Your background may be as a barrister, solicitor, academic, policy adviser or caseworker as roles vary from the more familiar ones using advocacy, legal drafting and research skills to working in the “field” in unfamiliar and possibly remote locations.  International lawyers can be found in international organisations, courts and tribunals, regional organisations, NGOs, government departments, law firms, barristers’ chambers, universities and institutes.

When international law is referred to it usually either means public international law or private international law.  Public international law, in its basic form, concerns relations between countries and their citizens. It is vast and covers areas such as international human rights law, developed from the principles defined by the UN, armed conflict, environmental law, trade law, law of the seas and international arbitration. Private international law concerns the relationships between private individuals, associations and commercial organisations.  Whilst some roles sit more obviously in one area or the other, there are increasingly areas of cross over.  You could find yourself taking your legal skills and experiences from the private to the public arena or dealing with an international issue in a national setting. To help you navigate this complex scene this briefing provides an overview to law and non law students of some of the options for pursuing a career in international law, the skills you will need to do so, as well as links to resources for further exploration.

You might also find it helpful to read our other career briefings for solicitor, barrister, international organisations and think tanks in conjunction with this one.

WHAT TYPES OF JOBS ARE THERE?

Working as an international lawyer can be extremely exciting and provide high levels of job satisfaction.  However, salaries can be very variable, job security may be less certain as roles can be of a more short term nature or highly dependent on funding, and you might find yourself working in a developing country where access to resources and general amenities is significantly less than you are used to!  Relatively few jobs can be secured straight after graduating with your degree, but with a careful mix of additional qualifications, experience and good reputation a successful career path can be forged.  The following list highlights some of the types of opportunities that can be found for lawyers working internationally.

International and Regional Organisations

The United Nations employs hundreds of international lawyers not only in its Office of Legal Affairs within the UN Secretariat but also within its many agencies such as the UNEP (UN Environment Programme), the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) or the World Health Organisation (WHO).  The UN’s principle judicial arm – the International Court of Justice, established in 1945, also provides opportunities for students and young professionals.

Regionally, opportunities for full time, temporary and work experience opportunities can be found in the institutions of the European Union.  The Commission, The Court of Justice of the European Communities, The Court of Auditors, The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament all employ lawyers.  There are also opportunities for undergraduates/graduates and qualified solicitor/barristers as lawyer-linguists in the Translation Service of the Court of Justice (and the Parliament).   For these roles, candidates need to have the requisite language skills and must have studied a law course to have adequate knowledge of one of the English speaking member states.

Entirely separate from the European Union is the Council of Europe, with its headquarters in Strasbourg. An intergovernmental organisation, it was established in 1949 by the Treaty of London to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law.  Its judicial branch, the European Court of Human Rights, is a permanent judicial body which guarantees for all Europeans the rights safeguarded by the European Convention on Human Rights.  Legal Officers are employed in the Registry of the Court to work on applications made under the Convention on Human Rights, to prepare legal case files, conduct research into legal matters and to draft documents of a legal or general nature.

Outside Europe there are other organisations, such as The Organisation of American States and the African Union – both of which employ lawyers for their secretariats. Other organisations to consider are; The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (A.S.E.A.N.); The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (O.E.C.D.); The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (O.S.C.E.); The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (N.A.T.O.); The Arab League and The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (O.I.C.).

Courts

This area has seen dramatic expansion following the human catastrophes in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Cambodia and the worldwide recognition that war crimes of this magnitude and severity must be brought to justice.  The UN Security Council set up its first war crimes court – the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in 1993.  Whilst this ad hoc court is now close to completing its work, similar tribunals and courts have been set up following war crimes elsewhere.  For example, work for lawyers can be found in the International Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and also in the permanent International Criminal Court that was set up in 2002. The ICC is not part of the UN, but an independent international organisation, governed by the Rome Statute and ratified by 60 countries. Other sources of employment for lawyers with relevant domestic experience may be found in non criminal tribunals (or compensation courts) which are often established to deal with issues associated with armed conflict, such as housing and property.

NGOs

Some of the best known include large organisations such as Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Friends of the Earth, JUSTICE, Article 19, Reprieve and The Aire Centre, all of whom employ lawyers. There are many others which work on broad human rights issues or on the protection of specific rights.

Government

In the UK this could be through the Government Legal Service whose solicitors and barristers advise on a range of European matters in departments such as the MoD, DEFRA, HMRC and BIS. The GLS recruits trainees and pupils annually and offers work experience placements.  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also recruits independently for qualified lawyers only. Equivalent positions exist in most countries’ civil services.

