Alexandra Marin

Tell us a little bit about your background? 

Originally from Bucharest, Romania, I am a hard-working, focused and highly motivated individual with very strong public speaking and negotiating skills developed through a Public Speaking Pre-College Program at Harvard University. I have grown and received education in an international environment, being stimulated culturally and learning adaptability and diversity.

After graduating from a prestigious British high school, I obtained a BSc in International Politics and Government, with a heavy focus on Economics, from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, developing sharp quantitative analysis skills in policy evaluation. I have then pursued a hands-on MA in Diplomacy and International Law at The American University of Paris which has offered me the opportunity to develop solid research and analytical skills in legal areas. I have been involved in an elaborate practicum in The Hague which introduced me to the technical functioning of the international judicial system of the permanent International Criminal Court and ad-hoc tribunals for Rwanda (ICTR) and former Yugoslavia (ICTY). I also had the privilege to represent the UNHCR in a polyvalent simulation of military intervention operated by the École de Guerre where I worked alongside mentors from the International Committee of the Red Cross and UN International Organization for Migration, making use of international humanitarian law and international human rights law to reach a cease-fire with the Coalition Forces.

I recently completed a six-month internship with the International Chamber of Commerce at its headquarters in Paris. Specifically, I divided my work between the Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the Institute of World Business Law. I have also managed to gain valuable political and legal experience and insight from past internships in the European Parliament, in Brussels, and in the Chamber of Deputies of the Romanian Parliament.

 
Which company/organization are you currently interning with? 

On March 31, 2023 I completed a fruitful six-month internship at the International Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Paris. Essentially, I pursued two internships in one, dividing my work between the Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the Institute of World Business Law. The Commission is a think tank for ICC Dispute Resolution Services (DRS), enabling thought leadership and issuing reports, tool-kits, and guidelines to encourage innovation and advance the adoption of efficient and economical methods for resolving disputes, taking into account the most recent advancements. The ICC Institute of World Business Law aims to foster international commercial law through strong collaboration and dialogue among practitioners and scholars, as well as through comprehensive training and research.

 
Where is your internship taking place?  

Paris, France

When is your internship taking place?  

My internship took place for six full months. I started on October 5, 2022 and finished it on March 31, 2023. It therefore started in fall 2022 and finished in spring 2023.

 
What is your job title?   

Intern with the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and the ICC Institute of World Business Law at the International Chamber of Commerce. Responsibilities are very much similar to that of a Project Officer.

What types of responsibilities and/or tasks do you have in your internship? What's a typical day for you like?  

I pursued a six-month internship with the International Chamber of Commerce at its headquarters in Paris. Dividing my work between two different think-tanks, the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the ICC Institute of World Business Law, I was trusted with a variety of important tasks.

Collaboratively working with other ICC departments, I successfully managed to assist in the organization of one of the largest Commission meetings in Miami with 700+ participants, as well as a large-scale one in Paris during the busy but insightful Paris Arbitration Week, while still completing work for the ICC Institute of World Business Law. I managed to meet tight deadlines and work heavily under the pressure of time, finalizing registration processes, contacting Commission Members, creating proud member cards, managing logistics, keeping track of participants, helping with technical issues, and issuing invoices and visa support letters. Aside from conducting research and proof-reading working documents and draft reports, I also prepared background material, assisting the Secretary to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, and drafted transcripts and executive summaries of Commission working sessions and meetings, gathering and compiling comments received from delegates appointed by National Committees on reports issued by the different Commission Task Forces.

For the ICC Institute of World Business Law, I promoted different projects, conferences and trainings through social media channels, such as LinkedIn. While constantly liaising with the governing body of the Institute, the ICC Institute Council, I updated the different programs of trainings organized all over the world. Furthermore, I kept track of the elaborate membership renewal process for 2023, updating statistics and charts according to gender, region, country of residence, country of nationality, type of membership, area of work. For each Council meeting, I prepared working documents and organized folders, submitting the draft of minutes after each session to the Presidency. I also undertook market research, providing my supervisor with extensive information on key filters to include in the creation of a complex membership directory, as well as on new admission criteria to implement. A special project that I was in charge of was the €10,000 ICC Institute Prize awarded to the best-in-class legal work in international commercial law. I was in constant collaboration with networks of academicians and legal professionals across the world to promote this attractive Prize and reach wide audiences globally. I was achievement-focused in meeting the Institute’s goal to recognize and enhance legal writing excellence in the field of international commercial law, including arbitration, bringing together young students and professionals in the field. I drafted promotional material, such as flyers, posters and website texts on the ICC NC Connect SharePoint and was in constant touch with applicants to inform them about the rules of the Prize, assisting them with any inquiries they had. In addition to all of this, I also assisted in the organization of multiple large-scale events, such as the ICC Institute Annual Conference, ICC Institute Jurisprudential Debate, ICC Institute Annual Colloquium, ICC Institute Council meetings.

