International Opportunities | Study Abroad Law School | New England Law
Source: https://www.nesl.edu/practical-experiences/international-opportunities
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:17
International Opportunities | Study Abroad Law School | New England Law
International Opportunities
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Immerse Yourself in International Law
Experience firsthand how global issues unfold—when and where they occur—with one of the international opportunities offered at New England Law. With a summer study abroad program in Galway, Ireland, and several international externships available, you will learn and work in a global environment while deepening your understanding of the American legal system.
Study Human Rights Law in Galway, Ireland
This unique opportunity allows you to study international and human rights law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in stunning Galway, Ireland. You will learn from top educators from Ireland and the U.S., alongside like-minded students from our institution and other ABA-accredited programs. The Galway Program’s renowned visiting faculty has included U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Anthony M. Kennedy, as well as Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. Besides classes, you will explore Galway, visit Irish courts, attend social events, and see spectacular sights like the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, and the Aran Islands.
To view the application,
click here
.
Contact
galway2026@nesl.edu
to learn more.
2026 Summer Galway Program
The six-week program is comprised of two sessions, each with two courses.
Session 1:
June 21 – July 9
Evidence, Ethics, and AI
Prof. Ben Golden, Galway Program Director
This course will focus on how AI is impacting the fields of evidence and ethics, and how different legal systems are responding to those changes. Readings will come from current literature on these matters; for example, Garrett and Rudin, The Right to a Glass Box: Rethinking the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice, 109 Cornell L. Rev. 561 (2024). Students will be assessed on a final paper and class participation. Classes will include a mix of lecture and small-group work, with some in-class simulations to test how the students would attempt to argue for and against the admission of various items of evidence. The course likely will more heavily emphasize the implications of AI in the criminal justice field, but there also will be plenty of discussion of the civil side as well.
Session 1:
June 21 – July 9
International Human Rights Law
Dr. Edel Hughes
The course aims to provide students with a general introduction to the sources, systems, and foundations of international human rights law. It also aims to include a critical lens that will give students the skills to apply the law utilizing a robust understanding of the origins, impacts, and power of international human rights law.
Session 2:
July 12 – July 30
International Children’s Rights
Prof. Erin O’Sullivan
This survey-style class will focus on children’s rights using a comparative model between the United States and other nations that have ratified the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. While there have been several international agreements involving children’s rights for more than a century, the 1989 United Nations Convention of the Child is the most recent. There are 195 countries that ratified the treaty, but the United States is not one of them. This class will give students a framework covering the extent of the rights of children and take a deeper dive into certain areas of law, including rights enforcement. This class will feature a hybrid lecture and discussion format. Students will be required to do readings that will further their doctrinal knowledge and will prompt meaningful class discussions. The class will also include real world experiences and simulations to further the students’ learning. The final assessment will be a paper.
Session 2:
July 12 – July 30
International Humanitarian Law
Prof. Ray Murphy/Prof. Shane Darcy
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the general principles and laws comprising international humanitarian law (IHL) and related issues. The course examines the role of IHL in situations of armed conflict and what constitutes a war crime. It critically examines the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols. It pays particular attention to the criteria for determining if a situation of armed conflict exists and the nature of the conflict. It examines the conduct of hostilities, and the rules governing the treatment of combatants and prisoners of war. It looks at current situations of armed conflict, especially Ukraine. It explains and evaluates the protection of civilians under IHL and the concept of “protected persons.” The course evaluates the implementation of IHL and how individuals are held accountable for war crimes. Finally, the course explains the nature of UN peacekeeping operations in post conflict situations.
Stories of Success
“Choosing a law school with a part-time program enabled me to pursue my dream of becoming an attorney and provided the flexibility to build my Résumé through full-time internships, clinics, and employment.”
—
Christopher Hughes, Graduate
“I was able to experience what life is really like as counsel for an international corporation.”
—
Katie Milligan, Graduate
“Our graduates stay, grow their careers, and help build our communities. We’re woven into the fabric of New England.”
—
Karyn Polito, Graduate
“There are hundreds of law schools to choose from, but very few of them leave the impression New England Law does on its students.”
—
Czara Venegas, Graduate
International Externships
Gain invaluable exposure to and hands-on experience in the practice of international and human rights law through a semester-long, for-credit externship with the Center for International Law and Policy.
The International Criminal Court: The Hague, Netherland
Summer and Fall Semesters
Established in 2002 through the Rome Treaty, the International Criminal Court is the first permanent international world court. This externship is a six-month commitment and usually begins the summer before the fall semester of your third year.
Learn more here
U.S. Department of State: Washington, DC
Fall Semester
If you’d like to pursue a career in international law or public service, consider applying for one of these highly competitive externships with the Department’s Student Internship Program. Our students have worked in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Other opportunities may also be available.
