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University of California, Berkeley, School of Law Career Development Office Minji Kim ________________________________________________________________________

PRIVATE

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE U.S.

2015

Table of Content INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 2

International Law as Substantive Law: Public vs. Private International Law ................ 2 PRACTICE SETTINGS ..................................................................................................... 3

Law Firms ....................................................................................................................... 3 International Branch Offices of U.S. (and some British) Law Firms ......................... 4 Local Law Firms ......................................................................................................... 4 U.S.-based Law Firms vs. “Foreign” Local Law Firms ............................................. 5

Corporations .................................................................................................................... 6 TYPICAL PRACTICE AREAS ......................................................................................... 7

Corporate & Transactional Work.................................................................................... 7 International Arbitration ................................................................................................. 7 Intellectual Property ........................................................................................................ 8

OTHER ISSUES TO CONSIDER...................................................................................... 8 Foreign Language Skills ................................................................................................. 8 Culture Shock.................................................................................................................. 8 Professional Development .............................................................................................. 9 Re-entry to the U.S. Legal Market .................................................................................. 9 Visa Status & Foreign Lawyer Registration ................................................................... 9 Tax Filing ........................................................................................................................ 9

JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES .......................................................................................... 10 Networking ................................................................................................................... 10 Directed Employer Research ........................................................................................ 11 CDO Services................................................................................................................ 12

RESUMES/CVs & INTERVIEWS .................................................................................. 12 American-Style Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CVs) .................................................. 12 Interviews ...................................................................................................................... 12

APPENDIX 1 .................................................................................................................... 13 Narratives by Boalt Alums Currently Practicing Law Abroad ..................................... 13

APPENDIX 2 .................................................................................................................... 20 Narratives by Boalt Alums Who Completed Summer Associate Programs Abroad .... 20

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INTRODUCTION Law students typically mean different things when they say they are interested in an “international legal career.” Some students use the term to indicate their interest in international law as substantive law, whether it concerns private or public international law. Others use the term to indicate their interest in legal careers overseas. This guide is primarily designed for the latter group of students, those who are interested in finding overseas legal employment in the private sector. Note, however, that while some students’ interest in an international career may indeed spring from a connection to a particular place or language, a general interest in spending time outside the U.S. or a desire to “see the world” is not a sufficient basis for an international legal career. Furthermore, international legal positions may not necessarily translate into opportunities to practice international law. Given students’ growing interest in the global legal market, this guide is intended to introduce you to legal career opportunities available to U.S.-licensed attorneys outside the U.S. in the private sector. In this guide, you will find a brief overview of the most common ways U.S.-trained attorneys practice law in the private sector abroad as well as advice on how to conduct an international job search. For more individually tailored advice, please contact Minji Kim, our attorney-counselor specializing in international private sector counseling at the CDO. Minji can be reached at mjkim@law.berkeley.edu. Remember that the keys to finding a satisfying job in the global legal market, like any other job search, include being informed about the job market, networking, and most of all being creative and persistent. Those students who actively seek out resources and opportunities in their areas of interest, and cultivate relationships with people involved in their field, are invariably the ones who are most successful at finding international positions that suit them best.

International Law as Substantive Law: Public vs. Private International Law For those students interested in “international law” as substantive law, it would be helpful to further clarify whether they are interested in public or private international law. Public international law addresses questions of diplomacy, state succession, expropriation, the law of war and peace, and of treaties. Typical employment settings include governmental, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations on one hand and international courts and tribunals on the other.1 Practice areas in public international law may include international human rights, diplomacy, immigration, and international trade law. For more information, see our website on public international law careers at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/career-development-office (go to Jobs & Career Options and click on International Careers). Private international law is often defined in terms of what it is not - everything else that does not fall under public international law - and regulates relationships between private parties (including legal entities such as corporations) across national borders. Hence, “international law” resists easy definition, both as a discipline and as a career path. In addition, “public international law” and “private international law” do not correspond directly to “public interest” and “private sector.” In fact, attorneys may practice international law in

1 NALP Annual Conference, April 2010, Panel: A Roadmap for Counseling JD and LLMs on International Opportunities.

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either the public or private sector. A case in point - one Boalt alumnus practiced international public law at a large law firm in its London office (see her narrative in the Appendix 1). Furthermore, you may never have to leave the U.S. to practice international law whether it concerns public or private international law.2 Even for lawyers whose practice is primarily domestic, there are pro bono opportunities at firms which provide a window into international practice. New York City and Washington D.C. have the largest number of international law firms and the largest amount of work that crosses national boundaries.

PRACTICE SETTINGS In the international private sector, law firms and corporations are the most common employers of U.S.-trained students and attorneys. Geographically, most of the Boalt alumni practicing law abroad are located in a handful of international cities such as London, Beijing, and Hong Kong. This heavy representation of Boalt alums in a handful of cities may be a function of two factors: (1) market demand for U.S. attorneys abroad determined by current or anticipated business relationships between the U.S. and the local market, and (2) geographic preference of U.S. attorneys for an English-speaking or common-law based jurisdiction. Unless fluent in another language or possessing other strong personal ties with a specific country, for obvious reasons, U.S. students and attorneys often find it more desirable and easier to work in common law based countries or English-speaking countries or localities. For certain types of legal practice, however, strong ties with specific cities may be warranted. For example, international arbitration work is heavily concentrated in Brussels, Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Singapore.

Law Firms Private law firms, particularly U.S. (and some British) law firms, have the most straightforward path for employment of law students, both within and outside the U.S. The legal profession, however, is highly regulated across all jurisdictions and that most countries have restrictions on the practice of foreign-licensed lawyers, and on foreign law firms operating in their jurisdiction3 (see relevant discussion in this Guide under the section titled “ISSUES TO CONSIDER”). If the jurisdiction of your choice allows foreign law firms to establish an office in their country, your employment options would include large U.S. (and some U.K.) law firms with international offices as well as local law firms. If not, your choice will be limited to local law firms (even in “closed” jurisdictions where by law foreign law firms are prohibited from establishing an office, local law firms may and often do hire foreign-licensed attorneys including U.S.-licensed attorneys).

2 Previously, international law was practiced primarily by attorneys at branch offices of large U.S. law firms in major financial centers. However, this is no longer the case as national economies become increasingly globalized. Lisa L. Abrams, The Official Guide to Legal Specialties: An Insider’s Guide to Every Major Practice Area, published by the Barbri Group, 2000. 3 NALP Annual Conference, April 2010, Panel: A Roadmap for Counseling JD and LLMs on International Opportunities.

