International law is a fast-changing dynamic field, and experts have no dearth of opportunities. After qualifying in this domain you can choose to become a corporate lawyer, policy advisor, mediator, or a legal advisor, to name a few. You can also work with non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations.
For instance, international organisations like the United Nations are on a constant lookout for talented individuals inclined towards bringing forth a global change. Lawyers for the United Nations are employed in a wide range of fields including environmental law, maritime law, trade law and treaties. In such a situation, a person with expertise in international law holds a prominent edge above the others.
Here are some of the typical job roles after an LLM in International Law.
1. Corporate lawyer
They are the most active international lawyers today. The main task of a corporate lawyer is to aid clients in business transactions. They are champions of international business laws and ensure that a company’s operations are compliant with the international standards.
They represent clients in courts, defend their case and also initiate legal actions on their behalf while keeping them in the loop. However, professionals with expertise in local issues such as securities and regulations or trademarks are more likely to be hired. The nitty-gritty of the application of these in the international sphere can be learned later as well. On average, they earn USD 107,300 p.a.
In a typical law firm, you can enter the firm as either an associate or a partner.
Associate
Freshers who have just ventured into corporate law can join companies in the capacity of junior or senior attorneys. Working under the supervision of a senior associate, their task generally adheres to looking into the day-to-day affairs of their clients. While the work allotted depends on the size of the firm, the career growth is tremendous with increasing years of experience.
Partner
Their work generally pertains to supervising the legal and technical support teams of the law firms while running the daily administrative affairs. Other areas that are of interest to them include managing the new projects allotted by the clients and keeping an eye on vendor relationships. Their expertise lies in handling all the projects perfectly while ensuring that the work on the talent is balanced to receive the best outcomes.
A list of the popular industries hiring corporate lawyers include
Law firms
Consultancies
Law enforcement agencies
Corporate firms
Judiciary
Law institutions
2. Chief Legal Managers
An expert with years of experience in commercial law, a chief legal manager is the head of all the legal matters of an organisation. They are the legal face of the firms and preside over the entire legal procedure from the minutes of details to the biggest of deals. Compared to corporate lawyers who deal primarily with business operations, legal managers are expected to have a broader scope of knowledge including intellectual property and franchising, corporate law, international trade laws and so on.
3. Diplomat
Besides collecting and sharing information relevant to their client’s needs, diplomats also work towards maintaining healthy international relations. After all, the entire corpus of diplomatic law is derived based on state immunity and sovereign immunity. Moreover, they work relentlessly toward negotiating treaties and providing aid during crises. They earn USD 86,200 p.a. on an average.
4. Industry Experts
Their expertise is used in legal insight in all the essential matters of the organisation ranging from transactions and business associations to contracts and beyond.
5. Policy advisor
Besides working closely with policy analysts on the implementation of public policies, these experts lend their expertise in writing and presenting well-researched reports for government bodies. They basically have three interlinking roles: advising, negotiating and litigating. Over time, there has been tremendous growth in the scope of work of policy advisors thanks to the diversification of international law and the pressing need for specialisation thereby, the gradual codification of international law and also an increase in monitoring and accountability mechanisms. They can also evaluate potential risks on policy documents. Their average paycheck is USD 74,500 p.a.
A policy advisor’s job requires a high level of expertise. Therefore, a masters degree is recommended. Further, an aspirant can also go for a PhD to get more access to opportunities. The importance of internships and work experiences cannot be neglected either.
Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Policy and the Master of Public Policy, are also the more popular courses among aspirants. Since the degrees are quite broad in themselves, many of the students choose to concentrate on a particular area that interests them.
Another good decision would be to opt for entry-level jobs right at the bachelors level. This will give more insight into the professional lives of policy advisors, and the hands-on practical experience gained is indispensable. This will also act as a reliable platform for network building. Many students also volunteer for political organisations.
6. Mediator
Mediators study individual cases in depth. Upon doing so, they do their best to provide mutual solutions and avoid the possibility of a court hearing for both the parties. Being a mediator is all about conflict resolution so a person with good reasoning, problem solving abilities and peacemaking skills will reach great heights in this profession. Examples of conflicts that mediators generally strive to resolve include labour issues, health care disputes, environmental issues and international conflicts. This job is highly confidential. Mediators make over USD 51,700 p.a.
Though a degree in law goes a long way, education in mediation is the most important which can either be attained as an undergraduate course or an individual training course.
Mediation has always been a sought after option historically. Today, a large number of colleges have started offering courses in dispute resolution and conflict management keeping in mind the needs of the globalised world. The growth rate of this field is exponential, and it is expected to overtake all the other areas soon.
7. Legal advisor
As the name suggests, upon receiving all the necessary documents from the client, legal advisors work towards providing useful advice regarding legal issues and transactions. Their job is different from that of arbitrators as the parties are in no sort of prior agreement to accept the suggestions made unconditionally.
They are also known as “in-house counsel”, “in-house lawyers” and “corporate counsel”. Often, they specialise in issues such as contract disputes, compensation issues and other workplace related conflicts. This job can fetch you USD 78,700 p.a. on an average.
It is a highly competitive field and merely getting a diploma won’t cut it. At least an LLB course from a recognized university should be completed. Moreover, working as a Legal Assistant can fetch amazing opportunities on this career path.
Though the beginning can be challenging, this career brings forth an array of opportunities in a diverse range of sectors. The flexible working hours, possibility of self employment and the financial merits are the cherry on the cake.
8. Project officer/assistant
These officers generally work for organisations which have their presence in the legal arena as well, for instance inter-governmental organisations or NGOs. Their scope of work is pretty wide and can range from carrying out awareness campaigns and brainstorming in research to even collaborating with beneficiaries directly. On an average, they make $72,500 p.a.
As a project officer, you can be heading a team in a consulting company, a marketing or finance organisation or take on roles in global organisations such as the UN, UNICEF, WHO and others where you will directly be working towards the welfare of people at large.
How to pursue a career in international law?
International law is a diverse and unrestricted field. That being said there is no fixed route into it. In fact, even professionals who are not from the legal field can work with the employers in supportive roles such as finance and HR. However, if the legal aspects interest you, then here’s how you can pursue a career in international law.
- It is prudent to supplement your legal degree with a masters course in international affairs or a related field.
- Knowledge and skills gained through internships are indispensable.
- Besides a keen interest in pursuing law in a global setting, an aspirant should also have command over an international language and robust overseas experience. French, German, Japanese, Russian are the most in demand.
- While the formal qualifications are vital too, the interpersonal skills shouldn’t be overlooked either. They include –
- Keen interest in law
- Relevant skills right from research and drafting to advocacy.
- Incredible flexibility and adaptability to shine either in challenging environments or firms with a broader base which are indulged in other service areas as well.
- Good grasp on cultural awareness to forge cordial bonds in a multinational setup
- Good eye for judgement and an analytical bent of mind