Public international law involves States. An example is the softwood lumber dispute, in which the countervailing duty tariffs imposed by the U.S. were considered illegal by Canada because they violated the terms of free trade.

Public international law can also involve disputes with regard to human rights. Although it is not as big as the international transactions sector, it has grown over the past few years. "The exponential growth of opportunities in this sector over the past ten years is amazing," says Élise Groulx, president-founder of the International Criminal Bar and of the International Criminal Defense Attorneys Association

She refers to the Millenium Development Goals launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan: to link sustainable development and security, peace and rebuilding of the rule of law issues. "These goals are achieved by passing anti-corruption legislation, having good governance policies and implementing international aid measures," emphasizes Ms. Groulx.

For lawyers, job opportunities come from a variety of sources: the UN, international government bodies and non-governmental organizations. The site www.canadem.ca monitors job openings:  "CANADEM supports Canada's determination to strengthen the activities of international organizations, working to advance the universal principles of the UN Charter, international peace & security, human rights and the responsibility to protect. This includes the UN, OSCE, other inter-governmental organizations, and of course non-governmental partners." One section of the site is specifically for lawyers.

The Canadian International Development Agency carries out its own activities and supports those of the UN. Its Web site www.acdi-cida.gc.ca includes a career section. In 2005–2006, CIDA invested $32.2 million to support the efforts of its partners in the area of rule of law and $48.3 million to support human rights. "Funding of these two sectors has continually increased over the past five years," notes Bronwyn Cruden, media relations officer in CIDA's Communications Branch. For rule of law, the increase has been 103% over five years, and 130% for human rights projects.

A whole series of initiatives come from the NGOs themselves. The Canadian Bar Association and provincial bar associations can provide information in this regard.

Working on the international scene is a challenge. In public international law, particularly its human rights component, lawyers must be prepared to work on short-term assignments. For some, working on missions abroad leads to a career in international law, but it is difficult to know exactly how many.

Working for an NGO requires a social conscience. "Salaries are tiny," says Ms. Groulx. "And volunteering is frequent. You don't go into humanitarian law for the money. On the contrary, some people even pay for the opportunity to do it."

If you believe in international solidarity and want to live by your values, you may find your niche in international public law.