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International Branch Offices of U.S. (and some U.K.) Law Firms An increasing number of U.S. law firms have offices in cities outside the U.S.; others have ties of some kind with firms in other cities. With their formal recruiting practice, these firms are an obvious choice for law students interested in working overseas. However, it will be a mistake to simply assume that by taking a job with such a firm in the U.S. you will have an opportunity to work in their offices outside the U.S. The situation appears to be the same at U.K. law firms. You will probably have to compete within the firm for international work, which is unlikely to be assigned to a summer or even a junior associate lacking specific required skills. Law firms usually send mid-level associates overseas based on the attorney’s expertise and language ability. Some U.S. (and U.K.) law firms, however, may seek out students who are interested in starting their legal career in one of their international branch offices. Those firms have historically participated in on-campus recruiting programs and offer summer associate programs either in their foreign office or at their U.S. main office with the understanding that you would be stationed at one of the firm’s foreign offices. In some cases, firms may even allow students to split their summer between their U.S. main office and one of their foreign offices but such overseas rotation program is not typical of all law firms.4 A summer program at one of the firm’s foreign offices will give you a chance to experience life outside the U.S. as well as offer you a chance to get a sense of the types of legal work you will be performing at the foreign office. On the other hand, a summer program at the U.S. main office may be beneficial in that you will be better positioned to develop and establish your professional network within the U.S. prior to going overseas.

Local Law Firms Local “native” law firms are increasingly interested in hiring U.S.-trained attorneys to assist their clients on a variety of cross-border transactions. They occasionally hire U.S.-trained attorneys to work on international arbitration cases but this is an exception mostly reserved for highly experienced U.S. attorneys. Typically, these law firms hope to capitalize on your language skills, your knowledge of U.S. law, work experience, and professional network developed in the U.S., including your law school alumni network. Some of these local law firms may also offer summer internship positions. If you wish to explore your legal career options abroad, these international summer internship positions provide an excellent opportunity. Note, however, they usually do not have a formal recruiting program and do not participate in on-campus recruiting programs. In fact, they might not have a separate recruiting department. As a result, it might be difficult to obtain information about these programs through a formal venue; personal contact is the best and often the only way. Keep in mind that foreign law firms do not have the same kind of established hiring season that U.S. law firms do. Their hiring tends to be on more of an “as-needed” basis. Accordingly, you can conduct a job search for a foreign law firm position throughout the year. On a related note, their summer programs, even if “formal,” tend to be less structured than their U.S. counterparts, which can be an attractive aspect to someone with relatively flexible start and end dates. These local firms tend to be accommodating in that regard. When researching summer opportunities with these local firms, students are advised to find out about the type of training and mentorships that will be available to U.S. law students at the firm, and possibly create a work plan in advance with specific goals. This last point is particularly important because securing a good legal writing sample during your internship at a local firm

4 Even firms that have a formal overseas rotation program state that assignment will depend largely on language ability and practice area interests, as well as on the particular office’s needs.

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overseas might present a challenge. To the extent possible, you should actively seek out projects that involve writing formal legal memoranda in English. In essence, with these local firms, you make the internship. If you like setting your own agenda and being creative, a summer internship position with a foreign law firm offers an exciting opportunity. Keep in mind, however, that unlike in the U.S. where a summer associate position often leads to a permanent job offer, foreign law firms typically hire U.S. attorneys on demand and a summer position may not easily translate into a permanent offer. If you are offered a permanent position, however, make sure there will be experienced U.S. attorneys at the firm who can, and are willing to, provide guidance and invest in your professional development as a U.S.-licensed attorney. Remember, your first post-graduate position should help you build your basic legal skills as a U.S. attorney. The starting point - and the ultimate professional goal - is to be an excellent attorney who has both solid substantive knowledge of U.S. law and strong legal skills. In terms of compensation, foreign local law firms, or corporations for that matter, generally do not make their compensation public, and it is not scrutinized the way U.S. firms’ pay scales are. At some point— preferably after you have received an offer – you have to discuss compensation with the firm, and figure out whether it works for you. While chances are the compensation at foreign law firms, or corporations, is likely to be less than at firms and companies in the U.S., the cost of living may or may not be much lower.5 Also, you should take the other parts of your compensation, like benefits and perks, into account in evaluating your offer. Furthermore, local firms may not hire U.S. law students or attorneys often enough to offer a standard package for the summer or a new attorney. There may also not be a standard partnership track for U.S.-qualified attorneys; this can be to your advantage, as you may advance more quickly based on your accomplishments. However, depending on the jurisdiction, foreign-qualified attorneys including U.S. lawyers might be legally prohibited from becoming a partner at a local law firm. In those cases, although not a legal partner, the law firm will make an arrangement so that your compensation level can be at the partnership level.

U.S.-based Law Firms vs. “Foreign” Local Law Firms There are distinct pros and cons associated with working for a foreign local firm versus an international branch office of a U.S. (or British)-based law firm. In addition to the differences in the recruiting practices and summer program structures discussed above, another factor to consider is the ease with which you can return to the U.S., unless you intend to permanently relocate overseas. Attorneys often report that working for a U.S. law firm at one of its international offices may facilitate your return to the U.S. This may be so because either (1) the firm allows you to transfer internally to one of its offices in the U.S. or (2) other U.S. employers are more likely to hire someone who worked for a U.S. law firm. The feasibility of an intra-firm transfer will largely depend on the individual firm policies. Generally speaking, the more decentralized a law firm is (with each of its international office functioning more like an independent law firm), the harder it will be for attorneys to make an intra-firm transfer. In terms of work experience, U.S. lawyers at foreign local law firms often report that they tend to take on greater responsibilities earlier on, including direct client contact – possibly because there are fewer number of U.S. attorneys at those firms. On the other hand, at those firms, you may be more limited in the types of legal work you can be engaged in (for more information on typical 5In some cities, while in absolute dollar amount you may be paid less, you can actually end up being in a better financial position than you would have initially expected based on the average cost of living in the U.S.

