Posted on July 8, 2020 in Publications

INTERNATIONAL LAW AS A CAREER PATH BY ADEJOKÉ BABINGTON-ASHAYE

by Diverse Law

INTRODUCTION

Adejoké Babington-Ashaye is a Senior Counsel at the World Bank, the Wasserstein Fellow-in-Residence at Harvard Law School, and Co-Chair of the 2020 ASIL Annual Meeting. She provides capacity-building training for national prosecution and investigation of international crimes through the Wayamo Foundation. Adejoké has worked at the International Court of Justice on the settlement of state disputes and at the International Criminal Court as an investigator. She is the co-editor and author of International Criminal Investigations: Law and Practice, and founder of Konseye: The Mentorship Network. 

Adejoké holds an LL.B. from the University of Buckingham and an LL.M. in Public International Law from the London School of Economics. She is a qualified Attorney in the State of New York and a musician-activist with SongRise – a women’s social justice a cappella group that uses music to inspire social change. Her debut album was released in 2016. Follow Adejoké on Twitter @adejokemusic.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

  1. How can Students break into the International Legal Market?

Response:

Great question. I think the starting point for a student is education. I like you to picture international law like a tree. With a tree you have the trunk and then many branches. The trunk of international law is the foundation – the root – and it is important for students to understand this. The core principles and the sources of law, who are the subjects of international law and so on.

Then you have the branches – and that’s where we go into specializations of international law. It is vital to ensure that you have a sound basic knowledge of principles of international law by taking a course or two on that subject matter. Without this foundation it can be hard (never impossible) to transition into this field. So what does this entail? I would suggest taking a general international law course where you would learn principles such as state responsibility, jus cogens, customary international law, the formation of treaties, obligations erga omnes and so on. I am not going to go into details about what these mean because you can easily look them up. Also I’m going to share a resource link that could be a good starting point.  You can take such a course either at university (undergraduate level) or if it is not offered then at masters or postgraduate diploma level.  With such a foundation I believe that you are in a good position to then branch into other aspects of international law (for instance international human rights, international transactions, international investment law and so on).  These types of international law are known by the latin term (since we Nigerians like Latin ) – lex specialis (specialized law).  But I would say that a good solid foundation in lex generalis (law governing general matters of international law) is a great starting point to break through.

  • Are there Internship opportunities for African Students at the World Bank?

Response:

Yes – there are internship opportunities for everyone, including Africans, at the World Bank. If you are interested in interning at the World Bank the first thing I would suggest you do is go to the website to understand how the Bank is structured and see which units are doing work that interest you. A lot of times students come up to me and express interest in working in the legal department because they think that is the only place lawyers can work. But that is not true – there are lawyers at the Bank working on issues of governance, rule of law focused projects, or working on internal justice matters (like I am) or working on anti-corruption in the Integrity Department.  All these are completely separate units and departments from the Legal Department of the World Bank.  So check out the following links:

  • https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit – for links to the different units and organigram of the World Bank.
  • https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/unit/legal_vice_presidency – World Bank legal department
  • https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/legal/brief/legal-internship-program – World Bank Legal Internship program
  • https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/careers/programs-and-internships/internship – General World Bank internship program

I would say that you should never be afraid to apply even if you are unsure. Yes, it may seem daunting but there are many Africans who work at the World Bank both at the Headquarters in Washington, DC but also in one of the many hundreds of country offices.  It is important to be strategic and even consider how you can do an internship at the World Bank office in Lagos or Abuja.

  • What are the skills an International Lawyer should possess?

Response:

  1. Excellent research skills – these are important because even if you do not know by heart an area of law you should have a good idea of where to find the information.
  2. Good understanding of the hierarchy of laws and which law is persuasive in a particular jurisdiction.
  3. Good negotiation and mediation skills – even if you do not do negotiations or mediations for a living, these skills are extremely vital for your work as an international   lawyer. For instance, you could be working with senior diplomats and judges and would need to gently persuade them on aspects of the law.
  4. Good advocacy skills You may be involved in Oral Communication. Language is one of the most fundamental tools of a legal professional.
  5. Excellent written communication and legal drafting.
  6. Excellent analytical and logical reasoning.
  7. Time Management and flexibility.

