amount of success and commitment to earn these positions, like a tenure track law professorship? I think I can get into a very good law school, if I did get into, say Yale/Harvard, does this change my chances?

You don't need to be a lawyer to do that stuff. Just go do it. As a starting point, volunteer for a campaign or intern w one of your congressmen.

[romothesavior]

Oh alright that makes sense. I should say that while I'm interested in this specialization there are other things the JD would do for me that I am interested in, like I'm really interested in domestic as well as international policy work, public interest, all that. I understand that my approach to this is naive, are we saying here that getting a JD would be a misappropriation of my time and money if I want to go into this field at a high level, or are we saying that it takes an amazing amount of success and commitment to earn these positions, like a tenure track law professorship? I think I can get into a very good law school, if I did get into, say Yale/Harvard, does this change my chances?

You don't need to be a lawyer to do that stuff. Just go do it. As a starting point, volunteer for a campaign or intern w one of your congressmen.

Bingo. Most of the jobs in these areas are NOT legal jobs. And the ones that are legal jobs will want to see previous work experience and damn good credentials. Policy work and prestigious public interest work are very very competitive, especially at the higher levels. You really don't need previous work experience to land a firm job, but for high-level policy and international PI work its virtually a pre-req, and for prestigious PI you'll typically need previous WE, a top school or top grades (sometimes all three).

It's awesome you want to do big things and help make the world a better place, but you should really do your due diligence to make sure a JD is the right path for you. From what you've said here, a JD is certainly not a necessity for the type of work you're talking about. If you insist on getting a JD to do international or policy work, do it after a few years in the field and go to a really elite school.

[Hrun]

If you're set on the JD approach, get a joint degree in economics or finance. These organizations probably need people who can analyze data, make predictions and give suggestions. I'm doubtful a law degree is extremely useful or in demand in these organizations.