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practice areas, see below). For instance, if you are interested in litigation work, local law firms are not the best practice setting as their greatest needs for U.S.-trained attorneys involve cross-border transactions (mostly finance and M&A work), and your ability to draft legal documents in English as well as your knowledge of U.S. laws will be your primary contribution to them. Additional factors to consider are foreign language skills and assimilation issues (see relevant discussion under the section titled “ISSUES TO CONSIDER” in this Guide). Foreign language skills may be more important if you work for a local law firm as opposed to a U.S. law firm where English tends to be the operating language even in their international offices. At foreign law firms, you are likely to collaborate with local attorneys to a greater degree than you would at a branch office of a U.S. law firm, where a majority of their workforce is either U.S.-qualified attorneys or local attorneys fluent in English. At foreign local law firms, even their computer system and knowledge base may be in their native language, and without the language skills you will be limited in the type of work you can perform. Also, those law firms may function under a business culture very different from the Western norm (e.g., more hierarchical, formal, or collective vs. individualistic), which may present assimilation issues to some. On the other hand, local law firms may offer a great opportunity to learn about a different culture and cultivate relationships with local people, which U.S. law firms might not be able to provide. Often overlooked but worth mentioning in regard to local law firms is pro bono work. Local law firms often do not have a formal pro bono work program as we know it in the U.S. (of course, you may independently seek out such opportunities outside the firm but without a formal program, it might be difficult to get the firm’s support). Despite the differences, some things are universal for all law firms regardless of jurisdiction – commitment to a high level of work and long hours, among others.

Corporations You might also work as an in-house lawyer in an overseas office of a U.S. company or for a large foreign company with international interests. Generally, however, several years at a law firm are a prerequisite to working in-house for a corporation. Even foreign corporations typically prefer U.S. attorneys with a few years of experience with a large U.S. law firm. As such, in-house counsel positions might not be readily available to recent law school graduates. And corporations, either U.S.-based6 or foreign, generally do not have a formal summer internship program for law students. In short, for law students and recent graduates, law firms are the more obvious choice for overseas employment in the private sector. With several years of legal practice, however, an in-house position might become an attractive alternative to working for a law firm for various reasons (e.g., no billable hours, serving one client, etc.). An in-house international practice involves general advising on international business matters including cross-border transactional work, contracts and licensing, and involves different mixtures of substantive legal work and supervision of outside counsel. If you work as an in-house counsel, your responsibilities will include facilitating communication between the company headquarters and its international office(s) and between the company and outside counsel - typically law firms in the U.S. For these reasons, generally speaking, local

6 There are a few notable exceptions including HP which offers summer associate positions in Palo Alto, CA. But they are exceptions not the norm in the legal industry.

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language skills might be more important for in-house counsel positions than for opportunities with law firms. In addition, familiarity with local business culture and norms may be more important for an in-house counsel than for a law firm position because as an in-house attorney you will be a part of the larger corporation with employees in various departments, who may or may not speak English but with whom you will need to communicate professionally. In terms of compensation, while chances are regardless of jurisdiction in-house counsel positions will pay less than law firm jobs, you may have more room to negotiate from what you are initially offered. You should also take the other parts of your compensation, like benefits and perks, into account when evaluating your offer.7

TYPICAL PRACTICE AREAS Here are some of the most common ways U.S.-trained lawyers practice law abroad in the private sector.

Corporate & Transactional Work While within the U.S. "corporate practice" generally refers to legal work related directly to the structure, management and financing of corporations, in contrast, in the international context, it customarily also includes the legal representation of corporations and partnerships, and is often used interchangeably with the term “transactional work.” This area of practice consists mainly of business deals between clients across national borders. It can include mergers and acquisitions, securities and lending, joint ventures, international trade, intellectual property, real estate and project finance. The work can be “inbound” (representing international clients in partnership with local attorneys in dealing with foreign local laws) or “outbound” (representing local clients in international activity including business in the U.S.). For inbound work, you partner with local lawyers and your understanding of the relevant local laws will be an important asset. For outbound work, you often collaborate with outside counsel (usually attorneys at a large U.S. law firm) and your knowledge of the relevant substantive U.S. law will be heavily relied upon. Also, for this type of work, your proficiency in the local language will be important as you will be in regular contact with a local client who may not be proficient in English. Whether in- or outbound, as a transactional attorney, your work will involve planning (tax and non-tax issues), negotiating the deal, and drafting documents in English to finalize and record it.

International Arbitration International litigation can take innumerable forms. You might represent a U.S. or foreign individual or entity in a U.S., a foreign (subject to legal restrictions on foreign-qualified lawyers), or an international forum. The majority of international agreements choose arbitration as the forum for resolving disputes, which is often less expensive and more enforceable (due to treaty provisions) than seeking redress in court. Thus today international arbitration is a growing field,

7 According to one survey, “an annual bonus scheme and insurance are the two most common benefits received by in-house lawyers although company pension schemes and a car/car allowance are also much more popular in-house than they are in private practice,” In-House Global Salary & Benefits Survey, Laurence Simons International Legal Recruitment, available at http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/cc/Global_Inhouse06162010.pdf. Also, of the 1,919 in-house counsels who completed the survey, 73% had received a bonus in the past 12 months, and 46% of these indicated that it was between 6% and 20% of their base salary.

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with private as well as international and regional providers of international arbitration services. International arbitration work is heavily concentrated in Brussels, Hague, London, Paris, and Hong Kong with most of the work done by large U.S. (and some U.K.) law firms.

Intellectual Property This burgeoning field has an increasingly global scope. Combating international piracy, negotiating technology transfer between parties from different countries, and overseeing an international IP portfolio are all private-sector IP functions. IP work is an important part of in-house counsel’s responsibilities, particularly at global technology companies.

OTHER ISSUES TO CONSIDER

Foreign Language Skills How important are foreign language skills? It depends very much on the specific employer and the type of work you do (see relevant discussion under CORPORATIONS). Some jobs require the ability to work seamlessly in two or more languages; for others, language skills are secondary. Obviously, in a non-English speaking country, having the relevant language skills will be of a great advantage. But anecdotes of U.S.-trained attorneys suggest that working for local law firms without the foreign language skills is not impossible. Having said this, even those attorneys report that some working knowledge of the local language is professionally advisable, particularly for client development purposes as you advance to a more senior level. Note that there is a profound difference between being sufficiently fluent in a language to function at a law firm abroad and being capable of actually drafting and negotiating in that language; attaining the latter degree of capability takes many years and probably requires formal schooling. In any event, you must appreciate the importance of foreign languages and the inherent danger of uncritical reliance on translations. Certain languages, such as Spanish, French and Mandarin are useful in many contexts, whereas skills in less widely-spoken languages can be critical for certain jobs. A word of caution. Sometimes fluency in a foreign language can be a double-edged sword. If you have foreign language skills, the chances of finding employment overseas will increase. However, some bilingual attorneys report that their foreign language skills at times seem to work to their professional disadvantage in that they are often assigned to do translation related work; as a result, they have fewer opportunities to do substantive legal work. This seems particularly to be an issue for junior associates. If you cannot completely avoid some level of legal translation work (after all, your foreign language skills might be one of the main reasons they hired you), you should be proactive and actively seek to attain a “healthier” balance between substantive legal work and translation related work.