  • Ma, Is a Foreign degree an advantage to working in World Bank or any International organization?

Response:

Great question! A foreign degree is not required. What is required, and what you may often see on the job vacancy announcements is a “degree from a recognized university.”  So what does that mean? Basically a well-known University. The unfortunate reality is that many people involved in Human resources in international organizations may not be very familiar with some of the very good universities worldwide and there could be an element of discrimination involved. Whenever I am involved in recruitment I always make an effort to ensure that people are selected based on merit not necessarily because they attended a foreign university.

There are indeed many people who don’t have degrees from quote on quote foreign universities who end up making it at these international organizations so please do not let that deter you

What matters the most are the following:

  1. Being able to showcase academic knowledge and
  2. Experience

There is more and more a concerted effort to ensure that there is more inclusivity in recruitment.

  • Ma, what foreign university would you advise so as to have great knowledge on International law?

Response:

There isn’t any particular foreign university I would advise you to attend to have a great knowledge on international law. International law can be taught anywhere – you don’t need to go abroad for that. What matters is getting a good foundation which you can get. Please also know this – what is foreign for you is domestic for someone else. So while UK and US may seem to be the desired places to travel to, this is absolutely not necessary. You can get great international law professors in Nigeria (see for example the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies) or even regionally within Africa

Also there are online resources and I mentioned this earlier. One resource is the United Nations Audio visual library. This is a great resource for those seeking to understand some foundations of different aspects of international law: https://www.unmultimedia.org/avlibrary/.

Please check it out – you have videos and resources done by different international law experts including Nigeria’s very own – Olufemi Elias who is current Assistant Secretary General of the UN and Registrar of the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.

  • Ma, in recruiting interns and Employees in International organizations is there a strong emphasis on grades?

Response:

For internships – yes.

With several years of experience the grades become less relevant since  you have your experience and references to show that you can do the work. Sometimes, people do understand that the grades aren’t all that matter. And so if there are interviews for internships it would be important to showcase personality, motivation, ability to do the work and so on.

  • Hello, I am studying a more niche area of International Law (International Children’s Rights) and I would appreciate any advice you may have on ways to use my degree within the Nigerian context.

Response:

Ok so International children’s rights would be one of the branches of public international law. Within the Nigerian context your field of law is definitely very relevant in the Nigerian context. There is increasing focus on the rights of children – there’s the African Protocol on the Rights of the Child. The ECOWAS Court of Justice some years ago found Nigeria to have violated the right to education and so on – so this is an exciting field of law you can practice in Nigeria working with NGOs/civil society organizations as well as within the ministry of justice (if you so want).

Some general tips I would give are:

  1. Don’t overspecialize too early. It is important to “diversify your portfolio” as an international lawyer. What does that mean? For instance, even if you’re interested in oil and gas don’t focus only on that. Think about natural resources, environmental law and other things that are connected. This gives you a good platform from which you build yourself up further. Also, because of the nature of the job market right now.  So also in your case Anita for example – it’s excellent you’re doing International Children’s Rights. Think broadly to also incorporate other general aspects of human rights law, development and so on so that you have a diversified practice while also doing the things you love.
  2. Think broadly about international law practice. A lot of times people think that to practice law means you have to work in a law firm. I personally have never worked (yet) for a law firm. I did a few mini-pupilages while I was still doing my undergraduate degree. But in the 17 years post my LLM degree I have practiced international law in international organizations.

  • Ma as fresh wigs, what are the things you will advise us to do to improve our prospects at excelling in the legal profession and being relevant on international platforms. Like Courses to take, things to pay particular attention to e.t.c.

Response:

Thanks for this question. Please see the general tips above. In addition, I would say try to write articles/blogs on different international law topics.

