New York Lawyer
April 2, 2002

Q:
I�m interested in a career in public international law. What�s the best way of getting a job in that area?

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A:
This one is a little tricky to answer without knowing your existing level of experience, professional background, educational focus and exactly what you include in the category of "public international law". Let�s assume that the latter encompasses not-for-profit, government-sponsored or academically-related positions keyed to developing or implementing various law-related justice system, human services, economic or training/development programs and initiatives, whether US-based and sponsored or totally attached to some foreign place.

One important marketability lever is whether this kind of role or setting is attractive to you generically, or whether you can highlight some particular cause or area of expertise that fires your interest. If it�s the latter, be prepared to explain exactly why that cause is a driver for you; idealism is wonderful, but given the sacrifices this career path frequently entails, it should be coupled with proof that your motivation also is realistic and fully thought-out. If you have some particular expertise, be prepared to explain the link between what you know and what you want to do with that knowledge. One SEC lawyer, for example, recently returned from a six-month assignment in Sofia, helping a former Communist country build the regulatory foundations for a stock exchange (he found it very frustrating work, by the way).

I welcome the thoughts and inputs of other readers of this column, but it seems to me there are several distinct � and not mutually-exclusive � job searching paths you can explore: Clicking, Networking and Schooling.

Clicking

Diligent research on the Internet will reveal an enormous variety of international organizations, programs and initiatives and many of them will include specific job postings. Government entities also post legal and law-related positions (another acquaintance was hired for a six-month assignment as an Assistant Attorney General in Palau � a position complicated by the fact that the job was not conducted in English). For example, look at www.Federalreports.com.

But take your research beyond just looking for current openings. See what you can learn about the general topography of international programs and organizations. There may be a lot of links between individual sites, but don�t assume that to be the case. You can enter keywords according to geographical location, language skills required, type of program, type of organization, funding basis, etc. If you go into the World Bank�s site, for example, you will find an enormous array of economic and government-development programs � both longstanding (even permanent) programs and new initiatives. Research the United Nations� structure and programs. A number of universities either directly sponsor or joint-venture with consulting organizations, governments and service organizations, so try to research university-based programs as well. The idea here is not simply to learn of a specific opportunity, but to get an understanding of the breadth and depth of the "public international" legal sector.

Networking

Another, more specific, research target, of course, will be law schools and their international law programs, internships, professors and program leaders. You can hit the career and placement of your own law school first, but don�t limit your search simply to that narrow window. There�s no reason why you can�t contact the career offices of other law schools, and get to the horses� mouths. Try a literature search to identify prominent figures you can reach out to directly and personally.

At this point, active networking comes in to play. Talk to anyone and everyone you can find who has some involvement with international programs. People who have pinned their career paths to value-driven endeavors (rather than maximizing income) generally are quite receptive to and supportive of those who are interested in and supportive of them. Don�t worry if your networking starts fuzzy and a little unfocused. By the time you work up to the second or third degree of separation, you�ll know a lot more, your focus will be sharper, and the assistance you receive will become more specific, as well.

Schooling

Finally, there are numerous advanced degree programs, here and abroad, in public international programs. The one with which I am most familiar is at the London School of Economics, whose catalog divides between international business law and international service-related programs. It makes great reading. Again, crank up your web search engines for academic programs worldwide. The admissions criteria vary widely, so there is considerable variety of opportunity. These programs have their own placement programs and the better ones� graduates are actively sought out for potential employment.

In sum, shaping your interest in public international law is an essential first phase of your career development. You might be able to fire a job-search laser beam into a posting site, but you will not have the confidence that you understand � or are adequately exploring � the broader landscape.

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group