Culture Shock Differences in culture will directly impact your daily life both in and outside the office. For instance, East Asian countries tend to have a more formal, hierarchical, and collective culture, which manifests itself even in the way you dress. In those countries, for instance, men will be in their interview attire all year around even when it is over 90 degrees in the summer. Such cultural differences will also play out in subtle ways as young attorneys interact with more experienced or older attorneys (You should not directly counter their ideas, you never address

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them by their first name but instead address them with a special title reserved for attorneys, etc.). Although cultural differences alone should not deter you from pursuing otherwise rewarding career opportunities abroad, it should be acknowledged for what it is – one of the many factors you should consider.8

Professional Development For law students (and recent graduates), one of the most important factors to consider when pursuing a legal career abroad is the type of legal training and mentorship that will be available. It is important to remember that, whether in the U.S. or abroad, you are a U.S. attorney and your professional evaluation will be based on your knowledge of U.S. law and legal skills, for which you need proper training and mentoring. Thus, it is always in your best interest to find out if a particular employer is committed to investing in your professional development as a U.S. attorney. Similarly, you should actively seek out professional associations and resources that are available to U.S.-trained attorneys in that jurisdiction. In addition, you should utilize various continuous legal training programs offered online. Most state bar associations in the U.S. offer such courses.

Re-entry to the U.S. Legal Market Another important factor to consider is how transferrable your legal experiences and skills acquired abroad will be to jobs in the U.S. in case you wish to return to the U.S. after several years abroad. In most cases, re-entry can present challenges. This is particularly the case if you have little or no legal work experience in the U.S.; you should not assume that your Berkeley Law degree alone will secure you a job in the U.S. after several years abroad. While overseas, it is extremely important that you maintain professional relationships with attorneys in the U.S.

Visa Status & Foreign Lawyer Registration Unless you have dual citizenship, it is critical that you establish your visa status in order to work in any foreign jurisdiction. In most jurisdictions, you will first need the sponsorship of your employer to apply for a non-immigrant work visa. In most cases, once you have an offer, your employer, particularly a U.S.-based law firm, will be able to provide you with the relevant visa information; otherwise, your employer can refer you to specialists who can help you. However, you are also advised to consult the U.S. embassy or consulate office located in that foreign jurisdiction. For a list of U.S. embassies and consulate offices abroad, please go to http://www.usembassy.gov. Eligibility requirements to register as a foreign-qualified attorney differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. But foreign lawyer registration may or may not be required depending on the type of work you perform. For detailed information, you should consult the bar association of that particular jurisdiction. For more general information on legal education and bar admission requirements for nearly 50 foreign jurisdictions, consult the International Directory of Lawyer Qualifications published by the NALP Foundation (2009), available in paper form or in searchable CD ROM.

Tax Filing U.S. citizens and permanent residents (green-card holders) have a continuing obligation to file U.S. tax returns while living abroad. However, a U.S. citizen who takes up bona fide residence in

8 For some helpful tips, you may wish to consult the book titled Culture Shock! A Guide to Customs and Etiquettes, published by the Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company. They have a series on over 50 countries around the world.

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a foreign county might be able to exclude a certain amount of earned income. You are advised to consult an accountant or attorney experienced in international tax issues.

JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES

Networking Most international legal positions are never listed; they are filled by personal referrals. Therefore, networking and developing your personal contacts will be a very important element of your job search. Make a list of attorneys you know in the jurisdiction of your choice9 or those who may know attorneys in that jurisdiction (including current Berkeley LL.M. students). You may contact Minji Kim at mjkim@law.berkeley.edu to be put in touch with these LL.Ms or J.D. alums who may be practicing law abroad. Contact those individuals via email, and request a meeting or a phone or virtual appointment (Skype or Google video chat works well). Reassure your contacts that you are not seeking a job interview, and that your goal is to learn about that particular foreign legal market. Your goal is to get an opportunity to discuss your career goals, and obtain professional feedback and the names of other people for further networking. For further tips on networking and conducting informational interviews, please refer to the “Career Development & Job Search Skills” section of CDO website at http://www.law.berkeley.edu. Also, consider participating in various law journal activities and student organizations in the area of your interest. You can find the list under Student Life at www.law.berkeley.edu. The following are some examples:

Asian American Law Journal (http://www.boalt.org/aalj) Berkeley Journal of Middle Eastern & Islamic Law (http://www.jmeil.boalt.org) Berkeley Journal of International Law (http://www.boalt.org/bjil) International Law Society (ils@law.berkeley.edu)

Students are also highly encouraged to join professional organizations and attend networking events whenever possible. For that purpose, please refer to the “CDO List of Professional Associations” (https://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/032311.prof_assocations.pdf). In addition, you may want to consider joining the following organizations:

American Bar Association Section of International Law (www.abanet.org/intlaw) American Foreign Law Association (https://afla-law.org/) The American Society of International Law (http://asil.org; click on “Career Development” under “Resources” tab) International Section of the New York State Bar Association (www.nysba.org) International Section of the California State Bar Association (www.calbar.ca.gov/ils)

9 If you are undecided about your geographic preference, you should first identify a few target countries considering factors such as safety, language, cost of living, and weather. See Kimm Alayne Walton, Guerrilla Tactics For Getting The Legal Job of Your Dreams, published by THOMSON & WEST, 2008 Edition (pages 1159-61).

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Furthermore, you might want to consider creating an account on sites like LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) or similar professional networking websites. Utilizing such web-based resources will not only help you identify professionals in the field of your interest but it will also help you stay in touch with your colleagues and classmates while overseas. According to one hiring manager, “not having a profile on the social networking site LinkedIn is, for some employers a sign that the candidate is horribly out of touch.” If you already have an account, make sure you have an updated profile.