So for example – is anyone aware that Gambia just filed a case against Myanmar for genocide at the international court of justice? This is a landmark case that an african country has brought a case against another country alleging violations of obligations erga omnes (obligations owed by a state to the whole world).

It would be a good idea to follow this and maybe write on a blog or a Linkedin post. Don’t be afraid to start small. Little drops eventually make an ocean as they say.

Also – please know that Africa is making IMMENSE contributions to international law! So have a look at some of the African initiatives out there as well. Getting involved in regional initiatives on international law is also a great way to get your foot in the door.

Final point – for those who are interested in international arbitration and trade, please know that there is a shortage of Africans in this field. What do I mean? This field is still being monopolized by the global north.  It is important for more Africans to think about ways to influence the discourse in this field of law as well

So a good starting point for students, young graduates is to follow the developments of the law, see how you can contribute some critical thinking, consider any internships you can do at regional or domestic organizations that have an international law focus

By the way check out the African Institute for International Law in Arusha, Tanzania – http://aiil-iadi.org/

For those who like debating, and are still students – there is the African Moot Court competition hosted by the University of Pretoria in South Africa: https://www.chr.up.ac.za/moot

Alright – so some folks asked me my opinion on certain state of affairs issues. I’ll try my best to answer them in a minute however, I’m also keen to hear from you guys what your interests are and what challenges you have faced so far.

  • Hello Ma, please I’m currently studying Public international law at undergraduate level and also taking Health law. I was wondering what are the possible prospects of mixing the two courses together later in future cause I’m passionate about both areas of law?

Response:

Great to hear from you and excellent question. The prospects are VERY VERY GOOD! So there is a huge movement right now to respect access to health care as a human right.

And this is actually entrenched in certain international legal instruments. So developing a career that connects public international law, global health, sustainable development, human rights is a very good way to “diversify your portfolio”

I would suggest starting to do some research on the connection between health law and international law.

You will find a lot of resources out there even using websites like SSRN where people publish their articles. Most cases you can download articles for free.

  1. Hi Ma. Thanks for the enlightening lecture. I have a keen interest in public international law, arbitration and human rights. How do I merge this interest?

Response:

So for those who are interested in these fields of international law, here are some articles you can read about the interconnectedness of these fields:

So I think it is important for people to see that areas of international law are not mutually exclusive. For instance, there is a whole body of law and focus on business and human rights. Often times there are arbitrations (state to state, investor/state and so on) that concerns issues of human rights violations.

Yes, there are some areas of law that may be difficult to immediately see the connection. So if for example I saw that I want to practice international investment law and counter-terrorism that may seem like – er…what is she talking about?  But there are issues that arise in these fields of law that are connected. See for example this article that talks about foreign direct investment that may be affected by political risk and terrorism: https://academic.oup.com/fpa/article/13/1/168/2755408

Also – please know that your PRACTICE of international law can have multiple layers. What does this mean? Your day job could be in a law firm practicing international arbitration. And then you do pro bono litigation for civil society organizations on human rights. And then you do capacity building training on counter-terrorism. You are PRACTICING different aspects. You are being essentially what this group calls you to be: DIVERSE.

So don’t think that you can do only one thing because you are endowed with gifts and talents that can be used in all aspects of law and specialization.

  1. I am just all scared. When I hear anything about international law, presently studying some international laws, like maritime law, international arbitration and the likes, I aspire the desire, to be out there in these fields, yet it seems unattainable. Your CV for example, what you’ve attained and what you are, all seem unattainable. My mind is too tiny to grasp this.

Response:

Thanks so much for your honesty. In reality, it can be scary and I too was very scared when I started off my career just like you. There were many times in my life that I did not know what I was going to do next. The one thing I knew for sure was that I did not want to practice commercial law! haha! So I kept exploring. It is only now that one can look back and say oh wow – look how far I have come. But I did not come this far on my own and it is a journey that you don’t take alone – you have people to support you. I wouldn’t be where i am without the support of my family.  And even then – where am I? I am literally just like you – so anything i have accomplished so far you can accomplish and much more. Also, why be like me – when you can be exactly what YOU have been called to be? We are all here to support each other!

