Summer Internships and Postgraduate Fellowships with the UN International Law Commission (ILC)
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Duration: early May through mid-August
Number of placements: 7 (3-LLMS, 4-JDS)
Eligibility: Open to 1Ls, 2Ls, and LLMs
Description: The International Law Commission is the legal codification arm of the United Nations. It meets every summer in Geneva to consider proposals for treaties, declarations of principles and other codifications or elaborations of norms previously only the subject of customary international law. Examples of the issues debated by the Commission in the past include the establishment of a permanent international criminal court, and the formulation of the law on state responsibility. Current topics are: protection of persons in the event of disasters; immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction; subsequent agreements and subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties; most-favored-nation clause; provisional application of treaties; identification of customary international law; protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts; protection of the atmosphere; crimes against humanity; and Jus Cogens. Members of the Commission are prominent experts in public international law and are elected by the UN General Assembly in their individual capacities. Each student fellow is assigned to work with a particular Commission member. This internship is cerebral and scholarly, not action packed—students typically undertake work assigned by Commission members, attend ILC meetings, conduct research, and assist in the preparation of major papers. The Commission session begins in early May, so students must travel to Geneva as soon as possible after exams and return in mid August. See un.org/law/ilc.
APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Applicants are asked to submit an application packet in a single PDF file consisting of:
- CV,
- academic transcript(s) [1Ls and LLMs must submit transcripts from NYU Law and their most recent institution of higher learning; 2Ls must submit their NYU Law transcript], and
- a statement of interest/cover letter. Each statement of interest should explain why the applicant would like to work with the ILC ion and what they will bring to the position.
The complete application package is due by Friday, October 23 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Please submit the application by email is a single PDF file to Angelina Fisher (angelina.fisher@gmail.com).
Financial Award
Stipends
Students selected for the ILC Fellowship will receive a stipend of:
$6,000 for 1Ls, or $8,000 for 2Ls, or $8,000 for LLMs.
Currency and taxes
- Stipends are paid in U.S. dollars and are awarded on a needs-blind basis.
- Fellows who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents may find that their stipend amount is reduced due to taxes, depending on their country’s tax treaty with the U.S.
PILC’s Summer Funding Program
- Funding for JD Fellows is provided through PILC’s Summer Funding Program and in lieu of regular summer funding.
- JD Fellows must be eligible for and fulfill all requirements of PILC’s Summer Funding Program.
- Expenses related to some internship placements, including airfare, housing, inoculations and the like, may exceed the amount provided by the stipend.