Legal Internship Programme

Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
The IBA's Human Rights Institute
The IBA International Criminal Court (ICC) Programme
Commercial Law
Application Details for the Internship Positions
Intake dates
When and how to apply
How long until I hear?
Location of Internship
Length of Internship
Dress Code
Hours per week
Funding
Accommodation
How to get a visa

IBA Internships Overview

Intern positions are available for undergraduate law students, postgraduate law students, and newly qualified lawyers at the International Bar Association's offices in London and The Hague.

Founded in 1947, the International Bar Association (IBA) is the world's largest organisation of Law Societies, Bar Associations, law firms and individual lawyers. The IBA is involved with cutting edge issues affecting the international legal community and as an intern you can become involved in the work of the Association.

The IBA plays an active role in:

promoting the status and independence of the profession
bringing lawyers together to exchange information and to discuss matters of mutual concern
promoting the administration of justice under the rule of law
promoting human rights
promoting commercial and economic law reform

Selected interns will assist the IBA in developing academic papers and research on key legal topics of both local and international relevance. Interns will have an opportunity to become involved in the work of the following aspects of the Association:

To support the IBA's Human Rights Institute
To support the IBA's Legal Projects Team (Business and Economic Law)
To support the IBA's International Criminal Court (ICC) Programme

Interns will be able to draft policy papers on substantive legal issues as well as assisting in preparing background research for grant proposals. Interns will also be able to assist in implementing technical assistance programmes in developing countries.

Download a pdf containing all the information on the internship.

Frequently Asked Questions

View comprehensive FAQs or download in PDF format.

The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)

Read more on the IBAHRI internship programme here.

The IBA believes in the fundamental right of the world's citizens to have disputes heard and determined by an independent judiciary, and for judges and lawyers to practice freely and without interference. In 1995, the IBA established its Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) under the Honorary Presidency of Nelson Mandela. The Institute now has more than 7,500 members.

The IBA's non-political status and global reach enable the IBAHRI to advance its objectives:

The promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights under a just rule of law
The promotion and protection of the independence of the judiciary and of the legal profession worldwide
The worldwide adoption and implementation of standards and instruments regarding human rights accepted and enacted by the community of nations
The acquisition and dissemination of information concerning issues related to human rights, judicial independence and the rule of law

Through its worldwide Council and Committees, the IBAHRI undertakes fact-finding missions, sends trial observers, intervenes by making representations to authorities worldwide, organises human rights training for lawyers and judges, provides long-term technical assistance to promote human rights, liaises closely with international and regional human rights organisations, undertakes surveys, and produces newsletters and other publications.

Previous projects undertaken by interns:

Research on Zimbabwe
Research on Islamic Law
Research on Darfur
Rule of Law Research
Poland Mission Research
Trial Observers Manual
Truth Commission Research
Research on Terrorism
Intervention Letters and Fact Sheets
Co-habitation law research
Research on International Criminal Tribunals' jurisprudence
Articles on current developments in international criminal law

The IBA’s International Criminal Court (ICC) Programme

Click here to read more for details of the IBA ICC Programme Internship

The IBAHRI commenced the IBA’s International Criminal Court (ICC) Programme in 2005 through funding provided by the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation.

The IBA Programme on the International Criminal Court (ICC) monitors fair trial and defence related issues at the ICC and encourages the legal community to engage with the work of the Court.

The IBA’s work includes thematic legal analysis of the ICC’s pre-trial and trial proceedings, and ad hoc evaluations of legal, administrative and institutional issues which could potentially affect the rights of defendants, the impartiality of proceedings and the development of international justice.

The Programme also acts as the interface between the Court and the global legal community. As such, special focus is placed on monitoring emerging issues at the Court of particular relevance to lawyers and collaborating with key partners on specific activities, such as the IBA/ICC List Counsel Campaign, to increase engagement of the legal community on ICC issues.

Programme information is disseminated through regular reports, expert discussions, workshops and other events and expert legal analysis on issues relevant to our mandate.

Based at the Peace Palace in The Hague the IBA’s ICC Programme consults and interacts with Court officials, civil society organisations, academics and international lawyers.

The Programme also produces an E-Magazine for lawyers as well as periodic reports detailing the key findings and recommendations which are made available to the Court, IBA members, civil society and the public at large.

Business and Economic Law

The IBA Legal Projects Team supports the different initiatives from the

Legal Practice Division (LPD) - Forty-five committees aimed at sharing best practices and streamlining cross-jurisdictional practice, and working groups submitting comments to shape international legislation, creation and reform.
Public and Professional Interest Division (PPID) - Twelve constitutents aimed at regulatory frameworks for practitioners, rules of ethical conduct, continuing education or practice management. Includes Bar Issues Commission (BIC) and Human Rights Institute (HRI).