I will use this opportunity to share some advice I often give students I speak to and also put on the ATLAS interview that was shared earlier:

“Embrace fear. I have learned that it is ok to feel fear so long as I do not let it take over. Surround yourself with honest cheerleaders who will tell you as it is but are cheering you along the way. They are your anchor.   Also, whether you are starting your career, facing a mid-life crisis, seeking to pivot, or considering other opportunities, think about your Plan A, Plan B and Plan C and ensure these are in the realm of what you love to do and what makes your heart sing. I like to think of my Plan A as the “stars” – something that gets me excited to jump out of bed in the morning.

I imagine what my day would look like and even though things may be challenging, doing such work – whatever it is – is immensely fulfilling. I envision my Plan B as the “sky.” It is like winning second place in the 100 metres race and the winner was Usain Bolt. It is not the “stars,” but it is pretty darn good (I could never beat Usain!), and I’m developing skills that are useful for my “stars.” Finally, Plan C represents the “clouds.”

While it may not be my first or second choice, the clouds represent a cushion – a good, enjoyable base from which I can develop necessary skills which are transferrable to my Plans A and B. The cushion enables me to do side projects or provides a good work-life balance while I work towards my Plans A and B. My Plan C should never be work that I hate – this would be doing my soul a great injustice. “

  1. Hello! Thank you for taking out the time. I’m currently studying a masters in International Human Rights Law and Practice, could I kindly get your thoughts on routes to working and gaining experience in organizations like the ICJ, ICC or world bank – or other international organizations. Thank you!!

Response:

Sure. I love talking about the ICJ and ICC because those are two places I worked at. I’ve mentioned paths to the world bank before please see the earlier posts.

On the ICJ I would recommend a solid knowledge of public international law. That’s very important. So the ICJ deals with things like state responsibility and disputes between countries. These disputes could concern human rights issues or even diplomatic immunity matters and so on and so forth. I remember when i worked there it was very exciting because one case could concern a fight between Nicaragua and Colombia over the sea and natural resources and we suddenly had to start learning and applying the law of the sea and then another case was a boundary dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica and then suddenly applying boundary delimitation rules and looking at customary international law and applying the laws of treaty interpretation

So it was very very exciting. So it is important to showcase a solid foundation in international law and ability to juggle and multitask. There are internship opportunities at the ICJ so please check out the website.

On the ICC, having a background in human rights is also useful. I would suggest knowing some foundational issues of international criminal law as well (so issues such as understanding the core international crimes – war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide) and then the crime of aggression. I am happy to do a session in the future on these issues in international criminal law if there is specific interest.

  1. Are there volunteering opportunities? Or places we can stand as national delegates?

Response:

Yes, there are many opportunities where you can volunteer, in Nigeria and also regionally as a start. I’m not sure what you mean by national delegates though. I don’t know your current situation. You can reach out to the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies for example to see if there are any internship opportunities or opportunities to volunteer and support any of their conferences.

This could be a good way to familiarize yourself with the international law issues they are dealing with.

CONCLUSION

  1. You are MORE THAN ABLE to achieve your dreams! Believe in them and trust that they will materialize. Even if you don’t know where you are going, trust that you are predestined to make a great impact in the world and keep on searching. For those who believe in a higher being – trust that all things will work out so that you can have an impactful career and life.
  2. In international law it is important to speak and understand more than just English. So please, please, try to learn an additional language. French and Spanish are two important ones. And I know it may seem unlikely for us Nigerians to speak more languages beyond English and our own languages but there are Nigerians out there speaking multiple languages so please try – even use YouTube or other resources online that are free.

THE SPEAKER’S LAST WORDS

Naija no dey carry last! And you all won’t either! Have a wonderful end of the year and may 2020 bring amazing new opportunities in your lives. God bless!!