Directed Employer Research Researching specific firms will enable you to refine lists of employers you are interested in and prepare effectively for interviews. These days every law firm, including foreign law firms, has a website, which will tell you all the essentials about the size of the firm, types of practice areas, and other basic information. A simple search on Google or another search engine for a firm or an attorney (include a geographic term and/or “attorney,” “lawyer,” or “law firm”) can reveal some good research leads; after doing this simple search, consider narrowing your search with another relevant term (e.g., “international arbitration”). Martindale Hubbell (www.martindale.com), the traditional directory of law firms and attorneys, has an online database (searchable for firms and individual attorneys). It allows you to include geography as a search term, and includes names of foreign law firms and attorneys as well. It will yield basic information about an attorney, such as law school and his or her language skills. Chambers and Partners (www.chambersandpartners.com), an international source of information about the legal profession, also created an offering in 2009: Chambers Associate (www.chambersassociate.com) with independently researched data and commentary by insiders. Other helpful online resources include: http://www.nalpdirectory.com – You can search firms by country (Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and U.K. only) that hire U.S. law students, among others.

www.legal500.com – You can search firms by country and practice area. www.iflr1000.com – The online financial firm directory for firms around the world includes a short summary of each foreign legal market as well as firm ratings and news. www.internationaljobs.org – It is a source for international careers (not necessarily legal) including international development jobs.

In addition, you may wish to consult the following print resources.

Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries. 2009 edition is available at the Haas School of Business library. The CDO has its earlier edition, which can be a good starting point for your research. Volume I contains an alphabetical index of 2,600 U.S. corporations operating in foreign countries while Volumes 2 and 3 contain listings by country of the American firms’ foreign operations. Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States. 2008 edition is available at the Haas School of Business library. Guide to Foreign Law Firms. American Bar Association, 2004, 4th ed. is available at the CDO.

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CDO Services The Career Development Office (CDO) is here to assist you so that you may maximize your chances of achieving your career goals, whether domestic or international. Our services include individual counseling, and resume and cover letter consultation. We also help students develop a networking plan as well as prepare for interviews. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Minji Kim, who specializes in international private sector counseling, at mjkim@law.berkeley.edu.

RESUMES/CVs & INTERVIEWS

American-Style Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CVs) It is important to note that CVs used in foreign jurisdictions are often very different from the “American”-style resumes. For example, in other countries, employers often expect you to include personal information such as age (birth date), gender, race, marital status, or religion on your resume. They may even ask you to attach a photo. U.S.-based applicants should not be surprised if such personal information is requested. You may wish to research what a resume/CV normally includes in that country to revise your resume accordingly. The International Directory of Lawyer Qualification published by the NALP Foundation (2009) provides some background on foreign resumes and CVs.10 In addition, for overseas jobs, you are advised to give a detailed account of your language skills. It is very important that you correctly indicate your language proficiency: For example, “Mandarin (advanced spoken, intermediate reading and writing).” If you are fully bilingual, you should indicate that on your resume/CV with the understanding that your job interview may be conducted in both languages. Similarly, you should emphasize your experience related to that country or region, if any.

Interviews For jobs with foreign law firms or companies, you are likely to have a telephone interview. An in-person interview is not typical unless you happen to be in that country. To effectively prepare for these interviews, it would be best to consult a U.S. attorney currently working in that jurisdiction. For a position with an international office of a U.S.-based law firm or company, you may be interviewed at its U.S. main office in addition to a videoconference or phone interview with attorneys in their foreign office.11 For general guidelines on how to prepare for a phone interview, please refer to our Telephone Interview Tips available at https://www.law.berkeley.edu/career-development-office/ (under Career Development and Job Search Skills tab, click on Interviewing). You may also wish to review our Videoconference Interviewing Guide to help you prepare for a web-based interview.

10 NALP Annual Conference, April 2010, Panel: A Roadmap for Counseling JD and LLMs on International Opportunities. 11Some large U.S. law firms may fly out students to one of their foreign offices for an in-person interview but a videoconference is more typical these days.

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APPENDIX 1

Narratives by Boalt Alums Currently Practicing Law Abroad Thoughts on a Career in International Commercial Law By James Castello (JD, class of 1986) Partner, King & Spalding International LLP, Paris office International Arbitration Group I signed up for Professor Riesenfeld’s course on international law in my second year at Boalt because the subject seemed interesting but without any hope of shaping my future practice. But, three years later, when I was enjoying a federal judicial clerkship, I learned that a judge on the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal at The Hague would soon be coming to New York to interview persons who might be interested in working as legal assistants at the Tribunal. My course in international law had whetted my appetite, so I went to New York for an interview and was later offered a legal assistant’s job at The Hague. That was how I first became involved in the world of international arbitration. I worked for two years at that Tribunal, which comprised nine arbitrators (they called themselves “judges” – three Iranian, three American and three from third-countries). Each judge was supported by two legal assistants, so the American judges had a total of six; in the case of the third-country judges (we didn’t have much interaction with the Iranians), these young lawyers were usually from European countries – while I worked there, they were German, Dutch, English, Belgian, Swiss and Polish. One aspect of this job I liked most was discussing pending cases with lawyers working on the same file who had quite different legal training and somewhat different legal analyses. When I eventually returned to Washington, D.C., I wanted to continue to do international work, particularly arbitration, so I joined the local office of an international firm where such work seemed possible but I ended up doing more trade work than international arbitration. I then took six years off from private practice to work in legal positions in the Clinton Administration that had nothing to do with arbitration. When I was ready to return to the private sector, I resolved to research more carefully where international arbitration work was really being done. A complicating but ultimately supportive factor was that my wife, a journalist, wanted to become a foreign correspondent. She asked if I would move with her to the first foreign posting offered by her newspaper, which was in Vienna. I decided to take the plunge, and I spent four months writing to everyone I knew who had any connection to Austria and who might know how I could get a job in the field of arbitration there. Eventually, I was introduced (by someone who knew someone who knew someone …) to a partner in the Vienna office of Freshfields, Bruckhaus, Deringer – one of the firms having the largest arbitration practices globally. Freshfields’ Vienna office was involved in enough English-language arbitration that it already had hired two American attorneys in its arbitration group. They didn’t have enough work to justify hiring a third U.S. lawyer, but just before we moved to Austria I got a call saying that one of the two U.S. lawyers was returning home and so they were able to hire me after all. I spent five years at Freshfields in Vienna, working as counsel in international arbitration cases, most of which had some link to central or Eastern Europe. At the end of those five years, my wife was required to apply for a new posting and I urged her to apply for Paris because it is a