What are the biggest challenges and successes you’ve experienced during your internship?

As a result of my accomplishments at the International Chamber of Commerce, I was the only intern in the organization to be invited by the Iranian Center for International Legal Studies in The Hague to be the youngest speaker among distinguished legal professionals and academicians at the Tehran Arbitration Week. On February 10, 2023, I delivered a discourse on the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR, as well as on my personal experiences in the field. The audience found it extremely interesting and informative, obtaining numerous affirmative reactions.

Regarding the €10,000 ICC Institute Prize awarded to the best-in-class legal work in international commercial law, I successfully liaised with an elaborate academic network of legal professionals and institutions to promote the project and reach wide audiences globally. I had to use innovation skills at a time when the ICC Marketing Department underwent internal changes, slowing down the initial promotion process. For this, I had to come up with ideas to target audiences and increase our pool of applicants. Thanks to my efforts of strategically engaging with a variety of stakeholders in a tactful manner, the ICC Institute of World Business Law managed to gather the exceptional number of 18 doctoral dissertations eligible for the competition.

I successfully served as a back-up for the organization of one of the largest Commission Meetings which took place in Miami with 700+ participants, while still undertaking work for the ICC Institute of World Business Law. I therefore managed meet tight deadlines and work heavily under the pressure of time, finalizing registration processes, contacting Commission Members, issuing proud member cards, keeping track of participants and helping with technical issues. The meeting was a success and ran smoothly as I successfully liaised with Commission Vice-Chairs and multiple departments of the International Chamber of Commerce, such as the Global Events Team.

A challenge that I have experienced during my internship was the need to adapt to unanticipated circumstances, being flexible and diplomatically sensitive. As the International Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization, I had to communicate and engage with a variety of members coming from diverse backgrounds in a number of situations. Soft skills, specifically empathy, adaptability and respectfulness, and adaptability are vital.

Another challenge was that, as it is the case with the majority of large organizations or enterprises, the decision-making process may be slowed down by a stratified hierarchical structure at times. However, it is imperative to mention that all workers at the International Chamber of Commerce are extremely motivated, engaged with one another and efficient. Teamwork is therefore highly valued, and when such challenges arise, everyone comes together to try to adapt and find the best potential solution to overcome it.

What language(s) are you speaking/using in your internship?  

The main language I spoke was English. Sometimes, the knowledge of French was required. I was also pleased to make use of my native language, Romanian, during some occasions when interacting with certain Commission or Institute Members.

 
Tell us about your future goals/aspirations. Is this internship relevant? Do you think it will help you along the way?  

My chosen field is global policy or human rights in an international organization. I do feel better equipped in this sense because the International Chamber of Commerce has offered me hands-on professional exposure within an international institution, equipping me with a broad array of skills, such as interpersonal, research, teamwork, marketing, public speaking skills. I have now acquired a demonstrated ability to analyze and draw the nexus between a number of policy issues, such as sustainability, human rights and arbitration. Because of this internship, I have managed to build a powerful and complex professional network in international commercial law, banking and government. This is the case as I had to liaise with a substantial number of members working at prestigious law firms across the world, other international organizations, such as the OECD or World Bank, and different enterprises specialized in energy, taxation or climate change. These are all areas that I am very much interested in as I aspire to be a successful policymaker dealing with a number of interrelated issues, and I now therefore have the privilege to exchange and share ideas with such distinguished professionals. In addition to this, as the International Chamber of Commerce is an international organization that I have been exposed to through assiduous work and commitment, I am now ready to know what to expect from another international institution. This internship has therefore certainly contributed to my future career choice as I am now actively looking and applying for job positions at international organizations in Paris.

Anything else to share?

I would like to elaborate more on the professional skills that this internship has helped me acquire. Since the International Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization, I have developed professional interpersonal skills. Communication, both oral and written, with members from different regions and countries of the world were crucial in order to promote projects, complete research or simply assist them with their inquiries. Another professional skill I have successfully developed was time management. This is because I pursued two internships in one, dividing my schedule between two different think tanks, the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the ICC Institute of World Business Law. I therefore had to learn to prioritize the various tasks and organize myself since many deadlines heavily overlapped, therefore managing work under the pressure of time. I have also developed professional leadership skills. Because of my performance, I was trusted with very important tasks, being allowed to take initiatives and share my ideas. For example, I was asked to draft a proposal document, expressing my views on how the ICC Institute admission criteria could be improved.

