I am currently a fourth-year law student at a Tier 2 law school and have developed a keen interest in commercial dispute resolution over the last year. I find arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) interesting because of the blend of legal research, drafting, and strategy involved. However, my exposure to this field has been limited to coursework, a moot court competitions, and reading arbitral awards. I have not had the opportunity to intern with an arbitration team or a disputes practice.
The problem is that I am unsure how to break into this field. There seems to be very little guidance available on what law firms, arbitration chambers, or senior practitioners expect from students who want to build a career in arbitration. I am also confused about whether I should focus on litigation internships, dispute resolution teams at full-service law firms, boutique arbitration firms, or even judicial clerkships. Since arbitration is a niche area, I am worried that making the wrong internship choices now could limit my opportunities later.
My question is: If I want to build a long-term career in arbitration and ADR, what should my roadmap look like during law school? Which internships, skills, certifications, competitions, or experiences would make me a strong candidate for arbitration teams at leading law firms or arbitration chambers?
