Published on 30 October 2024 in Client Alerts

Volterra Fietta: where future public international lawyers are trained to be real PIL practitioners

The Volterra Fietta global internship programme hits a significant milestone.

Volterra Fietta started its global internship programme in March of 2011.  Since then, the firm has trained more than 200 lawyers from around the world in the practical realities of advising and representing governments, international organisations and private clients in the field of public international law.

Over the years, the lawyers in the Volterra Fietta global internship programme have been integral members of our client-facing teams.  They gain practical, hands-on experience on a daily basis engaged in such work as:

• representing multiple States in multiple cases before the International Court of Justice;
• representing investors and States from around the world in investment treaty arbitrations before ICSID, PCA, SCC and other arbitration institutions;
• defending States in sovereign immunities cases before domestic courts around the world;
• drafting treaties for governments across the full spectrum of public international law;
• advising governments on the implementation of their treaty obligations into domestic law;
• advising international organisations and States in relation to the international law of international organisations, including drafting or amending the constitutional documents of international organisations;
• helping oil companies negotiate transboundary resource management agreements;
• advising and representing sovereign wealth funds on international dispute resolution issues;
• assisting commercial clients to comply with business and human rights norms, as well as to take advantage of the benefits and protections which accrue to them under international law;
• structuring transboundary agreements for major international transportation, energy and pipeline infrastructure projects;
• resolving hydrocarbon and energy transit disputes, including under the Energy Charter Treaty;
• advising clients on the laws of war, international humanitarian law and international human rights;
• advising and representing pro bono clients, for example, the democratically elected government of Myanmar.

Volterra Fietta interns receive hands-on, daily experience in the professional practice of public international law.  No other law firm in the world is able to offer this kind of training to its lawyers.

About 20% of our interns are invited to stay on at the firm as associates.  Others have moved on to practice public international law at international organisations such as the UN, the AU, the OAS, ASEAN, the EU and the WTO or in their home country’s foreign ministry.  Others have taken up positions as members of the secretariats of international courts and tribunals or the faculties of academic institutions.  Many have returned to their home country to work in governments and local law firms.  Volterra Fietta internship alumni are always sought as associates by other global law firms.

Map showing the 67 countries from which our interns have come 

Volterra Fietta is a global law firm that operates world-wide to help its clients achieve winning outcomes to problems that arise anywhere on the planet.  The firm takes pride in the international character and diverse composition of its entire team, including its interns.  Our interns originate from and are qualified in jurisdictions in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Oceania.  They bring perspectives, linguistic skills and cultural values that assist the firm’s clients and enrich the work experience of the whole Volterra Fietta team.

For more information, contact info@volterrafietta.com.