Worker in international law home

Former Wanganui woman Amelia Keene, who works for the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands. Photo/Bevan Conley

It's a long way from Wanganui to the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands, but that's the journey Amelia Keene has made over the past decade.

Wanganui born and raised, Ms Keene is employed by the United Nations as an associate legal officer in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and is based in The Hague.

Ms Keene, 27, is currently on holiday and was in Wanganui this week to visit family.

She described her role at the ICJ as being similar to a judge's clerk.

"I act as a researcher to the judge, and I work on cases currently before the court."

Ms Keene works for ICJ judge Sir Kenneth Keith, also a New Zealander.

"He's one of three New Zealand judges who currently sit on international courts. New Zealand really does punch above its weight when it comes to international relations, and I think that reflects New Zealand's international reputation."

The ICJ is the judicial branch of the United Nations. Its main functions are to settle legal disputes between countries and to advise the United Nations and other agencies on legal questions.

Ms Keene's journey into international law began when she was a student at Wanganui High School, where she developed a love of history and English. She was friends with a fellow student whose father was then the Crown Solicitor in Wanganui.

"He was a criminal lawyer, so completely different [from] what I'm doing now, but he was the only lawyer I knew in Wanganui. He really encouraged me."

She studied history, philosophy, English and law at Victoria University, eventually dropping English to do a law degree and a BA in history and philosophy. "Law fast became my passion when I was at university. I think it's a good fit for me because I like words and thinking deeply about things," Ms Keene said.

After graduating Ms Keene worked at the Court of Appeal and law firm Chapman Tripp. She then won the New Zealand Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Scholarship to do her Masters in international and environmental law at Columbia University in New York.

She won a fellowship from Columbia to go to the ICJ as an intern. She's been there a year, and as of September she will be a paid employee of the court.

"I'm really lucky to have paid employment in international law. The Hague is full of unpaid interns working in international law," Ms Keene said.

She plans to stay in her current role for a few years, but has not decided what her next career move will be.

Ms Keene has plenty of family still in Wanganui, including her mother and grandparents, and in her two years living overseas has managed to make four visits home. "Wanganui is much more stylish, creative and vibrant than it was when I moved away as an 18-year-old. It's really nice for me to come back to my roots and track the changes."