The British Army hires qualified solicitors, barristers and Scottish Advocates at officer level into its Legal Services Branch. Specialist legal training in international law is provided and overseas postings are available within 1-2 years after training has been completed.  The work covers general advisory, prosecution and operational law.  The Royal Air Force too, hires qualified solicitors and barristers as Legal Officers.

Private Sector

The private sector is a major source of opportunity for international legal practice.  The areas of law practised within law firms, barristers’ chambers and in-house corporations generally fall into private international law and its associated transactions.  With the increasing globalisation of businesses and the need to be able to offer a client service to match, many of the top law firms have opened offices across the globe or have merged with other overseas firms. This is creating opportunities for both trainees and established lawyers to work in a variety of international settings on diverse legal problems. Brussels is an excellent location for the practice of EU law and is a key centre for law firms, appealing to both those who want to work in a traditional law firm as well as those who wish to work in EU law from different angles.

Increasingly, issues associated with public international law are encountered in private international transactions on areas such as sovereignty, immigration, trade, laws of the sea, etc.   Whilst there are few law firms in the UK that work purely in international public law, there are some who are developing this as a practice area.  However, students are advised to contrast this type of work environment with similar areas of practice which are worked through NGOs, international organisations and so on.  To find firms and chambers with strong reputations in public international law cases use directories such as Chambers and Partners. International law arguments are also often being raised before domestic courts e.g. international adoption, human rights, etc.  In addition, barristers may have the opportunity to act in regional courts such as the ECHR or international courts such as the ICJ.

Academia/Research

This is another growing area of opportunities.  You could work exclusively within academia or combine research and teaching with practice (solicitor or barrister) and or other field-based roles.  Opportunities can be found on www.jobs.ac.uk and there are also some, but less frequent, research opportunities in relevant institutes such as the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, The Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa, The Council on Foreign Relations and Freedom House in the USA. For details of further research and fellowship opportunities for students and professionals take a look at the American Society for International Law www.asil.org/fellowships.cfm.

WHAT SKILLS DO I NEED?

• Flexibility to work in different settings (with fewer facilities), organisations and locations (with perhaps more sparten conditions)
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi national environment
• Language Skills – French and English are widely used and are the working languages of the UN Secretariat.  Additional languages will be beneficial.
• Excellent legal skills e.g. drafting, research, advocacy.

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY POINTS?

Before entering this part of the legal profession it is advisable to consider what your legal and other interests are, what type of work you might enjoy most and what type of environment would suit you best. There is no single career pathway that suits everyone, so be prepared to investigate the best route for you. Read up on the subject, talk to international law academics and practitioners, and build up some experience.  The Oxford Law Faculty runs regular seminars on topics related to public international law which all students of the University are welcome to attend – see http://denning.law.ox.ac.uk/pil/events.php

Entry is usually via an internship, a young professional scheme or through professional (or other) experience built up in the domestic practice of relevant areas.

Starting a career in public international law will usually require the following: qualification as a lawyer in a legal jurisdiction; relevant language skills; international work experience e.g. a traineeship with one of the EU institutions or an overseas seat as part of a training contract; an LLM in a relevant subject.

A career in private international law will usually require: qualification as a lawyer in a legal jurisdiction and work with an international legal dimension; relevant language skills.

HOW DO I GET EXPERIENCE?

The following should illustrate the types of internship and work experience opportunities that are available – many of them are unpaid. Some are available only to graduates; please check individual sites for details.   Remember that an internship is not the only way to demonstrate commitment to the public international law field. Volunteering in a local domestic organisation in Oxford or in your own locality (especially for those interested in human rights) can prove just as effective.  Not included here are the vacation schemes or mini pupillages available in UK law firms and chambers – please see the relevant Solicitor and Barrister Career Briefings for how to access these.