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more central location for arbitration (and my French is much better than my German!) At about the same time, one of the arbitration partners in Freshfields’ Paris office with whom I had worked decided to move to a new firm and asked me to move with him. Two years later, we moved again, to open a Paris office for King & Spalding, which had already developed a strong reputation in international arbitration in the U.S. and wanted to expand its presence in Europe. I am still at K&S today. Over the years, I have had clients from such diverse countries as China, France, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, Mexico and Austria. The chance to learn something about so many cultures during these cases and the challenge of making each client’s problems or legal dilemmas intelligible to arbitrators of other nationalities has – to me – been one of the real attractions of doing this type of work. Although my responsibility in cases has grown as I advanced from counsel to partner, much of my day-to-day work is still spent writing memos and arbitral submissions and, to a lesser extent, preparing for hearings. Accordingly, I would say that writing clear submissions in English is probably the most crucial skill for an arbitration lawyer (I would guess at least 75% of the world’s international arbitrations are now in English). I would say that the other thing that my firm (and others) looks for in potential new associates is some background in arbitration. When I graduated from Boalt, there wasn’t a course in international arbitration, there wasn’t anything like the annual Vis Arbitration Moot for law students to participate in, and while we don’t require any particular experience, some manifestation of interest in the subject and basic knowledge in it is immensely useful. In addition to my work for clients, several years ago the U.S. State Department invited me to join the U.S. delegation to the Arbitration Working Group at UNCITRAL, which meets twice each year for one-week working sessions. UNCITRAL is a body within the United Nations that promotes harmonization of national laws on trade issues, including international arbitration, by promulgating model laws for adoption by national legislatures and model provisions for incorporation in trade contracts. I have remained an active participant in this Working Group for the past ten years and have learned an enormous amount about comparative arbitral and judicial procedure by working with practitioners from so many legal systems while drafting revisions to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. By Jonathan Gass (JD, class of 1994) * As of October 2015, Jonathan is with Freshfields’ London Office. He wrote below narratives when he was with the firm’s Paris office. Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Paris office Dispute Resolution I have practiced international arbitration at a large firm for a number of years, the first five in Amsterdam, more recently in Paris. My work bridges the fields of public and private international law, owing to the burgeoning popularity of investor-state arbitration governed by bilateral and multilateral investment treaties. To enjoy practicing international arbitration overseas, one must take pleasure in diversity. It comes in many flavors. There are professional colleagues, including arbitrators and counsel for adversaries, who come from different legal cultures and may have quite different ways of understanding and analyzing a case. Clients may come from an even wider range of backgrounds. Then there are the challenges of mastering the applicable law, particularly when it does not come from a common-law jurisdiction and is not originally written in English. The factual context of a

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dispute may require an adjustment of assumptions: what would be reasonable in California may not even be possible in Angola. Flexibility is also important. You must be willing to listen and learn. When you need information from your client, you may need to find a different approach to asking for it depending on cultural norms and expectations. A style of argumentation that is persuasive in U.S. courts may be less effective with arbitrators from other countries. Even understanding the client’s objectives may be difficult, as there may be unspoken assumptions that you and the client do not share. Outside the professional sphere, the challenges of expatriate life are never-ending and are more challenging if you do not have good command of the local language (though don’t let that stop you from giving it a try). All of these things are frustrating, even infuriating, at times. If you can enjoy them, see the humor in difficult situations, and relish the bits and pieces of knowledge you gain about other people and other places, however, life as an expatriate arbitration specialist can be very rich, professionally and personally. My own practice has featured much variety, but two aspects have become more common lately. I often represent states in investor-state disputes, and many of my cases originate in Africa. Both elements carry more than their share of the frustrations and delights of international practice. As clients, governments are unresponsive and slow to make decisions, and they often have policy objectives at odds with the needs of a particular case: in other words, states tend to do things that make it harder for you to succeed, and you often have very little idea why. This goes double in Africa, where logistical and infrastructure deficits, shortage of resources (including human capital), and cultural, political, and linguistic differences can be immense. Finally, international investment law is a relatively young field with few settled principles. Cases are governed by treaties written in the broadest terms, and arbitrators can take what seem to be rather perverse views on how to interpret them. But the pleasures of this kind of practice are more than proportional to the challenges, at least in my limited experience. I also enjoy the fact that one can be a generalist in arbitration. Besides investment arbitration, I have also done “ordinary” contractual commercial arbitration in a variety of industries. Again, I think a taste for diversity and knowledge for its own sake (when am I ever going to have a practical use for knowing how helium is stored and transported?) is important to getting the most out of this kind of practice. My pathway to this field—starting as a U.S. litigator with international clientele—was fairly typical for a lawyer of my generation. That remains a common career path, though these days there are more opportunities to jump directly into arbitration, as an increasing number of large firms have well-established arbitration-only practice groups. I think a new graduate would do well to get exposure both to U.S. court litigation and international arbitration, [and] then make the move overseas after a few years. At least in Europe, successful arbitration practitioners commonly have an academic side as well, so publishing articles, working on a law journal, and teaching are all helpful resume-builders. Arbitration is a natural for people with a dispute-resolution background who want to live outside the U.S., and fortunately it has become a large enough field for jobs to be available regularly. Foreign-language ability can obviously be quite helpful, but it is not essential [in this field of law]. English is a dominant language in both business and arbitration, so there are plenty of disputes between, e.g., a German company and a Turkish company in which the contract and correspondence will be in English and the arbitration procedure will be conducted in English.

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Arbitration involving Latin America is a hot field, so Spanish and Portuguese are very useful, and Arabic capacity is in very high demand. French is also a major language in the arbitration world. Arbitration in Asia is often said to be on the verge of huge growth, and a number of firms and institutions have been establishing a presence in China. Mandarin, and to a lesser extent Cantonese, can be an entry ticket to a job there, while Japanese and Korean have niches of their own. By Christina Hioureas (JD, class of 2007) *As of October 2015, she is with Chadbourne & Parke LLP in their NY office. Below narratives were written when she was with Latham & Watkins LLP in their London office. Public International Law Practice Group

I currently am an Associate at Latham & Watkin's London office in the Public International Law practice group. In this position, I advise and represent States, international organizations and private entities on an extensive range of contentious and non-contentious public international law and international dispute resolution matters, including: the protection of international investments under bilateral and multilateral investment treaties, free trade agreements and concession contracts; the structuring of international investments to minimize political risk; treaty drafting and interpretation; sovereign immunity; denial of justice and expropriation claims; international environmental law; human rights; recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards; international arbitration and litigation.

