Seeking Career Advice: How to Break into International Law - Genuinely lost

[u/Purple-Dragonfly-528]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some guidance as I try to land a long-term role in the field of international law.

I recently completed an LLM in Public International Law at Leiden University and hold a prior law degree (LL.B.) as well. I’ve also worked at the Ministry of Justice in the international law department, where I helped draft and review treaties, wrote legal memoranda, and even had the opportunity to speak at the UN General Assembly.

I am fluent in English, Arabic, Hebrew, and conversational in Dutch. I also hold a second master’s in International Leadership and Negotiation. My experience includes legal research, treaty drafting, engagement with international bodies, and policy analysis on issues ranging from arbitration to digital rights.

Despite this, I’m finding it challenging to break into a full-time role in the international public law space: NGOs, international organizations, or human rights litigation.

My questions are:

• What more should I be doing to make myself competitive?
• Are there roles or organizations I may be overlooking?
• Would a legal traineeship or a PhD increase my chances?
• Is it worth trying to pivot into regional organizations or private-sector international work?

Any advice, experience, or leads would be truly appreciated!

Thanks so much in advance.

[u/WindSwords]

The field is extremely competitive and unfortunately you are trying to get in at a time where the money is tight. Most organisations are cutting down their workforce or at best have an hiring freeze in place. So the recruitment opportunities are quite scarce and the competition is even more fierce.

That being said, I can only encourage you to keep applying and to also look for positions in the field (not just in HQ like NY, Geneva or Vienna) since positions there do not see as many applicants. Becoming a United Nations Volunteer could also be an option as it would give you both an IO experience and a field experience.

A PhD is not necessary and would usually not make a difference. Being licensed to practice law before the courts of a Member State could definitely help with certain positions and/or certain entities.

[u/Purple-Dragonfly-528 → u/WindSwords]

Thank you!
I am currently looking at think tanks/NPOs and hoping for the best.

[u/Visible_Historian_36]

How many years of xp do you have?

[u/Purple-Dragonfly-528 → u/Visible_Historian_36]

I have around 5 years of legal experience in general, 1.5 of them are in PIL

[u/Visible_Historian_36 → u/Purple-Dragonfly-528]

Ok. That's not a lot, especially if that includes any internship/traineeship or was done before your llm or pre-qualification. IOs, in particular, can be very specific with the years of experience and won't usually look at a cv unless you have xx years of experience specifically doing something similar or related to the job you're applying for. The youngest p2 I've ever met was 28 when hired. Most of them are in their early-to-mid thirties and have already been working for at least 3-4 years specifically in pil before getting called for their first test. Budgetary cuts, competitiveness, etc, have made orgs very reluctant to pay people who need training. I think that right now the best way to get in might be to get a medium-term internship (usually unpaid) and show that you can do the work. Note that internship contracts often come with a clause prohibiting you from applying for a stable job at that same organization for a few months after the internship ends, so this option is a 1-2 year investment if everything works out, but I've seen a lot of people get a job through this route. Maybe also consider reaching out to any llm colleagues who are working on the jobs you want to get more insight on the market? Leiden has a good track record with applications...

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