• African Union Commission www.au.int/en/  (Opportunities for graduates)
• Advocates for International Development www.a4id.org  offer internships and also advertise other legal internships and placements for students and lawyers in NGOs and so on.
• Oxfordshire Short Term Advocacy Scheme www.oadg.org.uk welcomes volunteers.
• Council of Europe http://hub.coe.int/ details of traineeships
• European Court of Human Rights www.echr.coe.int/ECHR  for information on traineeships and the Assistant Lawyers Scheme (paid roles, but you must hold a minimum of a law degree from a member state)
• European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/stages/index_en.htm   for information on summer and winter paid traineeships.
• European Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/  for information on traineeships (1-4 months unpaid, some with scholarships)
• Council of the European Union www.consilium.eu.int  for information on Stages
• Court of Justice of the European Communities http://curia.europa.eu contains information on opportunities within the court including the work of the Lawyer Linguist and Stages.
• Organisation of American States http://www.oas.org (undergraduates and graduates)
• Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe http://www.osce.org (undergraduates and graduates)
• FIELD Foundation for Environmental Law and Development www.field.org.uk/  offers internships to legal graduates or students in their final year of a legal degree.
• UN www.un.org (general opportunities for masters/PhDs and also some in the International Trade Law Division (www.uncitral.org) and the UN Office of Legal Affairs http://untreaty.un.org/ola/)
• World Trade Organisation www.wto.org  opportunities (permanent posts and stages) for lawyers and law graduates
• International Court of Justice http://www.icj-cij.org/  (students and young professionals)
• International Criminal Court (The Hague) www.icc-cpi.int/ (Young professionals)
• Amicus www.amicus-alj.org Offers internships to law graduates (3 months, self funded)
• Amnesty International www.amnesty.org
• British Institute of Human Rights – sign up for the BIHR’s mailing list to find out about future volunteer and internship opportunities.  www.bihr.org.uk
• Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.  Recruits research interns for its London office.  www.business-humanrights.org/Aboutus/Internships
• British Institute of International and Comparative Law http://www.biicl.org/internships/.  For many of these you need a relevant LLM.
• Centre for Constitutional Rights http://ccrjustice.org/jobs
• European Council on Refugees and Exile http://www.ecre.org/
• GlobalRights.org – www.GlobalRights.org a human rights advocacy group.  This site advertises opportunities for internships, fellowships and other jobs.
• Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org
• International Crisis Group www.crisisgroup.org
• International Environmental Law Research Centre www.ielrc.org
• International Bar Association www.ibanet.org also offers a Legal Internship Programme for undergraduate and post graduate law students and newly qualified lawyers at the IBA offices in either London or The Hague.
• International Institute of Human Rights (Strasbourg) offer two types of internships – Documentation Internships and Research Internships.  For the latter, you need to be working on or have already attained a doctorate in the area of human rights. http://www.iidh.org
• International Organisation for Migration http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home.html
• Redress www.redress.org – internships available to recent law graduates and LLM students.
• The Mountbatten Internship Programme – 12 month placements in the USA (New York) www.mountbatten.org
• See also  the American Society of International Law www.asil.org/internships.cfm for more ideas on internships  in criminal law, dispute resolution/arbitration, development law, economic and trade law, environment law, human rights and humanitarian law, migration and security law, private international law and international and security law.  Many, but not all, are US based.
• See also the Oxford University Law Faculty Public International Law website http://denning.law.ox.ac.uk/pil/internships.php  for more ideas of internships in areas relating to Public international law.
• The Law Society http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/ read their PDF on their work to protect human rights and the rule of law.  Also see http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/hr/practise for details on how you can get involved.
• European Law Students Association E.L.S.A. www.elsa.org/traineeships.html. The Student Trainee Exchange Programme (STEP) is a trainee exchange programme that enables law students and young lawyers to gain first hand experience of the substantive and procedural law as well as the culture of another country.  Traineeships exist from 2 weeks to 18 months in any law related area e.g. law firms, courts, public institutions, banks, in house legal and so on. You need to be an ELSA member to apply.
• See also for vacancies database on the CareerConnect section of www.careers.ox.ac.uk

