International Law // T14 Forum

[llachans]

How necessary is an education from a T14 school if I'm interested in working in international law?

I want to work in international human rights at some point (something along the lines of an organization like Amnesty International). Any advice?

Thanks!

[Samara]

IBT mockery
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=163901

[kalvano]

Extremely important. It's so small a field as to be almost non-existent, and it's almost entirely populated by grads from not just T14 but probably more like T5 or so.

[Nom Sawyer]

While its not non-existent (I know lots of people who have done International Human Rights type work) the caveat is that it basically requires a top school if you want anywhere close to a decent chance at doing something like this (the people I was referring to were mainly HYSCCN students).

[rinkrat19]

From the other International Law thread:

I am at HYS. I know some international lawyers (UN, EC, ICC sort of stuff)

Pro tip for wanna be international lawyers;

1. Go look at the organizations you want to work for
2. Find lawyers doing what you want to do
3. LOOK AT THEIR RESUMES
4. If you can't achieve that, give it up.

Most of the people I know in the UN/ICC are not American (because of the country quotas/hiring politics). Most of them are fluent - native fluent - in multiple languages. Not just "French at college" fluent but "Italian & dutch parents and grew up in Iran. And oh I speak French too" types. Most have at least a masters if not a phD and a bunch of post docs in some development area. Again, not "I did a MPP and got a high GPA" masters. More like "I'm an econometrics expert who won an international scholarship to study some obscure heavily technical development specialty" expert.

They're that good. Most of the people going to these orgs are SJDs or post docs who are just 10x more qualified than the average JD.

I know plenty of students who are interning in these orgs. It's really easy if you are at a good school with decent grades to get an unpaid internship in these orgs. But getting a job there is nigh on impossible. Seriously.

Obv doing cross border transactional or crappy paid direct services in a foreign country are very different.

[Nom Sawyer]

From the other International Law thread:

I am at HYS. I know some international lawyers (UN, EC, ICC sort of stuff)

Pro tip for wanna be international lawyers;

1. Go look at the organizations you want to work for
2. Find lawyers doing what you want to do
3. LOOK AT THEIR RESUMES
4. If you can't achieve that, give it up.

Most of the people I know in the UN/ICC are not American (because of the country quotas/hiring politics). Most of them are fluent - native fluent - in multiple languages. Not just "French at college" fluent but "Italian & dutch parents and grew up in Iran. And oh I speak French too" types. Most have at least a masters if not a phD and a bunch of post docs in some development area. Again, not "I did a MPP and got a high GPA" masters. More like "I'm an econometrics expert who won an international scholarship to study some obscure heavily technical development specialty" expert.

They're that good. Most of the people going to these orgs are SJDs or post docs who are just 10x more qualified than the average JD.

I know plenty of students who are interning in these orgs. It's really easy if you are at a good school with decent grades to get an unpaid internship in these orgs. But getting a job there is nigh on impossible. Seriously.

Obv doing cross border transactional or crappy paid direct services in a foreign country are very different.

Its really not that hard... Once you have decent law school credentials you just have to be willing to go for it/ be willing to apply to a lot of organizations/ and be willing to work for little or no pay in the beginning.

[LawSchoolChampion]

From the other International Law thread:

I am at HYS. I know some international lawyers (UN, EC, ICC sort of stuff)

Pro tip for wanna be international lawyers;

1. Go look at the organizations you want to work for
2. Find lawyers doing what you want to do
3. LOOK AT THEIR RESUMES
4. If you can't achieve that, give it up.

Most of the people I know in the UN/ICC are not American (because of the country quotas/hiring politics). Most of them are fluent - native fluent - in multiple languages. Not just "French at college" fluent but "Italian & dutch parents and grew up in Iran. And oh I speak French too" types. Most have at least a masters if not a phD and a bunch of post docs in some development area. Again, not "I did a MPP and got a high GPA" masters. More like "I'm an econometrics expert who won an international scholarship to study some obscure heavily technical development specialty" expert.

They're that good. Most of the people going to these orgs are SJDs or post docs who are just 10x more qualified than the average JD.

I know plenty of students who are interning in these orgs. It's really easy if you are at a good school with decent grades to get an unpaid internship in these orgs. But getting a job there is nigh on impossible. Seriously.

Obv doing cross border transactional or crappy paid direct services in a foreign country are very different.

Its really not that hard... Once you have decent law school credentials you just have to be willing to go for it/ be willing to apply to a lot of organizations/ and be willing to work for little or no pay in the beginning.

I don't believe you.

[Nom Sawyer]

I don't believe you.

I mean its not an impossibility like every makes it out to be. Still it is quite hard to get the decent credentials in the first place... I think its just out of HYSCCN there's not a ton of people who are all going into this, so if you truly want to you can.

[worldtraveler]

How necessary is an education from a T14 school if I'm interested in working in international law?

I want to work in international human rights at some point (something along the lines of an organization like Amnesty International). Any advice?

Thanks!

It's a must. But first you need to have the languages and relevant experiences. It won't matter if you go to Harvard if you only speak English, never been abroad, and don't have any relevant experience.

[Samara]

I don't believe you.

I mean its not an impossibility like every makes it out to be. Still it is quite hard to get the decent credentials in the first place... I think its just out of HYSCCN there's not a ton of people who are all going into this, so if you truly want to you can.

lolwut? International law has to be the most asked-about field on here.

[johnnyutah]

How necessary is an education from a T14 school if I'm interested in working in international law?

It is a necessary but far from sufficient condition for employment as an international lawyer.

[Nom Sawyer]

I don't believe you.

I mean its not an impossibility like every makes it out to be. Still it is quite hard to get the decent credentials in the first place... I think its just out of HYSCCN there's not a ton of people who are all going into this, so if you truly want to you can.

lolwut? International law has to be the most asked-about field on here.

Umm tons of 0ls asking about International Law clearly does not translate into tons of T6 grads pursuing international human rights style careers upon graduation. I mean just look at the NALP statistics, its a fact that anywhere from 60 to 85% of these grads end up in Biglaw firms, a bunch more clerk, and the rest mainly do public interest stuff in the states. Of course some these options can lead to eventually doing NGO work overseas, but the vast majority remain in the private sector.

The ones doing the asking usually have no true idea what international law entails and likewise have not researched or prepared fully enough to have the best shot at attending a school that will actually allow them to pursue their (allegedly) chosen field.