How to Build an International Network Early on in Your Career

Building an international network early on in your career is a good step towards an international career. At Hannes Snellman, we support our employees in their efforts to achieve an empowering career path, and for many this means gaining international experience. Several of our lawyers have done an LL.M or MBA abroad or worked at a foreign law firm. One good way to create a wide network and gain international experience is to join the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA). Some of our active AIJA members include Emmi Kantola and Isabella Kartila. We met up for a cup of coffee and talked about their experiences as AIJA members.

Hi Emmi and Isabella! You are active members in AIJA. What is AIJA, and how did you end up joining it?

E: I heard about AIJA from my colleagues and ended up joining after some research into what the organisation does and what kind of opportunities it offers.

I: Due to having lived abroad for several years and enjoying to get to know new people, I wanted to find an international community where it is possible meet other young tax professionals from all over the word. During the first years of my career, I participated in a couple of IBA and IFA tax conferences where I met several lawyers recommending me to also join the AIJA community. As my colleague Emmi also had great experiences from AIJA, I decided to attend my first AIJA event, the Annual Tax Conference 2023.

What kind of activities have you taken part in?

E: I’ve attended seminars/congresses and participated in organising the M&A-related academic programme for an annual congress.

I: My first AIJA event was the Annual Tax Conference 2023 in beautiful Bergen, Norway. Thus, I am a fresh newcomer in the AIJA community, but I am planning to become an active AIJA member especially in tax law related events.

How can you become an AIJA member?

E and I: All private practice lawyers and in-house counsel under the age of 45 can become AIJA members! The only prerequisite is to be a member of a bar association or a similar official institution where no bar association exists. Alternatively, you should hold a university degree in law allowing access to a bar association. Law students may also join AIJA as future lawyers.

To whom would you recommend AIJA?

E: Anyone who’s interested and willing to be an active member of an international network and contribute to the AIJA community in the long run, for instance, by organising seminars and speaking at the events.

I: If being part of an international legal community, making new friends, and developing your professional skills sound like a perfect combo, AIJA is definitely a great fit for you! It is also possible to attend AIJA events without becoming a member if you first want to get a sneak peek into the activities provided by AIJA.

AIJA, also known as the International Association of Young Lawyers, is a global association devoted to lawyers and in-house counsel aged 45 and under. The association aims to advance cross-cultural understanding between members and other participants in the legal profession. Currently, AIJA has 4,000+ members in 90 different countries. The activities of AIJA are coordinated by 20 scientific commissions in charge of organising events all around the globe and keeping members up to the date in their respective areas of practice.

Emmi Kantola works as a senior associate in Hannes Snellman’s Private M&A Team, and she advises domestic and international clients in the field of mergers and acquisitions and in particular private equity and venture capital transactions. Emmi has been a member of AIJA since 2021.

Isabella Kartila works as a senior associate in Hannes Snellman’s Tax Team, and she advises clients in the field of taxation with a particular focus on transactions and tax litigation processes. Isabella has been a member of AIJA since 2023.