Attorneys Advising on International Markets: What Does it Take?
Every year it seems as though the world grows just a little bit smaller. With the advent of the internet — and the unprecedented growth of various emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and South America — many companies have started to seriously integrate a global approach into their strategic game-plan, and are investing the resources necessary to expand into international markets. Naturally, the opportunities for those looking to build a career in international law has grown as well.
If you’re an attorney looking to advise on international matters, then it’s important to understand the skillsets (and other factors) that are likely to influence your candidacy. The world of international law is highly-competitive, and as such, it’s worth considering what is desired of the prototypical attorney in this sector of the legal industry.
Let’s take a look.
Language Skills
Language skills are critical for attorneys looking to break into a particular regional market where English is not the primary language of business. Though native-level fluency may not be necessary, business fluency is worth developing. Language skill expectations vary from region to region, however, and based on various cultural differences.
For a lot of Southeast Asia, it is not expected that an international attorney will be fluent (or even know the basics) of their local languages. By contrast, attorneys looking to work with stakeholders in East Asia (i.e., Japan, Korea, China) should develop some degree of fluency if they wish to be competitive as a candidate. Emerging markets in Africa (i.e., Ethiopia, Nigeria, etc.) may also not require extensive knowledge of local languages.
When it comes to language skills, don’t be shy. Even if you are an intermediate speaker in a given language, highlighting that skillset (without exaggerating fluency) can help strengthen your candidacy.
Willingness to Be Schedule-Flexible
Schedule flexibility means a great deal in the international law context. If you’re working with stakeholders in different timezones, then you could be expected to make yourself available at midnight for a meeting. You should not expect a “lifestyle” friendly schedule when you break into international law, though it’s perhaps fairer to describe the international legal industry as schizophrenic in that regard — though your schedule may require that you make yourself available at odd times, there may be benefits in other areas. For example, if you are working with a German client, they may not expect you to finish work over the weekend, and might expect that you will take additional “buffer” days to get a project done.
Competence in a Specialized Area of Law
Attorneys are rarely “juniors” when they enter the international law arena. As a general rule, those working in international law are trusted specialists who have a great deal of expertise in a particular area of law. For example, your litigation experience may be difficult to spin as “valuable” if you are looking to handle cross-border transactions in the Middle East. If you intend to build a competitive resumé, it’s worth specializing in a particular industry or area of law.
Soft Factors Can Have an Impact
Soft factors can — unfortunately for some, fortunately for others — have an enormous impact on your ability to break into the international law market. These soft factors include, but are not necessarily limited, to:
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- Cultural connections in a given region/country
- Family networks in a given region/country
- Prior experience working with an international client from a given region/country, even if the client-facing engagement was minimal
- And more
Consult an Experienced Los Angeles Legal Recruiter for Assistance
Interested in making the transition over to a position engaged in various international legal matters, whether at a firm or in the in-house legal department of a global company? Working with a qualified legal recruiter could be invaluable.
Here at Garb Jaffe & Associates, our Los Angeles legal recruiters have decades of experience assisting attorneys at every stage of the recruitment process, from identifying potential “landing spots” to helping construct a winning resumé, to networking and interview assistance, and more. Over the years, we have developed key insights into what it takes to effectively compete on the legal market and secure a position that will provide a proper launching pad for the rest of your career.
We understand just how overwhelming it can feel to re-enter the job market and explore new opportunities, particularly in the legal industry (which can feel like something of a black box in many respects). If you’d like to begin the recruitment process in a guided fashion, or if you’re simply curious about what your options are, then we encourage you to call us at 310-207-0727 or send us a message online to connect to one of our legal recruiters.