Global development careers for lawyers

People with legal training and experience are needed virtually everywhere in international development. Donors employ lawyers to ensure programs comply with regulations of aid-recipient countries. Implementing agencies tap them to provide technical advice, or to help improve governance and the judicial sector in developing nations. As Jason Matechak told Devex, “There are many approaches to how lawyers can help out in international development.” Case in point: Matechak himself. He’s currently the general counsel at International Relief and Development, but he also serves as a rule of law officer at the international law section of the American Bar Association, the world’s largest voluntary professional association. Prior to his current role, Matechak was as partner for law firm Reed Smith (1998-2010), where he served as delegate to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law’s working group on public procurement and as general counsel for the International Development Law Organization, a Rome-based intergovernmental body. How law students and entry-level lawyers can break into the aid sector Matechak had his foot inside the international development sector even before he started private law practice, and in fact before earning a law degree. He was attending the George Mason University School of Law (1993-1997) while working as legal reform officer/procurement officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development. In most cases, opportunities for law students and those who are just starting come in the form of internship, fellowship and associate positions in donor organizations and NGOs. For instance, citizens of World Bank member countries who are Master of Law students or graduates can apply as interns for the global lender. And if they have master’s or doctoral degrees in law and at least one year but no more than two years of experience, they can qualify as candidates for the bank’s Legal Associates Program. “Those who perform exceptionally well [under the Legal Associates Program] and successfully compete in the normal selection procedures may have the opportunity to remain as staff on a long-term basis,” the World Bank says on its website. “Accordingly, the program hopes to contribute to the gradual renewal of the legal talent of the Vice Presidency.” The United Nations also runs an internship program at its Office of Legal Affairs in New York. This highly competitive program is open to individuals with bachelor’s degrees who have completed one year of a university degree course in law. It does not provide remuneration to selected candidates. Many larger nonprofits hire legal fellows, who usually have one or two years of experience, to assist legal department staff. The American Society of International Law is one, and it also publishes an online list of fellowship and research opportunities for both students and professionals. Opportunities for experienced lawyers For the most part, legal professionals who are interested in working in international development need several years of experience before making the transition to positions with humanitarian aid or development organizations. The minimum: five years at a law firm as a prosecutor or a criminal defense attorney in general, according to Rob Force, a democracy and government aid professional who works in Cambodia. “In my experience, attorneys who have had that much time to learn their trade… are more successful working in a developing country where organizations may lack people with similar skills and experience,” Force told Devex. The requirement for several years of experience applies whether the successful applicant will be stationed overseas or not. Job descriptions for international legal positions also oftentimes call for experience living or working in the developing world. While there are opportunities for more senior-level lawyers (those with 10 or more years of legal work), too much experience may make a transition to international development tougher. “In my case, finding a job after 18 years of legal practice was challenging, but once I was hired I found that my experience was incredibly beneficial to performing in my new position,” said Force, who previously worked in-house for a major financial institution and for a legal advisory firm in Cambodia on foreign investment projects. “I had the legal skills plus the management experience.” Relevant skills Lawyers come with a range of skills that are useful in international development, such as legal, research and analytical capabilities. Strong verbal and written communication as well as management abilities will further bolster their success in the field. Certain language skills may also be helpful or even required, especially for overseas positions. Want to be a legal counsel for the International Finance Corp. in Mumbai, for instance? Fluency in English is required, and fluency in a major Asian language is desirable. Interested in working as a legal adviser with Chemonics in Afghanistan? Fluency in English is a must, and working knowledge or fluency in Pashto or Dari a plus. Likewise, depending on the hiring organization, a background in a certain type of law may be necessary. Expertise in nonprofit tax law may be useful when targeting employment at a charity, while experience in corporate, tax, commercial, or finance and banking law may be required for legal positions in microfinance institutions. Do pro bono work International development is “a tough area to break into,” according to Brahmy Poologasingham, program manager for the Africa division at the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. It is critical for those in private practice to engage in international legal work even on a pro bono basis, she noted. Matechak agrees that doing pro bono work for aid projects is a good way to penetrate the sector. “If you really want to make an impression on a client, get to know them through pro bono work,” he said. “That’s a great way to get to know a company and understand how your skill set can be used.” Such work not only demonstrates a commitment to international development but can also help lawyers make contacts that can help them in their job search. And there are ample opportunities to do free legal service, particularly with nonprofits, according to Julia Soyars, general counsel and assistant corporate secretary at Grameen Foundation. Pro bono work opportunities may also come through a law firm’s corporate social responsibility program, or if the company does not have one, lawyers may consider taking the lead in developing such a program. They may also enlist in volunteer programs of bar associations. The American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative, for instance, has a number of volunteer opportunities for lawyers. These opportunities could entail travel to a foreign country for a short period of time as a legal expert or being involved in a working group on comparative legal international issues in a specific field of experience. Expect the transition to take some time Lawyers who have transitioned into development work say the amount of time it takes to find a suitable position can vary greatly. Some may take a year or two to find an opportunity that is the right fit, while others might be recruited by consultancy firms and be on a plane to Asia or Africa within a month. “Some lawyers use their vacation or take a leave of absence to work on short-term consultancies ranging from a few weeks to a few months, which then transitions into longer-term employment,” Force said. Financial circumstances may also affect one’s ability to make a transition, as legal positions in international development typically pay less than those in the private sector. Force said he had to wait until his student loans were paid before he made his career shift. Patience is key as it may take a few attempts to land a plum job. Poologasingham, for instance, served two law firms in Seattle, where she tried to work on as many international projects as possible, before joining the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative in 2009 as special adviser. “If it’s a dream you want to pursue, you have to keep trying,” she said. “It can take a number of frustrating attempts and closed doors before you find the right job.” Pros and cons Aside from lower pay, there are other major differences between private practice and international development work, those who have made the leap say. “At a firm, you strive for perfection — the ideal solution to a problem — your job is to research all the possible scenarios and present a thorough analysis to your client,” Soyars said. “In-house, there’s not always time for perfection. You need to be nimble and quick, while still protecting the organization. You need a good grasp on many different areas of law and the ability to quickly find solutions that work for your particular organization.” Soyars said the 9-to-5 workload is but a myth when working for international development NGOs, especially when they have offices in different time zones. In fact, there may often seems to be more work at a development NGO than at a major law firm, Matechak said. “You’re on 24-7,” he explained. “Every day you have to handle important matters on tight deadlines. There’s no staff of 25 associates to help.” But legal professionals in international development enjoy certain perks, depending on the employer and location of the job. According to Force, some organizations have expatriate benefits that include paid housing, home leave and paid private schooling for children. In general, legal experts who have made the transition say they have no regrets over their decisions. “It was hard to leave the partnership at one of the world’s top 10 law firms, but there’s something infectious about the people at IRD. It’s hard not to want to join a talented pool of development professionals all trying to do the right thing in tough circumstances,” said Matechak. “You need to decide what makes sense to you.” Read more career advice on development jobs and relief jobs.