Prior to joining Latham & Watkins, I was an Associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in Palo Alto, practicing international arbitration, securities litigation, and general complex commercial litigation. I have also served as an Extern with the United States Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser; the Office of the New York Attorney General in the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, and to Judge Matti Pellonpaa at the European Court of Human Rights.

The combination of my work at Simpson, externships during law school, and publications on public and private international law helped me enter this field.

What I find most rewarding about the practice -

Working on fascinating cases with clients from all over the world

Typical cases/clients/work day - Work varies greatly day-to-day, but typical cases include BIT arbitrations, advising entities on how to restructure subsidiaries to obtain BIT protection, cases involving border and maritime disputes and so forth. Training/skills most important to the practice - Oral advocacy, solid research skills, interpersonal skills, knowledge of international law. Get involved in moot courts and practical skills courses. How to prepare for a career in this field -

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Get involved in as many internships as possible to get exposure in the field. Meet as many people in the field as possible by attending conferences such as ASIL. The international law community is very small, so knowing attorneys in the field is key. By John Y. Lo (JD & MBA, class of 1981) * John is now a partner at CWL in association with Nixon Peabody LLP and Hylands Law firm in Hong Kong. Below narratives were written when he worked for King & Wood in their Hong Kong office. Areas of Focus - emerging companies, venture capital, private equity, M&As, China-bound direct investment and real estate projects, U.S. inbound investment, and international transactions How I entered the field Since I grew up in Hong Kong, I had always considered the possibility of relocating to Asia, where I believed my language and cultural skills would be better utilized. In the 1980s, job openings for U.S. qualified lawyers were quite limited in Hong Kong due to very restrictive admissions rules for U.S. lawyers. In [the] early 1990s, I ran into an opportunity to work in Hong Kong and I made the move. What I find most rewarding about the practice In 1995, I was among the first batch of foreign lawyers to be qualified as Hong Kong solicitors under the newly introduced Foreign Lawyers Examination. I have been in private practice in Hong Kong since then, and my practice can best be described as multi-jurisdictional, involving laws of Hong Kong, China, U.S., and occasionally of other locations. What I find most rewarding are the ability to be involved in interesting and cutting-edge work, and the opportunity to fully utilize my multi-lingual skills and cross-cultural understanding. Additionally, because of the high economic growth rate in the Greater China region, client work here tend[s] to be more plentiful, sizable and various than those I encountered in California. Typical cases/clients/work day I have been a corporate, transactional lawyer throughout my career. I have worked with a number of U.S. and HK based global firms, but am now with a leading PRC firm headquartered in Beijing. I have taken on an interest in tech startups, so clients range from very early stage startups typically in the Internet space to listed companies and MNCs. My work is mostly in general corporate, financing, VC, M&A, PE, fund work, etc. My work day is probably fairly typical in comparison to that of other lawyers everywhere, consisting of much client contacts, working in front of the computer, and in meetings. I also spend much time in client development. I guess due to my seniority and the nature of my practice, I can get away with a relatively civilized work day, allowing me to leave the office before 8 pm most of the day. Many lawyers in Hong Kong, especially younger ones in the IPO department, often have to deal with longer working hours. Training/skills most important to the practice For any U.S. trained lawyers looking to practice in Greater China region, I believe the most important skill is proficiency in the Chinese language. When I began my practice in Hong Kong in mid 1990s, for China related transactions English language documents were dominant. Some 15 years later, Chinese only or English-Chinese bilingual documentation are becoming the norm. For the new generation of international lawyers practicing in Greater China, Chinese language skills is almost a requirement. How students may prepare for a career in this field

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A student interested in a career in this field should first decide which geographical area she is to focus on – Europe, Greater China, Japan, Latin America, etc. If he is under-prepared on language, he should make efforts to make up. It will be helpful to spend time, as intern, visitor, or worker in the target region, to get familiar with the environment and also to make sure that in fact this is something that will be worthwhile in the end. Ideally it will be great to land a summer position with one of many international law firms with [a] presence in the target region, in preparation for a transfer down the road. However, even if one misses the opportunity, there should be many other entrees into this field. Additional advice Building a career in international private practice often requires extra effort to equip oneself with the requisite language skills, to get admitted in an additional jurisdiction, along with other travails. Students dedicated to pursing such a career should be prepared for the challenges and hard efforts ahead. In the end, the rewards could be substantial, both in terms of personal satisfaction and career accomplishments, in legal and possibly business and other relevant fields. By Peter Wang (JD, class of 1992) Partner, Jones Day, Shanghai office Antitrust & Competition Law, Global Disputes I joined Jones Day’s Washington, D.C. office right out of Boalt in 1992, after being a summer associate as a 2L. I did not plan to end up as an “international lawyer,” but chose Washington and Jones Day because they seemed more international and with good opportunities for me to get exposure to interesting legal work. At that time only a few U.S. firms were really international in scope. Eighteen years later, what I most enjoy still is the constant learning involved in practicing law. Each case requires us to learn many things from scratch – new industries, businesses, products, opposing parties, areas of law, and jurisdictions – and then use that knowledge on behalf of our clients. It is very rewarding to have satisfied clients who, at least in some part because of our work, are better able to grow their businesses and fend off their opponents, relying on us to handle their legal issues in an efficient and professional way. I still feel that every year I improve a little as a lawyer and, more and more, that I am helping others to do so too. On a personal level, the key [to having a rewarding career] is working with people that you like, respect, and share core values with. This makes going to work something to look forward to nearly every day. Good colleagues provide both assistance and motivation. After nearly 20 years in 3 different Jones Day offices, I feel very much at home among our team. I typically have 5-10 active client matters, plus more routine counseling and advice work for other clients. Hopefully only a few major matters are really busy at once. Each day usually means handling a dozen new requests from clients or colleagues that came up overnight (i.e., during the U.S. or European daytime), plus whatever already was on the calendar. Because most of the day is spent handling near-emergencies, much of the real substantive work and especially the deep thinking about case strategies, legal issues, or writing briefs or memoranda happens outside of 9 to 5, often in the early mornings or evenings. In China, we also usually have conference calls in our evenings, which is the only time when Europe and the U.S. also are awake. Law is a service profession, so our schedules are at the mercy of our clients, the courts, our colleagues, co-counsel, and sometimes even opposing parties. You have to be very flexible, because clients rely on us to look out for their interests around the world, in whatever multiple

