How does a 1L get into "Internatonal Law" Forum

[Anonymous User]

As an attorney who has actually been overseas and experienced the ability to work, there are more opportunities than you think, however it depends on where you are trying to go to. Sometimes reaching out to individual NGO offices is more helpful than contacting the headquarters. Also look into the different international tribunals and reach out to alumni from law school or undergrad that are overseas now. However many places want you to have experience in the USA too. Also I know JAG sends people overseas to get experience, doesn't mean you have to end up joining the military but you can at least get some experience. There are possibilities out there, don't let these other people discourage you.

[Anonymous User]

what is international trade & customs law? is that interesting work

[LawIdiot86]

what is international trade & customs law? is that interesting work

I need to lower my expectations of humanity another notch...

[Ersatz Haderach]

You either lay the foundation before law school in a meaningful way with experience, connections, and language, or you go to a T-14 with a strong int'l law program. If you want something approaching a guarantee, do both. Even then...it's tough.

No, this doesn't help people get jobs. This is like those stupid specialty rankings in USNWR.

Where there isn't a significant rankings difference, I think it can fairly be taken into consideration.

You're admitted to Chicago and NYU. You really want to work in public international law and you have some regional ties/experience. Wouldn't you prefer NYU? Or maybe you hate debt and take Georgetown with some money? There are different faculty emphases at different schools and different ties to foreign markets/international law jobs, and while it's unquestionably secondary to overall prestige, I think it's fair to consider it. Quantifying it isn't easy, beyond X% work here or there.

And as a secondary consideration, certain schools just skew more international in their alumni bases. Chicago might place the highest percentage overall in biglaw, but I'd imagine more NYU grads are working abroad, in government, and in international organizations. Every situation is different, there's no 'rule' that solves this other than doing a lot of due diligence; you obviously don't turn down Yale for Georgetown because they have a specialty ranking, but you might defy the ranking/money ratio a little if you know the alums tend to do what you want to do, which is...the entire point of graduate school. And that can be determined independently of any specialty ranking or marketing tool.

[LawIdiot86]

You either lay the foundation before law school in a meaningful way with experience, connections, and language, or you go to a T-14 with a strong int'l law program. If you want something approaching a guarantee, do both. Even then...it's tough.

No, this doesn't help people get jobs. This is like those stupid specialty rankings in USNWR.

Where there isn't a significant rankings difference, I think it can fairly be taken into consideration.

You're admitted to Chicago and NYU. You really want to work in public international law and you have some regional ties/experience. Wouldn't you prefer NYU? Or maybe you hate debt and take Georgetown with some money? There are different faculty emphases at different schools and different ties to foreign markets/international law jobs, and while it's unquestionably secondary to overall prestige, I think it's fair to consider it. Quantifying it isn't easy, beyond X% work here or there.

And as a secondary consideration, certain schools just skew more international in their alumni bases. Chicago might place the highest percentage overall in biglaw, but I'd imagine more NYU grads are working abroad, in government, and in international organizations. Every situation is different, there's no 'rule' that solves this other than doing a lot of due diligence; you obviously don't turn down Yale for Georgetown because they have a specialty ranking, but you might defy the ranking/money ratio a little if you know the alums tend to do what you want to do, which is...the entire point of graduate school. And that can be determined independently of any specialty ranking or marketing tool.

Within the T14 bands HYS CCN MVPB DCNG, I think that it would be reasonable to consider those factors you describe. But, I think it would be stupid to pick Georgetown over Penn because you think Georgetown places better internationally.

[keg411]

The only "international law" stuff I really know about is microfinance and impact investing work, and you pretty much have to do BigLaw international project finance and/or restructuring work first to even think about getting into that sector. Also, I didn't even know what that stuff was until this semester.