Committee Projects are generated by:

Committee Officers (e.g. International survey of Specialised Intellectual Property courts)

IBA Senior Staff Lawyers, Legal Projects Team (e.g. draft comments to the European Commission on the patent system in Europe, leniency notice, survey on anti-counterfeiting and piracy, Anti-Corruption Strategy for the Legal Profession, Anti-Dumping Investigations against China in Latin America)

Intern's own Initiative/ideas (e.g. leniency chart, consumer protection in Europe, comparison paper of OECD Guidelines and ISO 26000)

INTERNS ACTIVITY:

The group of interns at the Legal Projects Team are supervised by Senior Staff Lawyers. Tasks assigned to interns include:

Websites Update: (i) Anti-Money Laundering Forum, (ii) Global Competition Forum, (iii) IBA Committee Pages (substantial commercial content), and (iv) Task Force on the Financial Crisis.
Answer Legal Queries from IBA members on different topics such as competition law, intellectual property and cross border practice.
Conduct Legal Research - draft reports, speeches and background notes in different areas of commercial law.
Contribute to IBA and external Publications
- Newsletter articles (e.g. business crimes)
- E-news (e.g. background notes on projects)
- Weekly updates
- International guidelines (e.g. British Chambers of Commerce Guide to Global Markets)
Contribute to IBA Conferences
- Revise conference programmes/sessions
- Provide topic ideas for specialised conferences
- Attend IBA conferences held in London
Planning and developing new international legal projects.
Examples of Commercial Projects
- Conduct legal research, draft reports and working papers in variety of commercial topics including multi-jurisdictional practice, corporate governance, anti-money laundering, merger control, taxes regulatory regime, competition law and policy, and international trade.
- Assist in drafting comments issues such as: The European Commision's Draft Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2006, Draft Commision Consolidated Jurisdictional Notice; EU Competition Court, EU Green Paper on Private Litigation; Competition Law in the People's Republic of China, United States Antitrust Modernization Commission ('AMC'), Article 82 enforcement, Second and Third EU Money Laundering Directive, Patent System in Europe and the proposed
  amendments to EU Leniency Notice; OECD Update of the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
- Assist in conducting legal surveys and analysing survey results (e.g. industrial espionage survey, specialised Intellectual Property Courts survey, counterfeiting and piracy survey, anti-dumping survey, anti-corruption survey).
- Conduct a weekly commercial update on recent developments affecting the legal profession.

Candidate Criteria:

Candidates being considered for an IBA internship should:

be highly motivated
be able to work independently and on his/her own initiative
have excellent interpersonal skills
have good computer literacy including Microsoft Word and e-mail and internet
have good analytical and writing skills
have an interest and/or experience in international affairs and politics
have experience of undertaking internet-based research using different legal source websites.

When to apply / availability of positions

Intake for London (Human Rights Institute and Commercial Law internships)	Closing Date
3 January to 30 March 2012	Friday 26 August 2011
2 April to 29 June 2012	Friday 25 November 2011
2 July to 28 September 2012	Friday 24 February 2012
1 October to 28 December 2012	Friday 25 May 2012
We try to keep interns in blocks of three months because of office space issues, so we ask that you try and suggest dates within these blocks of dates when applying. We may be flexible on start dates if these do not correspond to your semester. Please e-mail internprogramme@int-bar.org for specific requests.
Intake for The Hague	Closing Date
1 January to 30 April (or up to June)	15 November
1 May to 30 August (or up to October)	15 March
1 September to 30 December (or up to February)	15 July
Positions in The Hague are available throughout the year but usually run in four month blocks, and may be extended up to six months

How to apply

London Office Internships only

Send the following by e-mail (by post if you do not have access to the internet) explaining your interest in the IBA Legal Internship Programme:

Covering letter - this should set out the following:
- Why you wish to be considered for an Intern position
- The dates of when you would be able to take up your position
- Highlight the areas of law that you are interested in
- Specific research experience
Full Curriculum Vitae (CV / resume)
Application form (click here to download - you MUST save this form to your computer before filling it in)
Please mark which area of law you are most interested in working in i.e. Human Rights Law or Commercial Law.
Letter of reference - a letter from an academic tutor or employer that will mention your academic background, personality and suitability for the internship programme. Please have your referee send the letter directly to the Intern Programme Manager, Helen Taylor, either by mail or email. If you are applying for educational trust then your academic referee should state in their opinion the eligibility of the individual to receive a grant as part of their overall reference.
Writing sample - The writing sample could be a legal course-work essay that you have written for your college degree programme or a report that you have written on a legal topic that is of interest to you or related to the field that you wish to work in. Please provide this writing sample in English only.