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time zones, and it always is business hours somewhere. It is an exciting job partly because of the unpredictability. But given that, it is critical to have a good team all of whom are able and willing to support and back up each other whenever needed. There is no one right way to prepare for this or any other kind of legal practice. We always look to hire people who we think will become the highest-quality lawyers and our partners. But there is no one type of law student or junior lawyer we are looking for, rather it is a complicated blend of apparent ability, experience, and many different personal qualities. We need people with PRC training and experience, as well as people with international (especially U.S. and European) training and experience. Many of our lawyers have or eventually will acquire both, but each person has a different mix and frequently what is most desirable is someone who adds skills or experience that the other lawyers in our practice lack. For example, our China antitrust practice includes lawyers who trained at the highest levels of international antitrust practice, as well as lawyers with extensive China experience in law firms, government agencies, and the PRC courts. Especially in China, lawyers also must have or develop practical, commercial sensibilities. Obviously no one lawyer possibly can have everything, so the key for us is building strong teams of complementary lawyers, each of whom is different, but who all work well together and can learn from each other. Boalt students already have a significant head start with their top-flight U.S. legal education and pre-law school experiences. For most U.S.-trained lawyers who want to work in China, this should ideally be supplemented with several years of solid legal training and experience at a good U.S. or international practice before coming to China. You also should try to develop some significant substantive knowledge in some area of law or practice, maybe through the classes you take, your research projects, or your summer jobs, and through self-study. It is probably self-evident to say that you will be much better at practicing law if you really are interested in what you do and like doing it. Finally, students interested in working in China should work hard on developing their Chinese language skills – or, for Chinese lawyers, their English language skills – as early as possible in their careers. Even if your native language is English, you can learn a lot of Chinese starting in school, when you will have more time than once you start working. For those who were lucky enough to grow up speaking Chinese at home, you should consider putting full effort into mastering reading and writing and learning legal, business, and technical Chinese.

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APPENDIX 2

Narratives by Boalt Alums who Completed Summer Associate Programs Abroad * More recent narratives from current students are forthcoming. By Michelle Mersey (JD, class of 2010) I worked as a summer associate in the corporate group at Skadden, London last summer [summer of 2009]. I applied for the job on b-line, was contacted by the firm's San Francisco recruiter and initially interviewed with a representative of the Palo Alto office, who was on campus for OCIP. After that I had a telephone interview with the London hiring partner and was invited to London for an in-person interview. I think the lesson to be learned from this circuitous route is that European offices even of American firms do not recruit heavily on the west coast. I think it takes more work and initiative to make contact with these offices for a Boalt student than it does for folks at east coast law schools. As far as skills and other qualities that mattered, I have an MPhil from Oxford and had previously lived in London. I really think those connections mattered. Additionally, I worked at the ILO in Geneva during my 1L summer, and had spent time abroad as an undergrad, and I think this additional indicated interest in living and working abroad mattered. I had some business course work prior to my 2L summer, but in my case, I'm not sure that was a determining factor. I can't say whether other U.S. firms or U.K. firms would place greater weight on coursework. By Michael McCarthy (JD, class of 2009) [Some U.S. law firms offer overseas opportunities.] [At the firm where I spent my second summer], summer associates [had] the option of spending six out of twelve weeks in one of the foreign offices. It's fairly typical for associates to do a rotation in an overseas office too. The usual method is to spend 1-2 years in either NY or DC, and then spend 2-3 years abroad. However it's increasingly possible to start in the foreign office from the beginning. I'm not sure if [the firm’s] method is particularly instructive for other firms, however. A U.S.-qualified associate [at a large U.S. law firm] in London (who transferred from another U.S. firm) has told me that the office where you begin your career is fairly important. If you start in the U.S., then you may spend time abroad but are expected to ultimately return to a domestic office. If you start in a foreign office from the beginning, then you are likely to be seen as a "foreign lawyer" (albeit for a U.S. jurisdiction), and you may not be expected (and may find it a bit harder) to return to the U.S. after spending several years abroad. This may or may not be a good development for your career. Traditionally speaking, it's been considered better for a "Wall Street Lawyer" to spend several formative years in New York. Needless to say, the choice of practice areas is a different calculation if you intend to work abroad. You are usually talking about Capital Markets and M&A. Tax and competition law I think are also possibilities, but less likely. Litigation is usually out.

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In terms of London, I would strongly recommend working at a U.S. firm. I'm not sure that Magic Circle firms treat their U.S. lawyers in London as well. Partly because there are often so few U.S.-jurisdiction lawyers in their London offices, that you are restricted to a small circle of direct (i.e., practice area) colleagues. Also, I suspect that "newly minted" U.S. attorneys may not be treated as well as starting U.K. qualified solicitors (because the training is different, and the latter has two years of practical, if not academic, experience in working at a firm). By Puneet V. Kakkar (JD, class of 2008) I spent a summer at Skadden Arps in London. I saw the posting on b-Line, and applied on the system. I received an email from the London office, and they originally wanted me to screen for the job (Phase 1 OCIP equivalent) at the Palo Alto office. Coincidentally, because I was in New York on a call-back for the firm's NY office, I asked that the NY office become my London "screening." Accordingly, Skadden London set me up with attorneys who had worked in the London office who happened to be in New York interview me. My callback was in the London office, and was no different than any other firm callback. I believe what helped me succeed with this process was my direct interest focused on the London office. I was specifically interested in international, cross-border project finance (advising clients on investing and forming funds for energy projects in other countries). My background supported this interest -- I had worked abroad and had experience with international commercial issues.(They don't want people who just want a fun summer in another country). To be clear, this was a summer solely with the London office. Many firms (at least in the heyday of the economy) allowed you to split with a foreign office, if you had an offer from a domestic office. However, you would have to dedicate your entire summer to that one firm. My advice is that if people want to work solely for a law firm in an abroad office, to really have specific and realistic reasons. For instance, for a solely-domestically trained U.S. law student to say they want to do "international law" or "international arbitration," the firm may not believe it.(Many firms only let English-trained lawyers do arbitration.)