Learn more here
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute: London, England
Spring Semester
The Institute works with the global legal community to promote and protect human rights and the independence of the legal profession worldwide. It focuses on human rights issues that involve poverty, sexual orientation, and the abolition of the death penalty, and that target capacity building and advocacy projects. As a program intern, you’ll assist in these efforts, researching key legal topics, helping to write academic papers and policy documents, and assisting in implementing technical assistance programs.
Learn more here
The Accountability Council: San Francisco, California
Fall and Spring Semesters
Focused on providing legal resources, advocating for public policy, and conducting research and outreach, the Accountability Counsel helps individuals and communities defend their rights and remedy harm caused by internationally financed projects. They offer hybrid and remote fellowships to law students; as one, you would primarily support the organization’s collaboration with communities around the world in filing complaints and help develop resource materials for communities and advocates.
Learn more here
Related Concentrations, Centers, and Experiences
Center for International Law and Policy
Immerse yourself in the practice of international law. Through sought-after international externships, research projects, academic offerings and Center-sponsored events, you’ll build both expertise and empathy. And you’ll have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience—and real-…
Read more
Center for Law and Social Responsibility
experience in criminal justice, immigration, education, the environment, or women’s and children’s issues as you work alongside professors or full-time legal service providers on volunteer/pro bono opportunities,and on other real-world projects. You may also earn…
Read more
International Law Concentration
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected so too has the demand for legal practitioners who specialize in international law. Become one of them at New England Law. Whether you’re interested in human rights law, international…
Read more
Public Interest Law Concentration
If you’re passionate about improving the lives of others through the law, consider our nationally ranked public interest law program. In this concentration, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and gain real-world experience in this…
Read more
Immigration Law Clinic
Assist attorneys who specialize in immigration law. You may work in a law office or an agency, helping to represent aliens involved in proceedings before the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) or in court cases…
Read more
Public Interest Law Seminar and Clinic
Help provide legal services to those who need it most in this one-semester program. You’ll learn about issues such as poverty, race, and access to justice in the seminar then put what you’ve learned to…
Read more
Pro Bono
Working on pro bono projects through our academic centers and student organizations is a rewarding way to build practical legal skills—and discover where your legal passions lie. You’ll serve clients in need, gain practical hands-on experience,…
Read more
Summer Fellowship Program
Work alongside practicing attorneys in law firms, corporations, or government agencies after your first year (second year for part‑time students). Receive a $4,500 stipend and make valuable professional connections as you spend eight- to ten…
Read more
Contact Us
New England Law Admissions staff is here to help you through the application process. If you have any questions, please complete the form below or contact the Office of Admissions at
admit@nesl.edu
or call 617-422-7210.
Admissions Contact Us Form
International Opportunities
Home
>
Practical Experiences
>
international opportunities
Immerse Yourself in International Law
Experience firsthand how global issues unfold—when and where they occur—with one of the international opportunities offered at New England Law. With a summer study abroad program in Galway, Ireland, and several international externships available, you will learn and work in a global environment while deepening your understanding of the American legal system.
Study Human Rights Law in Galway, Ireland
This unique opportunity allows you to study international and human rights law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights in stunning Galway, Ireland. You will learn from top educators from Ireland and the U.S., alongside like-minded students from our institution and other ABA-accredited programs. The Galway Program’s renowned visiting faculty has included U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Anthony M. Kennedy, as well as Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. Besides classes, you will explore Galway, visit Irish courts, attend social events, and see spectacular sights like the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, and the Aran Islands.
To view the application,
click here
.
Contact
galway2026@nesl.edu
to learn more.
2026 Summer Galway Program
The six-week program is comprised of two sessions, each with two courses.
Session 1:
June 21 – July 9
Evidence, Ethics, and AI
Prof. Ben Golden, Galway Program Director
This course will focus on how AI is impacting the fields of evidence and ethics, and how different legal systems are responding to those changes. Readings will come from current literature on these matters; for example, Garrett and Rudin, The Right to a Glass Box: Rethinking the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Justice, 109 Cornell L. Rev. 561 (2024). Students will be assessed on a final paper and class participation. Classes will include a mix of lecture and small-group work, with some in-class simulations to test how the students would attempt to argue for and against the admission of various items of evidence. The course likely will more heavily emphasize the implications of AI in the criminal justice field, but there also will be plenty of discussion of the civil side as well.
Session 1:
June 21 – July 9
International Human Rights Law
Dr. Edel Hughes
The course aims to provide students with a general introduction to the sources, systems, and foundations of international human rights law. It also aims to include a critical lens that will give students the skills to apply the law utilizing a robust understanding of the origins, impacts, and power of international human rights law.
Session 2:
July 12 – July 30
International Children’s Rights
Prof. Erin O’Sullivan
This survey-style class will focus on children’s rights using a comparative model between the United States and other nations that have ratified the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. While there have been several international agreements involving children’s rights for more than a century, the 1989 United Nations Convention of the Child is the most recent. There are 195 countries that ratified the treaty, but the United States is not one of them. This class will give students a framework covering the extent of the rights of children and take a deeper dive into certain areas of law, including rights enforcement. This class will feature a hybrid lecture and discussion format. Students will be required to do readings that will further their doctrinal knowledge and will prompt meaningful class discussions. The class will also include real world experiences and simulations to further the students’ learning. The final assessment will be a paper.