I did learn about various areas of a career in international commercial law and arbitration as a dispute resolution process. Although my academic background is more focused on human rights and policy analysis, with a strong focus on economics, this internship was an interesting and remarkable opportunity to learn about another field which is becoming increasingly visible and somehow still connected to my area of studies. I was able to learn about the inclusion of disability in the arbitration process and how the Tribunal should consider a request for accommodation to ensure fairness and respect for human rights. Another area which I was able to explore was international contracts - particularly, the enhancement of the contractual structure for global investments by incorporating anticipated business practices concerning corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Similarly, I also explored the area of compliance as the ICC Institute of World Business Law has established a Task Force on Compliance. It was very interesting to examine how compliance plays out in a world of sanctions, especially given nowadays crisis in Ukraine.

I would also like to elaborate on the relationship with my supervisors, as well as on the work atmosphere. During the internship, my supervisors trusted me with high-level tasks, giving me the freedom to share my ideas and opinions on a number of projects. They have always provided me with constructive feedback, helping to improve myself, taking into account my views and perspectives. I was also very happy to see that all of my voluntary extra work was highly appreciated as they took the time to congratulate me and organize team lunches to stimulate engagement outside work and build a stronger team. Moreover, although I was just an intern with no real decision-making power, I felt that I was treated with the same amount of respect as the leadership of the organization was. This has really kept me motivated to finalize all my tasks with success and professionalism. Although I have finished the internship, I am still in contact with my supervisors from both the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the ICC Institute of World Business Law. Because the International Chamber of Commerce has a small number of employees, the work environment is very close, collaborative, friendly and familiar. This therefore gives the opportunity to really connect with one another and build the basis for life-lasting ties. When I worked there, the relationships with my colleagues were based on mutual trust, instilling a sense of motivation and dedication to pursue targeted goals and increase productivity. I did feel supported and guided every time I was unsure of a task or when communication with certain members was challenging. They always offered to help, teaching me to use unique software tools, such as the CRM and CMS systems, including complex Excel commands, and contributing as a team when deadlines were overwhelming. The feeling of teamwork was very strong and visible at the International Chamber of Commerce, empowering us to be more efficient as a whole.

I would further like to elaborate on the required skills for this internship. Although most of the projects of the internship require a broad array of skills, the thematic basis and focus is still narrowed to policy issues and law. In this sense, Master’s students have a more specialized education, being equipped with more advanced analytical, drafting, research, and communication skills in a certain area. For example, when communicating with the members of the International Chamber of Commerce, one must show and demonstrate knowledge of required topics to be able to successfully complete tasks, such as focused research on report topics on investment, human rights, sustainability, compliance. This necessitates critical thinking and analysis at a very high level that a Master's degree can offer. It is also desirable to have a Master’s student employed since Master’s degrees involve the management of a project, in the form of a complex academic dissertation, helping with organization and management skills. This is helpful since the internship requires working with two different departments at once, the Commission on Arbitration and ADR and the ICC Institute of World Business Law, requiring a well-established prioritization of strategic objectives and ability to manage multiple tasks with minimal time resources.

Lastly, I would like to recommend this to another AUP student and explain how the education at AUP is unique and crucial in excelling at this internship. This is because AUP offers a very practical and multicultural education which helps build direct skills and competencies required by the job market in this field, including by my internship. I was personally enrolled in the MA in Diplomacy and International Law, and I have therefore had the privilege to take part in practicums which have truly expanded my horizons, helping me stand out from the rest of the candidates. For example, AUP students have the opportunity to take part in the École de Guerre practicum, which helps them acquire public speaking and analytical skills in international humanitarian law and international human rights law, engaging them with mentors and professionals from other international institutions, such as the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross. This is very important because this internship requires the person to maintain and build strategic relationships with a variety of stakeholders. Additionally, AUP students also have the opportunity to attend the AUP Summer Institute for Human Rights and travel to The Netherlands for the Hague Practicum, both of which equip them with advanced research skills on legal areas and policy issues. This is all very useful when assisting the different Commission Task Forces on Disability Inclusion and Addressing Issues of Anti-Corruption in Arbitration with their draft reports. Moreover, AUP is a small community which facilitates the exchange of ideas in a multicultural environment. This resonates with the requirements of this internship since the International Chamber of Commerce is an international organization where managers and supervisors expect you to take the lead and contribute as much as possible in the implementation of their international projects.