International Law?

fishtwentyfive

What is international law, really? And what is a JD international law program, considering the typical 'international law' degree is an LLM ?

What is the business model of an international lawyer? Do they litigate? Meet with international law clients, like big corporations spanning several countries?

What's the likelihood of an international lawyer practicing law outside of the United States?

Pacifico

International law is a form of law made up of both common laws based on norms and rules of the international community as well as codified laws that are agreed upon by groups of countries either independently or with the help of international institutions or organizations.

A JD international law program is usually just where you can earn a JD but the school offers a larger number of electives in areas related to international law so that one could "specialize" in international law, or the school might have some really outstanding faculty in this field and so they seek to highlight the quality of the instruction in that field. It is somewhat akin to a major in UG but not to the same extreme since you're still getting a JD and could still go into any area of law that you want given the common core that most JDs mandate.

There is no business model of an international lawyer because it is such a broad field. You could work in an area of international interest for a corporate firm, work in house counsel for a multinational corporation or NGO, or argue cases in international courts. Those are just a very small number of examples of what can constitute being involved with international lawyer ranging from somewhat possible to unicorny as hell.

The idea of the jet setting international human rights lawyer fighting injustices the world over is probably the most unicorny ideal of being an international lawyer. Most of it is pretty mundane, detail oriented work, as is much other work that lawyers do, but this arena is overly romanticized for some reason.

As for practicing outside the U.S., you are almost certainly not doing that prior to being a partner at a corporate firm or having a similar level of experience, plus awesome connections, and if you really want to have a shot at something outside the U.S. you really should be fluent in another language (to the level of arguing cases and doing your whole job in another language).

goalis180

@Pacifico "unicorny as hell" LMFAOO dood I can't even breathe.

fishtwentyfive

@Pacifico
You're a boss. Thanks for the answers.

Farabian-Platonist

From my experience abroad, it should not be called international law, but rather international suggestion.

Alex

@"Farabian-Platonist" said:
From my experience abroad, it should not be called international law, but rather international suggestion.

Bazinga!!!

tringo335

@"Farabian-Platonist" said:
From my experience abroad, it should not be called international law, but rather international suggestion.

Ha!