FUNDING INTERNSHIPS AND STUDY – OPPORTUNITIES AND IDEAS

1. The Oxford Pro Bono Publico Internship programme – 5-10 x £500 awards for graduates seeking non paid or poorly paid internships in public sector organisations http://www.law.ox.ac.uk/themes/opbp/internship.php
2. The Arthur C Helton Fellowship programme.  Through this programme the American Society of International Law provides financial assistance to approximately 10 law students and young professionals per year to pursue fieldwork and research on significant issues involving international law, human rights, humanitarian affairs and related areas.  Applicants can be of any nationality but you must be a current law student or have graduated from law school (ug or pg) no earlier than December 2009.  This is an annual award so as a guide applications for those wishing to undertake work experience between April-September 2012 were opened on 12/10/2011 and closed on 9/1/2012 – ONLY THE FIRST 50 COMPLETED APPLICATIONS ARE CONSIDERED see http://www.asil.org/helton-fellowship.cfm  for details.
3. The Human Rights Lawyers Association offers bursaries to help people through unpaid volunteering roles and internships.  For the 2011-12 academic year the deadline for applications was6th May 2012.  See http://www.hrla.org.uk/bursary_2011.php for details.
4. Check with your college as you may be able to apply for travel grants or other financial aid for work experience.  If you have joined an Inn of Court, you may also be able to approach them for funding. Some Inns provide additional awards for the pupillage year.
5. The Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL) provide financial support for people undertaking unpaid internships in international organisations or NGOs.  You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.  The closing dates for 2012 are 20/4/11 and 19/10/11.  See http://law.anu.edu.au/
6. Check with the Embassies, High Commissions and businesses in the regions that you are going to for further possible sources.
7. Consider entering essay competitions – although relatively few, prize money can be substantial!   The Times Law Award (essay competition) is open to all students registered with a UK educational institution, deadline is usually the end of November and first prize is c.£3500.  The Bar Council Law Reform Essay Competition is open to pupils, law degree students, GDL and BPTC students in England and Wales and first prize is £4,000. The Law Society’s Graham Turnbill Memorial International Human Rights Essay competition is open to law students, trainee solicitors, etc and first prize is £500.  The Junior Lawyers Division of the Law Society will launch in 2011 a 2000 word essay competition for students and trainees.
8.  Amicus’ Andrew Lee Jones Award. Amicus provides awards of around £500 to allow students to undertake internships either through Amicus or independently.  Apply in plenty of time to arrange your visa – they recommend at least 5 months before you want to start your internship. See www.amicus-alj.org for details.
9.  The Inns of Court provide funding for their barristers to undertake internships during or just after the pupillage year. See the Inns’ websites for more details.
10. Hauser Scholars Programme provides funding for 10-14 students to undertake legal masters courses (and also 2 research scholars) at New York University School of Law. See www.law.nyu.edu/global/hauserscholarsprogram/

Our briefings on Funding Postgraduate Study in the UK and Funding Postgraduate Study in the USA (available on www.careers.ox.ac.uk) will also be useful in searching for funding opportunities for further study.

HOW DO I GET A JOB?

Pursuing an international legal career will require some creativity and determination with most likely one or more unpaid or poorly paid internships.  Success is likely to come through a mix of appropriate academic qualifications, professional qualifications, work experience and network building.   The steps you need to take should be carefully researched as they may vary considerably depending on your current position and desired outcomes.  To help with this, you can read the profiles of Oxford Law Faculty members (listed on the University Law Faculty website) who work in your areas of interest. Many of the academics have held a variety of other legal roles and many are professionally qualified.  You can also read further profiles of international lawyers on sites such as the American Society for International Law (www.asil.org/careeressays.cfm).   The following elements are considered to be some of the key building blocks for pursuing an international legal career.

• A good law degree (i.e. LLB or GDL.)

•  For those pursuing the GDL route, course providers should be researched carefully to check the possibility of undertaking international law options in addition to the seven compulsory foundation subjects. If you are without an undergraduate law degree you might need to take a masters degree in international law in addition to the GDL.

• Law students at Oxford should consider taking the public international law option or other related topics such as European Human Rights Law or International Trade, and/or a comparative law option – a good understanding of civil law systems, even at a relatively basic level may prove useful.

• A professional legal qualification – this will be essential if you wish to begin your career by becoming a practising barrister or solicitor in your home jurisdiction.  There will be many people, perhaps working in policy or advisory roles or in academia, who do not hold a professional qualification but who have made a successful career in international law.  Even if this is not a requirement for your future job, having a professional legal qualification may enhance your credibility in the international legal jobs market; give you an opportunity to build up strong legal skills and perhaps particular legal expertise which can be transferred to an appropriate international opportunity at a later date (or whilst you are looking for the right opportunity) and also provide a “fall back” option for future years.

• For the more specialised legal areas not usually covered in undergraduate legal study, masters courses may be an important addition for securing roles.  Having some work experience prior to your masters course may significantly enhance your learning experience.

• Build your network of contacts and your knowledge of topical issues through joining student associations and clubs with an international law focus such as ELSA or Young Legal Aid Lawyers and taking part in mooting events.  Not all jobs in this sector will be advertised so talking with your tutors and practitioners can help you to find out about both full time and internship positions. As your career develops the ability to network successfully will be hugely important.

• Build your work experience through internships, volunteering and work shadowing.  In our “how to get experience” is a list of the sorts of opportunities that can be found in this area, but there will be many others.  It is likely that a good number of them will be unpaid or poorly paid positions so see our funding section for ideas on how to raise funds.  It is also possible to make speculative approaches for work experience – decide which geographical area you would like to work in and the sort of work you are keen on and then contact the relevant organisations that operate there.

• For academic careers in international law a PhD/DPhil will most likely be needed.

• Short courses are available in related areas e.g. Human Rights Law Summer School in Oxford and  Summer Courses in Public and Private International Law at the Hague Academy of International Law.

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS AND EQUALITY

The law protects you from discrimination due to your age, gender, race, religion or beliefs, disability or sexual orientation. Find out where and how you are protected, and what to do if you feel have been discriminated against by visiting:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandresponsibilities/index.htm

Your personal circumstances regarding career choices and whether you should or need to tell a potential employer about your circumstances (e.g. time out from studies owing to depression or health needs) is highly individual.  Although there is legislation, you may find it helpful to see a Careers Adviser to talk through your particular circumstances and to decide whether to tell someone about xxx, if yes, when and how to disclose. To arrange to see a Careers Advisor regarding this, please contact our Reception team on reception@careers.ox.ac.uk or telephone 01865 274646.

There is often confusion about whether you should be paid to do an internship or work experience. It will depend on your arrangement with the employer and also the status of the employer.  To find out if you are entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW) when undertaking work experience or an internship visit: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_198089.

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

The broad advice given in this briefing applies to postgraduate students (and research staff) as well as to undergraduates. Even if job adverts do not ask for a postgraduate qualification, many graduate employers are keen to employ people who have postgraduate qualifications, whether at Master’s or DPhil level, and see them as often offering enhanced maturity and a broad set of transferable skills. Whatever your particular circumstances, or career aspirations, the careers advisers here are well equipped to discuss resources relevant to your needs, and how best to find jobs and market yourself effectively.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

There are frequent changes to the rules affecting international students and recent graduates wishing to work in the UK.  Non-EU graduates are most likely to gain permission to work under Tier 2 of the Point Based System which will require a job offer, support from an employer, a minimum salary and you will usually need to apply from within the UK. There are also more limited opportunities in other immigration categories. It is recommended that, for the most complete and up-to-date information, you check the UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs website which offers independent information and advice about immigration, finance and working in the UK, and also the UK Border Agency website.  Please refer to our Diversity files at the Careers Service for more information, or consult the University’s Student Information and Advisory Service which can provide specialist immigration advice.

RELEVANT EVENTS

For full details of events, check the Events section of our website and log in to CareerConnect.

OXFORD CAREERS NETWORK (OCN)

The OCN is a database of Oxford alumni who are willing to be contacted about their career. Read their case studies for behind-the-scenes insights into an organisation or occupation, and contact volunteers for more advice and information via CareerConnect.

ONLINE INTERVIEW FEEDBACK

The careers website includes access to online interview feedback forms completed by Oxford students; please see the link below to access.

https://internal.careers.ox.ac.uk/interview-feedback-database/

RESOURCE CENTRE

The Careers Service also has an extensive resource centre at 56 Banbury Road, Oxford, where you can drop in to browse during opening hours.

FILES

• Occupational Files: K-K4 Legal Study, Solicitors, Barristers and  International Law  and N1 Charity and Development Work
• Employers Files: Law and Legal Services (Solicitor Firms, Chambers).  Charity, Development Work and Not for Profit; International Institution. Public Administration and Government; Civil Service, Government Departments and Agencies and EU institutions.

BOOKS

• A Guide to International Law Careers, Anneke Smit & Christopher Waters
• Careers in International Law, Edited by Salli A Swartz

TO TAKE AWAY

• It’s Your Call, an Essential Guide to Becoming a Barrister, published by the Bar Council.
• Pupillages Handbook
• Targetjobs Courses, Conversion & Vocational Law, published by GTI
• Chambers and Partners, student edition
• Targetjobs Law
• Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook Chambers and Partners Student Guide

MAGAZINES

• TARGETjobs First Law 2013
• TARGETjobs Law, Vacation Schemes & Mini Pupillages 2013
• TARGETcourses Conversion & Vocation Law 2013
• Prospects Law Magazine 2012/13

PODCASTS

The Careers Service has recorded a series of podcasts.  Subscribe in iTunes or find a full list here: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/#career-unit