Send applications via email to internprogramme@int-bar.org or by post to:

Helen Taylor, Intern Programme Manager
International Bar Association
4th Floor
10 St Bride Street
London
EC4A 4AD
United Kingdom

Once your complete application (the five documents requested above) has been received, the IBA Office will process your application.

How to apply

The Hague, International Criminal Law Internships only

Send applications via e-mail (or by post if you do not have access to the internet) explaining your interest in an internship with the IBA ICC Programme. The email must include the following documents:

Covering letter - this should set out the following:
- Why you wish to be considered for an Intern position
- The dates when you would be able to take up your position
- Specific research and other experience commensurate with the position
Full Curriculum Vitae (CV / resume)
Application form (click here to download)
You MUST save this form to your computer before filling it in)
Letter of reference:
Preferably from an academic tutor, former employer or supervisor that will mention your academic background and suitability for the internship programme. The letter should be sent by email or email directly to the IBA/ICC Programme Manager.
Writing sample
The writing sample could be a legal course-work essay that you have written for your college degree programme or a report that you have written on a legal topic that is of interest to you or related to the field that you wish to work in. Please provide this writing sample in English only.

Send applications via email to Hague.internprogramme@int-bar.org or by post to:

IBA Programme Manager (ICC)
International Bar Association
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2
2517 KJ
The Hague, The Netherlands

Once your complete application (the five documents requested above) has been received, your application will be processed.

How long will it take before I hear that I have been selected?

Once the IBA is in receipt of ALL the information that has been requested, it will take a minimum of four weeks after the closing date to hear whether you have been selected.

The offer of any internship is conditional upon you being able to satisfy eligibility criteria to work in the UK and The Netherlands in accordance with applicable immigration rules. Due to the high volume of applications that the IBA receives, offers will remain open for acceptance for 10 working days from the date of the offer. If we do not hear from you within that period we will assume that the offer is rejected and it will be withdrawn and offered to the next successful applicant. In view of the fact that all offers are conditional upon ability to satisfy immigration requirements you are strongly advised to establish your immigration status as soon as possible.

Location of Internship

The IBA office is located in the 'City of London' area at 4th Floor, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD. The office is located in Zone 1 on the tube network (Zone 1 is Central London and Zone 6 is about 20 miles out of London near Heathrow Airport). See map below:

View Larger Map

For information on travel, see the TFL website.

The internship with the ICC Monitoring and Outreach Programme is based at the IBA office in The Hague, The Netherlands. The IBA Hague office is located at the Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ, a building with a historical heritage and home to prestigious international organizations not far from the center. There are bus and tram stops directly in front of the Peace Palace which pass by two main train stations Centraal and Holland Spoor.)

Length of Internship

A minimum of 12 weeks and a maximum of six months is expected from interns.

Dress Code

You do not need to wear a suit at the IBA office, business/smart casual clothes are acceptable. No jeans.

Hours per week

Up to 40 hours per week. Interns will work from the IBA office in London or in The Hague and, when necessary, local libraries. Hours of work are usually 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

Funding

You will need to be able to support yourself whilst interning in London. The IBA will pay research expenses, such as trips to libraries etc. Please bear in mind that accommodation and travel is expensive in London. Accommodation is also relatively expensive in The Hague, though the cost of travel is reasonable in The Hague and throughout the Netherlands.

The IBA Educational Trust is granting travel scholarships (to a maximum of £1500 each) to students who would not otherwise be able to take up the position due to financial constraints. Priority is given to applicants from developing countries, but other applicants will be considered. Please note that only applicants for internships in London are eligible to apply for funding.

Download the application form for the Charitable Trust Funding.

Accommodation

All interns that are accepted on the internship programme are responsible for finding their own accommodation during their stay in London. The best way to find accommodation is to undertake an internet search for cheap accommodation in London. Also, try the International YMCA, Youth Hostel Association and the Halls of residence for some of the London Universities (especially useful if you are interning in the summer months) on the internet. In The Hague, it is best to get in touch with other interns from the international organizations and tribunals. You may also use local rental agencies, but they charge quite a large finder's fee.

What do I do when I have been selected?

Once an intern place has been offered by the IBA, Interns must contact their nearest British mission for details on visa requirements. The offer of any internship is conditional upon you being able to satisfy eligibility criteria to work in the UK in accordance with applicable immigration rules. Due to the high volume of applications that the IBA receives, offers will remain open for acceptance for 10 working days from the date of the offer. If we do not hear from you within that period we will assume that the offer is rejected and it will be withdrawn and offered to the next successful applicant. In view of the fact that all offers are conditional upon ability to satisfy immigration requirements you are strongly advised to establish your immigration status as soon as possible.

Most interns route their application through one of the following two institutions to gain visas into the UK: