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Chapter 6: Internship and Career Development
CHAPTER 6:
INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
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A common misconception exists that whilst one’s interest in social justice and equity may intersect with their career, they cannot be one and the same. However, this is not the case - many of the most successful lawyers have found their way through pursuing a unique career path, whilst working towards driving change and ensuring that they leave their impact on society.
The following two chapters, Internships and Career Development, and Careers an Social Justice, serve to provide you with a range of opportunities beyond volunteering. Impactful and fulfilling, these institutions invite those interested to contribute to their cause at a foundational level.
- MARK ANTHONY
CHAPTER 6 / INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
AURORA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
What is the Aurora Internship Program?
The Aurora Internship Program coordinates placements for legal students and graduates at over 140 organisations with an Indigenous focus, around Australia. The internship is a four to six week unpaid program which will involve working in areas such as; native title, land rights, policy development, environmental law, social justice, human rights and Indigenous affairs more generally. Scholarships to undertake a placement are available for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students and graduates.
The program not only provides much needed assistance to under-resourced host organisations in the Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRB) system and Indigenous-sector, but also facilitates the individual professional development of interns by building career experiences and opportunities in the sector.
What tasks will I undertake?
Interns can be placed at a number of host organisations in the Indigenous sector. This includes either one of the 15 NTRB or 10 Prescribed Body Corporates (PBC) where interns will support the legal or research staff; or at one of over 130 other host organisations which work to support the broader Indigenous sector.
Interns should expect to be given a balance of challenging and interesting tasks along with a fair amount of administration tasks (database entry, filing etc). Most NTRB internships involve native title and land rightsrelated work, however the work may also cover constitutional law and local government regulations.
Lawyers at NTRBs represent native title holders in their native title claims under the Native Title Act 1993, advise traditional owners on agreements and negotiate agreements alongside traditional owners. They assist with the establishment of PBCs, corporations formed as a result of a native title determination, prepare submissions to government and attend court and on- country meetings, among a raft of other tasks.
Internships at other organisations could encompass a wider range of advocacy, research and policy issues relating to human rights, social justice, policy development and Indigenous affairs more generally. You should be aware that the work may not involve native title.
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Am I suitable for this role?
For a legal internship, applicants must have:
• A strong academic record • An interest in the area of native title, social justice and Indigenous affairs Strong cultural awareness and sensitivity • Good interpersonal and communication skills • Completed or enrolled in Property
Law • Minimum commitment: Usually from mid June to August (winter); and November to 3rd week of
December and/or mid/late January to March (summer)
There is flexibility around these timeframes, especially for recent graduates - through to May for summer interns; through to October for winter interns. Internships are a full-time unpaid commitment usually around 37 hours per week, however we can negotiate part-time placements (3 days/week) if need be.
What are your chances of being successful?
This is a competitive program attracting high calibre passionate candidates each round.
We receive around 350 applications each round.
We rely on the demand from the various Host organisations each round to determine the number of placements.
We arrange approximately 120 to 150 placements per round.
Applicants who unsuccessful are encouraged reapply.
Applications need to be submitted online via the website during the application period, either in March or August each year: http://auroraproject. com.au/about- applying-internship
It is strongly encouraged not to leave application submission to the last day. Aurora will only accept up to
Applying:
Prepare application to submit online here: https://auroraproject.com. au/ aurora-internship-winter-19application-form
• Applications are reviewed & candidates are shortlisted for interview • Interviews take place throughout
Australia (in person or via Skype) • Successful applicants will become
‘Eligible’ to be placed • Matching process - according to
Host needs and your background • Confirmation of internship placement and intern obligations/ expectations • Monitor your progress during and after placement • Evaluation feedback on your time on placement.
CHAPTER 6 / INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT 375 applications for each round. As soon as the quota has been reached, online applications will shut down and you will not be able to access the application form.
Additional Information
You will be required to cover your own day-to-day expenses, accommodation and transport. You may obtain funding through the Student Mobility Fund; however, you must meet the eligibility requirements found at: https://www. monash.edu/law/current-students/ study-opportunities/student-mobilityfund.
As well as legal internships, the Aurora Project also offers anthropology and social science internships. Please see the website for more information.
Contact Information
T:(02) 9310 8400 W: https://auroraproject.com.au E: placements@auroraproject.com.au 100 Botany Road, Alexandria, NSW 2015
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AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL INTERNSHIPS PROGRAM (ANIP)
What is the Australian National Internships Program (ANIP)?
The Australian National Internships Program gives Australian and International undergraduate and postgraduate students an opportunity to work at the heart of Australian policy and politics. The elite program arranges 13-week research- orientated internships at a variety of Canberra and NSW locations including, Australian Parliament, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, High Commission of the United Kingdom and many more. I
nterns develop career and research skills while building professional networks that can give them an advantage in a competitive employment market.
Am I suitable for this role?
To be suitable for this internship you must:
• Be a university student • Have successfully completed 96 credit points • Have received approval to obtain academic credit for your internship prior to applying • Have obtained at least a credit average • Be willing to enrol at Australian
National University for the period of the internship
What tasks will I undertake?
The focus of the internship is the completion of the research report, which counts for a significant portion of your grade. As part of the subject, you will attend weekly workshops at ANU that enable discussion about placement dynamics, research report requirements, interviewing and oral presentation of reports. You will be based at a national or international organisation.
Applying:
Applications are accepted in both first and second semester. Applications for semester 2, 2019 (July-October) will open in March 2019.
Applications can be completed online at: http://anip.anu.edu.au/apply
In your application, you must include:
• Resume: a two page resume outlining your educational qualifications, work experience and other interests • Academic transcript • Referee reports: one referee report is required from an academic
CHAPTER 6 / INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT referee, written in the ANIP
Referee Report form: http://anip. anu.edu.au/sites/default/ files/ referee_form.pdf. • ANIP Application Form
Contact Information
T: +61 2 6125 8540 W: http://anip.anu.edu.au E: internships@anu.edu.au Level 3, Room 3.22 Beryl Rawson Building, Ellery Cresecent The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200
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CASTAN CENTRE IN-HOUSE INTERNSHIP
What is the Castan Centre In-House Internship Program?
The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law seeks to promote and protect human rights through the generation and dissemination of public scholarship in international and domestic human rights law. The Castan Centre believes that human rights must be respected and protected, allowing people to pursue their lives in freedom and with dignity. The in-house internship program provides passionate Monash Law students the opportunity to work on the Centre’s policy, research and public education projects.
What tasks will I undertake? Am I suitable for this role?
To be considered for a Castan Centre InHouse Internship, student must: • Be studying Bachelor of Laws, JD degree or LLM degree at Monash
University and be an enrolled student at the time of the internship • Must have completed International
Human Rights (LAW4155) or Human
Rights in Australian Law (LAW4172), or Overview of International
Human Rights Law (LAW7026) or their equivalent by the start of the internship. • Have achieved a minimum credit (60%) average across their law studies
The in-house internship program gives passionate Monash Law students the chance to work on the Centre’s policy, research and public education projects.
Tasks may include:
• Conducting research for parliamentary submissions, policy papers and web resources such as the Have You Got That Right? video project • Writing articles for Castan Centre newsletters • Helping to organise events such as public lectures and the annual human rights conference • Undertaking a modest amount of administrative work
Applying:
Applications for Semester 1 2020 have now closed, but will re-open for semester 2 2020 intake. Interns will be selected based on the strength of their CV and cover letter. There will be no interviews. Once the application process commences, students should email through their CV, academic transcript and brief cover letter.
Interns will work one day a week during the semester.
Contact Information
Alice Dowling, Project Officer E: alice.dowling@monash.edu W: https://www.monash.edu/law/ research/centres/castancentre/forstudents/in-house-internship
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My experience at the Castan Centre
It’s hard to come by an internship that provides the opportunity to assist with legal policy work. The Castan Centre In-House Internship is an ideal way to gain experience in writing policy submissions and researching government policies involving human rights. With a welcoming and caring work environment, the Castan Centre internship is not limited to providing practical skills.
It’s a great opportunity to speak to like-minded people passionate about the same issues. The tasks are outlined clearly by the supervisors, which is especially helpful if you are not used to working in this field. One of the highlights is that you are working with two other interns to complete the tasks.
In my first week at the Centre, I have used my legal research skills to investigate state and territory laws on relevant human rights issues. Human rights overlap with our daily life in so many ways, which means that the tasks could involve anything from juvenile detention to Australia’s cuts to foreign aid. I have also hunted down significant news articles to post on Twitter. The internship can be undertaken for three weeks in the winter or summer breaks or for one day a week during semester one and two. There is no interview process but you are required to write a cover letter and include your academic transcript.
If you’re passionate about human rights issues and want to create change in a broad way, the Castan Centre Internship is a perfect match.
Kirsti Weisz
Monash University Student
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CASTAN CENTRE GLOBAL INTERNSHIP
What is the Castan Centre Global Internship?
law/ research/centres/castancentre/forstudents/global-internship/eligibility
The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law seeks to promote and protect human rights through the generation and dissemination of public scholarship in international and domestic human rights law. The Castan Centre believes that human rights must be respected and protected, allowing people to pursue their lives in freedom and with dignity.
The Global Internship Program provides Monash Law students with the opportunity to travel to some of the world’s leading human rights institutions and forums to work for three to four months. Past interns have gone on to become global leaders in business and human rights, work at some of Australia’s most respected human rights institutions and more.
What tasks will I undertake?
The nature of the work completed will vary depending on the host agency. However, interns in the past have undertaken legal research, submissions to the government and courts, interviewing clients and various policy work.
Am I suitable for this role?
All internships will be open to Monash Law students, whether full-time or part- time. Find a full list of eligibility criteria here https://www.monash.edu/
Applying:
Students can apply for up to three internships. Applications should include an application form available at the below link, a brief cover letter (600 words), a CV and a current academic transcript. For more information about how to apply, please refer to: https:// www.monash.edu/law/research/centres/ castancentre/for- students/globalinternship
Applicants should have a specific interest in the work of the institution/s they are applying for and can demonstrate/ articulate this interest.
Funding:
Thanks to the generosity of the Monash Law Faculty, Michael and Silvia Kantor, the Nordia Foundation and the Bennelong Foundation, these internships receive funding designed to offset the majority of the interns’ costs. Funding ranges from $7000 to $9100, based on living and travel costs in each city. In addition, the University provides full travel insurance for the duration of the internship.
Contact Information
Alice Dowling, Project Officer E: alice.dowling@monash.edu W: https://www.monash.edu/law/ research/centres/castancentre/forstudents/ global-internship
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What is the Department of Premier and Cabinet?
The Department of Premier and Cabinet leads the Victorian public service, advising government on emerging policy issues and reviewing the impact of government decisions. DPC supports the Premier as head of the Victorian government and Cabinet, the Deputy Premier, the Minister for the Arts, and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship.
The DPC Legal Branch has responsibility for liaison with the Justice portfolio with a particular focus on legal policy development. Other key roles for the Legal Branch are to provide advice on commercial matters, administrative law, constitutional law, machinery of government and parliament and inquiries matters.
What tasks will I undertake? Am I suitable for this role?
Final and penultimate year university students from a range of academic disciplines are invited to apply.
Applying:
The application process starts in July/August and offers are made in August/ September each year. For more information, contact HOBAN Recruitment via email: dpcinterns@ hoban.com.au or phone: 1300 550 333.
Contact Information
T: 1300 662 930, Internships: 1300 550 333. E: dpc.hr@dpc.vic.gov.au, Internships: dpcinterns@hoban.com.au W: https://graduates.vic.gov.au/ opportunities-for-graduates/internshipsand-work-experience
The DPC Summer Internship Program is a 12-week program on a fixed term basis during the Summer University break. Interns are employed at the base of a VPS Grade 1 on a full-time basis. The program provides undergraduate university students the opportunities to experience a structured work placement in the department and the portfolio agencies.
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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE INTERNSHIP
What is the International Court of Justice Internship?
Word or PDF format in support of their application:
The International Court of Justice offers internships of 1-3 months to students and young professionals who are in the early stages of their careers. The internship is an opportunity for them to put their knowledge and experience into practice, while performing certain tasks for the Court under the supervision of Registry officials. Given the size of the organisation, only a limited number of internships can be offered throughout the year. Placements are, however, possible in all departments and divisions of the Registry. The working languages of the Court are English and French.
What tasks will I undertake?
Internships may be within any of the Registry’s three departments – legal matters, linguistic matters or information. There are also a number of divisions including finance, publications, information technology and archives.
Applying:
To apply for an internship, candidates are requested to submit their curriculum vitae along with a covering letter for the attention of the Registrar to recrutementrecruitment@icj-cij.org.
Candidates are also welcome to submit any of the following documents in • A copy of their official academic record; • Letters of reference; • A writing sample
Additional Information:
Candidates are informed that they will not receive any financial compensation from the Court for their internship and that they themselves will be responsible for meeting immigration requirements, arranging travel and accommodation and obtaining valid medical/accident insurance coverage.
They will further be required to sign a written undertaking binding themselves to keep strictly confidential any information obtained during the course of their internship. Upon completion of the internship, a certificate will be issued to them, summarising the tasks performed and providing an evaluation of the work done.
Contact Information
T: (+31) (0)70 302 23 23 E: recrutement-recruitment@icj-cij.org
VICTORIA LAW FOUNDATION INTERNSHIP
What is the Victoria Law Foundation Internship?
The Victoria Law Foundation helps Victorians understand the law and their legal system. It aims to empower Victorians to access the law and to make informed decisions about their lives based on a clear understanding of the law and how it affects them.
Victoria Law Foundation’s internship program aims to give current Victorian law students an understanding of our work to improve legal literacy and access to legal services in Victoria.
What tasks will I undertake?
• Education including events, schools and profession • Grants • Communications • Research • Visits to major Victorian jurisdictions and institutions • Attendance at all appropriate meetings and events • Experience researching and drafting documents or other materials • Understanding of systems and processes which underpin the work • Interns are provided the opportunity to meet and work with other key organisations from the legal sector.
Victoria Law Foundation’s internship program aims to give current Victorian law students an understanding of our work to improve legal literacy and access to legal services in Victoria.
Am I suitable for this role?
You must be a current law student at a Victorian university undertaking either an undergraduate law degree or a JD.
Get experience working for a not-forprofit legal body, grow your networks and get behind-the-scenes exposure to a range of alternative legal careers.
Interns will be paired with a foundation manager or supervisor and will work across the teams depending on capacity of staff and the interests of the intern. Interns can generally expect the following:
• Exposure to all areas of work
Applying:
Find more information about the program here: https://www. victorialawfoundation.org.au/sites/ default/files/attachments/recruitment_ pack_internship_2019-20.pdf
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Contact Information
T: (03) 9604 8100 E: internship@victorialawfoundation. org.au W: https://www.victorialawfoundation. org.au/internship-program
