Replace Your Briefcase With A Suitcase
Put away the traditional legal briefcase and instead, pack a suitcase! Our guide to international law careers will help you unlock careers paths recommended by other alumni. There's a wealth of information about breaking into roles in the United Nations, there's also different options for finding externships, internships, early career and late career roles. If you're looking to take a sabbatical and volunteer your legal knowledge around the world, check out the pro bono opportunities.
Feeling overwhelmed keeping up with policy and looking to brush up on your knowledge first? We've put together a list of resources that keep up with everything so you don't have to! No need to use ChatGPT, you've got all the international data and research at your fingertips.
Careers at the United Nations
The United Nations performs a variety of different types of recruitment due to the various needs and structures of their international programs - this includes everything from micro volunteering online to massive positions in global leadership.
Use our links to find an opportunity for you that is appropriate based upon your current legal experience and other skills.
CGLP provides summer and semester long study and externship opportunities to build your international law resume. Be sure to take advantage of our variety of global opportunities for all stages of your law school experience.
Upon your return, work with CGLP and OCM to craft a great international law resume.
- American Society of International Law: Internships in international law & SCU is a member organization
- Idealist Internships: Social Impact jobs and internships around the world
- US DOS Pathways Internships Program
- World Trade Organization Internships (must be under 30 years old)
- International Monetary Fund Internships
- Devex: Internships in international development
- World Bank Legal Internship Program
- International Criminal Court Internships
- Advocates for Human Rights Internship
- International Committee of the Red Cross Internships
- Human Rights Watch Internships
- Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) Internships
Check out international opportunities for graduates of law school that have generally have less than 3 years of experience.
- American Society of International Law: Internships in international law & SCU is a member organization
- Foreign Policy Association: Join a Discussion Group
- Devex: Jobs in international development
- Relief Web: Searchable web site listing thousands of overseas jobs
- Idealist Jobs: Social Impact jobs and internships around the world
- US DOS Recent Graduates Program
- US DOS Foreign Service Officers
- USA Jobs: Changing location to other countries can help you find federal employment around the world
- World Trade Organization Young Professionals Program (must be under 32 years of age)
- International Monetary Fund Research Analyst Program
- Advocates for Human Rights Careers
- International Committee of the Red Cross Recent Grads
- International Committee of the Red Cross Contract Positions
- ALB Legal Jobs Centre: Focuses on Asia
- Devex: Jobs in international development
- Internationaljobs.com: Variety of legal jobs around the world
- Relief Web: Searchable web site listing thousands of overseas jobs
- Idealist Jobs: Social Impact jobs and internships around the world
- US DOS Franklin Talent Exchange Program
- World Trade Organization
- International Monetary Fund Specialized Career Stream Professionals
- World Bank
- International Criminal Court Jobs
- Advocates for Human Rights Careers
- Amnesty International Careers
- Open Society Foundations
- Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) Jobs and Consultancies
- ABA-Section of International Law: The International Law Section is dedicated to bringing together lawyers from around the globe to focus on international legal issues, promote the rule of law, and provide legal education, policy, publishing, and practical assistance related to cross-border activity.
- Communication Initiative: Designated to facilitate communication among development professionals (legal and non-legal) (site expired 2025)
- Eldis: Various research summaries (site expired 2024)
- Opinio Juris: In association with the The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), a non-governmental organization of leading judges and lawyers from all legal traditions, working to build a world based on human rights standards and the rule of law.
- US DOS Job Categories
- World Bank Group E-Learning
- Foundation Center: A wealth of information on funding agencies and foundations, including application details, program priorities and past funding. Excellent databases available for free in their libraries in several cities including New York and online for subscribers
- Human Rights Funders Group: Information on foundations that support human rights groups and a searchable database
- Human Rights Resources Center: Various international human rights research summaries (site seems last updated 2021)
- Microfinance Gateway: Learn about microfinance and developing economies
- Pambazuka News: Pambazuka News is the authoritative Pan-African website and newsletter for social justice in Africa and the global South providing cutting edge commentary and in-depth analysis on the struggle for freedom and justice.
- Peacebuilding Portal: Created by the United Nations, a database of NGO’s working searchable by region, country, theme, and type of organization focusing on human security, peacebuilding, and conflict
- Amnesty International E-Learning Portal
- Human Rights Watch Reports Database
- American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative