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Reviewed by:
Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University
Reviewed: 05/12/23
If you’re interested in becoming an international lawyer but want to know more about this profession and what it entails, read on!
International lawyers are professionals who ensure these rules are upheld. As such, they help fulfill a larger responsibility of maintaining world peace—a big role to fill!
If you’re up for the challenge, this legal specialty may be the perfect fit for you. To confirm if it is, this guide will go over how to become an international lawyer, their duties, salary, necessary skills, and more.
Simply stating that international lawyers maintain global peace is an overstatement. The specific tasks they perform day-to-day to achieve this goal include:
There are two main branches of international law that attorneys may specialize in:
Private international law involves cases between private parties such as individuals or corporations.
Public international law is more complex and wide-ranging. It involves issues between nations and governments of sovereign states. Common issues these lawyers handle involve:
This branch of international law also extends to international humanitarian law (IHL), which is responsible for reducing human suffering by protecting those affected by armed conflicts. These types of lawyers aid in the following efforts:
International law includes more than just upholding law and peace. Economics and diplomacy are heavily involved in this legal specialty.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the roles international lawyers play, you may be wondering how to become one.
The path to becoming an international lawyer is straightforward but lengthy. Here’s what it’ll involve:
The very first step you’ll have to complete to become an international lawyer is obtaining an undergrad from an accredited university. Many students interested in pursuing international law major in Political Science, but the choice is ultimately yours.
No particular degree will give you an advantage in the admissions process but your GPA will. Choose a degree that you are interested in so you’re more likely to maintain a high GPA.
Your GPA alone won’t guarantee you admission into your top law school. Another factor the admissions committee will consider is your resume. If you have any major gaps in your resume it will raise questions and can hurt your chances of acceptance.
To avoid this, you should participate in meaningful volunteer, work, and extracurricular activities throughout your undergrad. A great place to start is joining your school’s pre-law society in your freshman year. This organization can help you find more opportunities to strengthen your application and fill up your resume!
Begin developing core traits required to excel in the legal field: critical thinking, time management, attention to detail, leadership, collaboration, analysis, public speaking, and communication.
Throughout the experiences you pursue in your undergrad, you should form meaningful relationships with your mentors and peers, especially your professors. You’ll be required to submit at least a couple letters of recommendation with your law school applications and want to ensure you have highly personal and glowing recommendations.
Be an active and engaged student, visit your professors during their office hours, and show an interest in their personal academic projects so you form a closer connection with them!
Admissions committees will consider your LSAT score. This score is arguably even more important than your GPA so it’s essential you spend a considerable amount of time preparing for this exam.
Create a study schedule you’re confident you can commit to and use reliable study tools to increase your score. Top-ranking law schools will expect high scores, so it’s essential you have a target score in mind that you can work towards.
Make sure you give yourself enough time to retake the test, as a large percentage of students write the LSAT multiple times before reaching their desired score.
Once you’ve gathered the necessary admission materials, ensure you apply to schools that can best support your goals and aspirations. Many schools offer experiential learning opportunities, course offerings, or concentrations in international law.
Consider joining one of these schools to begin honing the skills necessary to become an international lawyer. NYU has the best international law program in the nation, making it a great option to consider.
After choosing the perfect law school to complete your JD, you can expect to spend the next three years learning about law in extensive detail. Law school is notorious for being difficult, so thriving in this environment will require dedication and hard work.
Use and further develop the study habits you relied on during your undergrad to maintain high grades in your JD. High grades will open more doors for you throughout your JD and afterwards.
An important part of learning how to become an international lawyer is developing good test taking strategies. You’ll be required to write several exams throughout your legal journey, including the MPRE.
This exam, which is typically written while students are completing their JD, assesses students’ ethical and professional standards. Passing this exam is necessary to progress onto the next steps of your career!
Once you’ve completed your JD, you have the option of gaining more expertise by completing an LLM in International Law. This one-year program is not mandatory to practice law but can be helpful, as international law is highly complex.
The final step before you can take on your first case is passing the bar exam. This exam will provide you with the licensing and credentials needed to practice as an independent attorney!
Law school is an investment that is meant to have a high return; expensive JDs typically result in high-paying careers, and international law is no exception!
Lawyers typically make around $148,145 a year, and international lawyers fall within this salary estimate. However, depending on their expertise and location, this salary can double!
With an increase in globalization, endless global conflict, and humanitarian threats, this specialty is in high demand but is also highly competitive.
Presumably, you don’t just want to know how to become an international lawyer, you want to know how to become an outstanding international lawyer. To do so, these are the skills you should hone:
You are also encouraged to have a high degree of knowledge in economics, politics, and world issues to best represent your clients.
For attorneys interested in international humanitarian law, in particular, you should also be aware of the emotional demands of these cases. You will encounter a lot of violence, conflict, and loss.
So far, you’ve learned what an international lawyer does. If you want to join this profession, read our FAQs below.
To become an international lawyer, you can study international law, international studies, or a related field. You can also consider learning a foreign language.
Yes, pursuing a career as an international lawyer may be an excellent option for those with a passion for global matters, an appreciation for intricate legal problems, and an interest in collaborating with clients and cultures from around the world. This field typically provides substantial financial rewards, a varied and evolving workplace, and chances to meaningfully influence international relations.
To start a career in international law, you must obtain an undergrad, create a stellar law school application, attend law school, and pass your bar exam.
Yes, International Law is in demand, especially as globalization and interconnectedness continue to grow. The need for legal expertise in handling cross-border issues between nations and organizations has increased, making international lawyers highly valuable in fields such as trade, human rights, and environmental law.
To become an international lawyer, it typically takes at least seven years, including four years for an undergraduate degree and three years for a Juris Doctor (JD) degree; if you choose to pursue an LLM in International Law, it would add another year to the timeline.
Yes, becoming an international lawyer is quite challenging due to the field's competitiveness. It requires a strong academic background, proficiency in multiple languages, and often additional specialized training or experience in international law. Gaining admission to top law schools with strong international law programs can also be highly competitive, making the path demanding for many aspiring lawyers.
The average salary for an international lawyer in the United States is around $148,145 per year, with the lower end at $131,947 and the higher end at $163,417.
No legal career is easy—especially not becoming an attorney. While each legal specialty plays an essential role in society, international lawyers not only protect their own nation, but several others as well. Follow the steps shared in this guide to join this high-impact profession!