Session 2:
July 12 – July 30
International Humanitarian Law
Prof. Ray Murphy/Prof. Shane Darcy
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the general principles and laws comprising international humanitarian law (IHL) and related issues. The course examines the role of IHL in situations of armed conflict and what constitutes a war crime. It critically examines the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols. It pays particular attention to the criteria for determining if a situation of armed conflict exists and the nature of the conflict. It examines the conduct of hostilities, and the rules governing the treatment of combatants and prisoners of war. It looks at current situations of armed conflict, especially Ukraine. It explains and evaluates the protection of civilians under IHL and the concept of “protected persons.” The course evaluates the implementation of IHL and how individuals are held accountable for war crimes. Finally, the course explains the nature of UN peacekeeping operations in post conflict situations.
Stories of Success
“Choosing a law school with a part-time program enabled me to pursue my dream of becoming an attorney and provided the flexibility to build my Résumé through full-time internships, clinics, and employment.”
—
Christopher Hughes, Graduate
“I was able to experience what life is really like as counsel for an international corporation.”
—
Katie Milligan, Graduate
“Our graduates stay, grow their careers, and help build our communities. We’re woven into the fabric of New England.”
—
Karyn Polito, Graduate
“There are hundreds of law schools to choose from, but very few of them leave the impression New England Law does on its students.”
—
Czara Venegas, Graduate
International Externships
Gain invaluable exposure to and hands-on experience in the practice of international and human rights law through a semester-long, for-credit externship with the Center for International Law and Policy.
The International Criminal Court: The Hague, Netherland
Summer and Fall Semesters
Established in 2002 through the Rome Treaty, the International Criminal Court is the first permanent international world court. This externship is a six-month commitment and usually begins the summer before the fall semester of your third year.
Learn more here
U.S. Department of State: Washington, DC
Fall Semester
If you’d like to pursue a career in international law or public service, consider applying for one of these highly competitive externships with the Department’s Student Internship Program. Our students have worked in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Other opportunities may also be available.
Learn more here
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute: London, England
Spring Semester
The Institute works with the global legal community to promote and protect human rights and the independence of the legal profession worldwide. It focuses on human rights issues that involve poverty, sexual orientation, and the abolition of the death penalty, and that target capacity building and advocacy projects. As a program intern, you’ll assist in these efforts, researching key legal topics, helping to write academic papers and policy documents, and assisting in implementing technical assistance programs.
Learn more here
The Accountability Council: San Francisco, California
Fall and Spring Semesters
Focused on providing legal resources, advocating for public policy, and conducting research and outreach, the Accountability Counsel helps individuals and communities defend their rights and remedy harm caused by internationally financed projects. They offer hybrid and remote fellowships to law students; as one, you would primarily support the organization’s collaboration with communities around the world in filing complaints and help develop resource materials for communities and advocates.
Learn more here
Related Concentrations, Centers, and Experiences
Center for International Law and Policy
Immerse yourself in the practice of international law. Through sought-after international externships, research projects, academic offerings and Center-sponsored events, you’ll build both expertise and empathy. And you’ll have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience—and real-…
Read more
Center for Law and Social Responsibility
experience in criminal justice, immigration, education, the environment, or women’s and children’s issues as you work alongside professors or full-time legal service providers on volunteer/pro bono opportunities,and on other real-world projects. You may also earn…
Read more
International Law Concentration
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected so too has the demand for legal practitioners who specialize in international law. Become one of them at New England Law. Whether you’re interested in human rights law, international…
Read more
Public Interest Law Concentration
If you’re passionate about improving the lives of others through the law, consider our nationally ranked public interest law program. In this concentration, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and gain real-world experience in this…
Read more
Immigration Law Clinic
Assist attorneys who specialize in immigration law. You may work in a law office or an agency, helping to represent aliens involved in proceedings before the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) or in court cases…
Read more
Public Interest Law Seminar and Clinic
Help provide legal services to those who need it most in this one-semester program. You’ll learn about issues such as poverty, race, and access to justice in the seminar then put what you’ve learned to…
Read more
Pro Bono
Working on pro bono projects through our academic centers and student organizations is a rewarding way to build practical legal skills—and discover where your legal passions lie. You’ll serve clients in need, gain practical hands-on experience,…
Read more
Summer Fellowship Program
Work alongside practicing attorneys in law firms, corporations, or government agencies after your first year (second year for part‑time students). Receive a $4,500 stipend and make valuable professional connections as you spend eight- to ten…
Read more
Contact Us
New England Law Admissions staff is here to help you through the application process. If you have any questions, please complete the form below or contact the Office of Admissions at
admit@nesl.edu
or call 617-422-7210.
Admissions Contact Us Form