DIRECTORIES

• Lexadin: worldwide law guide with links to law firms, articles of legislation, law schools, court cases, legal articles and legal organisations - www.lexadin.nl/wlg
• Hieros Gamos: Is an American site which has a database of law firms in the United States and 170 other countries.  It includes links to law and government resources of 230 countries covering areas of practice as diverse as human rights to cyberspace law.  The site also links to legal associations and bar associations world-wide as well as the UN and world organisations www.hg.org
• International Legal Resources Guide: Established in 1995 to serve as a comprehensive internet resource in law and the legal profession.  Emphasis on the USA. www.ilrg.com
• Waterlow’s Solicitors and Barristers Directory: A directory of international law firms, often with bases in England www.waterlowlegal.com
• Chambers and Partners – a client directory for UK, USA, Asia, Europe and Latin America www.chambersandpartners.com
• The Legal 500 International Directories www.legal500.com

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS/BODIES

• Law Society of Scotland www.lawscot.org.uk
• Law Society of Ireland www.lawsociety.ie
• Law Society of Northern Ireland www.lawsoc-ni.org
• European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) www.elsa.org
• International Law Students Association (ILSA) www.ilsa.org
• International Bar Association www.ibanet.org Full time law students can now join as student members.
• Law Society of England and Wales – this contains information and links on international law, how to qualify in other jurisdictions and the practice of law internationally including human rights, lobbying, development work, pro bono work and links international.lawsociety.org.uk
• The Law Society Gazette: Human Rights LinkedIn Group www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/human-rights-linkedin-launch
• Solicitors Regulation Authority www.sra.org.uk
• Bar Standards Board www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
• Bar Council – also listed is a full list of the specialist Bar associations, including the Bar European Group http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/about-the-bar/what-is-the-bar/specialist-bar-associations/
• Law Centres Federation www.lawcentres.org.uk
• Legal Action Group www.lag.org.uk
• Legal Aid Practitioners Group www.lapg.co.uk
• Human Rights lawyers Association www.hrla.org.uk
• Immigration Law Practitioners Association www.ilpa.org.uk
• Young legal Aid Lawyers www.younglegalaidlawyers.org

LEGAL EDUCATION

• College of Europe for European Legal Studies (prospectus in the Careers service) www.coleurope.eu
• European University Institute www.eui.eu/Law
• Commonwealth Legal Education Association – this was founded in 1971 with the objective of fostering high standards of legal education and research in commonwealth countries www.clea-web.com
• The Council for international Educational Exchange – for international students wishing to gain professional training in the US www.ciee.org
• Fulbright www.fulbright.co.uk has a special section on the study and practice of law in the USA.

EMPLOYMENT

Please also see the sites mentioned in the work experience list of this briefing and details of pupillages and training contracts in the Law Society’s “Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook”. Free copies of this are available at the Law Fair and in the Careers Service.

• Insiders Guide to Law Firms (USA) – useful for internships and employment is US Law Firms http://careers.findlaw.com
• www.legalternatives.co.uk for some opportunities in courts and NGOs
• www.eurobrussels.com  – this is a comprehensive site which links to the main law firms operating in Brussels and internationally.  Also links to vacancies within the EU institutions and international organisations and advertises a range of jobs and internships including opportunities with NGOs, political organisations, think tanks and consultancies.
• http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc  Information on recruitment and temporary posts in the EU.
• http://faststream.civilservice.gov.uk Civil Service Fast Stream information
• www.gls.gov.uk Information on the Government Legal Service
• Ethical Jobs – you can access this site through our Electronic Subscriptions tab on CareerConect.  It will also give you access to jobs in policy and human rights.
• The Law Society Gazette (jobs.lawgazette.co.uk/), Legal Week (www.legalweekjobs.com) and The Lawyer (jobs.thelawyer.com) all have jobs boards which cover national and international opportunities.
• Working for an MP www.w4mp.org for details of vacancies for research type roles (e.g. Chatham House, plus possible roles with MPs interested in international type issues.)

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter is a quick way to develop your knowledge about the sector and find opportunities.  You can read and search it without an account.  We’ve made 20 handy lists, so that you can see at a glance information tailored to your interests.

If you’d like to join Twitter, remember to ‘follow’ us (www.twitter.com/OxfordCareers) as well as your chosen lists to keep receiving useful information to help your career.

See our Legal and Patent list at http://twitter.com/#!/OxfordCareers/legal-and-patent