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International Law salary careers

What can I do with an International Law degree?

Whether you’ve already decided to study International Law or are still wondering if you should pick this degree, you probably want to discover what career opportunities are available after graduating law school.

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International Law is an interdisciplinary academic field for students who are interested in cross-border issues such as international business and human rights. There are typically two career paths within the field of international law.

Students interested in policy making and the evaluation of adherence of countries to international agreements performed by governments and intergovernmental organizations tend to specialize in public international law while those interested in practicing law for private organizations and non-profits on issues ranging from international business, human rights, economic development and the environment tend to go into private international law.

International Law degree graduates can find work that is both exciting and highly satisfying. Salaries depend on the nature of the job you choose, which can be short-term, project-based or long-term, but the field is very competitive and getting a job right after graduation may not be an easy task.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular International Law jobs, together with their annual salaries in the US and examples of typical tasks and responsibilities.

1.International Lawyer

Average U.S. Salary

$ 0

Tasks:

Draft trade agreements
Draft International contracts
Research laws and policies in different countries
Take part in meetings focused on negotiating or mediating deals/conflicts

The available career paths for an international lawyer can be broken down into law firms, federal government, international organizations and nonprofit groups. Private Law Firms handle most international business transactions, although the degree varies on the specialty of the firm. New York City and Washington D.C. have the largest number of international law firms; however, there are quite a number of firms in smaller cities. Law firms with foreign offices usually send midlevel associates overseas based on the attorney’s skills and language ability. Once there, an attorney may choose not to return to the United States and still be able to achieve partnership.

The Federal Government’s largest employer of lawyers are the Departments of State and Defense, however each division either has a legal division in-house or a General Counsel Office. Lawyers at the State Department will have timely policymaking work and the opportunity to advise policy-makers. While the government cannot offer all the perks and comfort of a private firm, a young government attorney is likely to be given an immense amount of responsibility early in his or her career. Salaries for government lawyers are also lower than those in the private sector.

2. Corporate Lawyer

Average U.S. Salary

$ 0

Tasks:

Offer advice to clients during business transactions or acquisitions
Represent clients in court, present cases and formulate defences
Initiate legal actions on behalf of the client and keep the updated

Corporate lawyers are the most active international lawyers today as most of the work done by law firms has now moved in-house. Corporations are more prone to hire a lawyer well versed domestic issues like antitrust law, contacts, securities regulations, or trademarks and then train them for international law. Each company has its own bureaucratic ladder within the legal department for young lawyers to climb and as a first and second year attorney you can expect to work very long hours on long-term cases.

3. Legal Advisor

Average U.S. Salary

$ 0

Tasks:

Serves as an expert in one or more areas of concentration
Handles a wide range of multi-disciplinary and complex legal matters involving issues of public international law
Performs extensive legal research and analysis and prepares legal opinions

International organizations and nonprofits offer a wide variety of options for a lawyer.

These organizations typically do not offer a solid legal training and lawyers are expected to hit the ground running. The United Nations Legal Counsel’s Office and the legal departments of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have the most active legal shops. The United Nations Legal Office is deeply involved in legal problems arising from the administration of United Nations operations. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund attorneys can be assigned to leading operations or participate in the settlement of investment disputes between countries. Legal positions in the private nonprofit field include organizations such as Amnesty International USA, Catholic Relief Services, and CARE. It is advisable for an attorney to begin their career in the private sector and then move into an international organization or nonprofit.

4. Mediator/Arbitrator

Average U.S. Salary

$ 0

Tasks:

Resolve legal disputes between two or multiple parties
Study individual cases in depth and use findings to help parties avoid going to trial
Due to the confidential nature of the job, you might have to destroy all documents related to a case after resolving it

Arbitrators are usually attorneys, business professionals, or retired judges with expertise in a particular field. As impartial third parties, they hear and decide disputes between opposing parties. Arbitrators may work alone or in a panel with other arbitrators. In some cases, arbitrators may decide procedural issues, such as what evidence may be submitted and when hearings will be held. Arbitration may be required by law for some claims and disputes. When it is not required, the parties in dispute sometimes voluntarily agree to arbitration rather than proceed with litigation or a trial. In some cases, parties may appeal the arbitrator’s decision.

5. Policy Advisor

Average U.S. Salary

$ 0

Tasks:

Research, write, and present reports for government officials
Collaborate with policy analysts to support the implementation of better policies
Evaluate potential risks on policy documents

Generally the role of a policy advisor is to inform policy analysts on the various issues involved in policy making. For example, the policy advisor might give advice on a particular program run by the government—Was it effective? Were there problems?—which the policy analyst can then use to make their decisions. They may look at ways to implement policies when they have been approved by Parliament. A team of advisors may assist a single policy analyst to create a policy.

Qualifications

To practice international law, it is essential for one to first master the legal knowledge and skills at home and have a solid experience demonstrated by internships and clerkships. Then, a Master degree in International Affairs – or even better, an LL.M, should supplement your legal education by providing insight into the international legal word and exposing you to international jobs.

While a J.D. or an LL.M cannot guarantee work that is global in nature, the combination will prove helpful. It will also allow you to sit for different Bar Exams – being admitted in two country is a huge plus to distinguish yourself.

Other skills that are highly recommended include foreign languages, research and writing skills, the, overseas experience, a strong interest in practicing law in an international setting, and knowledge of the basic differences in the worlds’ legal systems as well as their political and cultural contexts. The most common foreign languages required by organizations include French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

Overseas experience allows immersion in a foreign culture and helps to develop the understanding and patience required to work in an international environment. Participation in the Jessup Moot Court competition, working for an international law journal and securing a summer position in an international law firm are further ways to expand credentials. These skills combined with a background of law and international affairs will provide a solid foundation on which to build an international legal career.

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Demand

The demand for international lawyers with expertise in international relations and cross-border transactions will continue to grow as the legal industry globalizes. The international legal field is constantly redefining itself by adding new areas to the practice, making it difficult for attorneys to describe themselves as an all-inclusive international lawyer.

The international law career field is unsystematic at best and preparing yourself to meet its demands is challenging because there is no international law career ladder to climb or road to follow. Another challenge of the profession is to not be discouraged by the lack of international work at the beginning of your career or the length of time it takes to develop your career. As a rule, a lawyer will gain experience exclusively in domestic law until a client involved in an international project requires their domestic expertise.

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