Wang Yuner, an LL.M student in International Law at Fudan Law School (Class 2020) completed an internship with the Appellate Body Secretariat (ABS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland from 10 September 2018 to 31 January 2019. She is the first intern from Fudan Law School at the ABS, following the Fudan Delegation’s visit to the ABS in April 2018, during which time consensus was reached on Fudan students’ opportunities for regular internship in the WTO.

The Appellate Body is a key part of the WTO’s dispute settlement system that is often considered the “jewel in the crown” of the WTO. The ABS, consisting of lawyers and support staff, provides legal and administrative support to the Appellate Body. During her internship, Wang was involved in appeal-related tasks and other daily work of the ABS, including legal research, drafting memoranda and working documents, assisting in meetings and hearings, and proofreading.

“I appreciate very much this opportunity from Fudan. It was a truly special and rewarding experience for an international law student like me to closely observe and even be a part of the real practice of WTO law. Appellate Body Members and lawyers at the ABS are among the best international legal experts. From them I learned a lot about how to understand a dispute, how to make good argumentations and how to precisely articulate legal reasoning,” said Wang.   

This internship also helped Wang better understand the necessary qualifications for working in international organizations like the WTO. She considers that, besides excelling in professional competency, one also needs good language skills, a background featuring international experiences as well as passion for international affairs.

Consistent with its goal to cultivate all-round legal talents with an international vision, Fudan Law School encourages students to do internships or work as staff members in international organizations. Through Fudan’s continuous collaboration with the ABS, hopefully more selected students would be able to participate in the internship program. Chinese Students interested in internship opportunities in international organizations may apply to the Chinese Scholarship Council for scholarship and recruitment facilitation. They may also apply for Fudan University Rongchang Scholarship for Global Governance, a program started in 2018 that provides training and scholarship to Chinese students who desire to have a career in international civil service. Wang’s internship was supported by these two scholarship programs.

With other interns, at 2018 WTO Public Forum “Trade 2030”