[ID:0606]So you've beaten out several thousand other applicants for a coveted spot in a law school and are determined to become a human rights lawyer. If this sounds familiar, it's because you're not alone. According to an associate dean at a major law school over 90 per cent of law students write in their application package that they want to go to law school because they are committed to protecting human rights. Don't worry though; you won't have to beat out all of your colleagues for the few human rights jobs out there as over 90 per cent of law graduates go directly to corporate law firms.

The other 10 per cent are destined for what in legal terms is considered an "alternative career." If you want to work in the field of PIL, you fall into this amorphous category. One of the reasons this is considered an alternative career is because there are few entry-level jobs in the field.

If you're serious about becoming an international human rights or international environmental lawyer, you'll have to take steps to distinguish yourself in the highly competitive...