Legal Affairs Intern null

Your role

Position Summary:

They are seeking highly motivated graduate or undergraduate students, and recent graduates, who wish to gain professional experience in the legal field within an international organization to enhance their educational experience. This internship will include practical educational experience which provides the opportunity to work in a multicultural intergovernmental organization. Under the supervision of legal officers, interns will work on projects and tasks they assign, which may include assignments relevant to their educational background and interests. The interns will be able to apply and further develop their theoretical knowledge.

Office Background:

Org. Setting and Reporting The Office of Legal Affairs is recruiting interns starting from July 2024 for its six (6) divisions and offices in New York. The six divisions and offices of OLA located in New York are:

• Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG)
• Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC)
• Codification Division (COD)
• Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS)
• General Legal Division (GLD)
• Treaty Section (TS).

Responsibilities of internship positions range widely, encompassing many aspects of OLA's work that include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting in conducting legal research on issues related to international law and other areas of specialization using multiple research resources
• Assisting in the review of legal documents, instruments, or other material
• Assisting in drafting and preparing official and legal documents
• Attending and taking notes at conferences and meetings
• Assisting in servicing conferences and meetings
• Working on websites and/or presentations

About you

Education:

The degree programme which applicants are enrolled in or have recently graduated from must be in the area of Law. Applicants must demonstrate their intention to study further or to work in a field relevant to the work of OLA.

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent).

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat in New York.
• For the internship advertised, fluency in spoken and written English is required, and knowledge of French is desirable.
• Knowledge of another United Nations official language, i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish, is an advantage.

Work Experience:

• Applicants are not required to have professional work experience to participate in the programme. The training, education, advanced course work, or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship. 

Intern Specific text:

• Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization.
• Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

Compensation & Benefits

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.

If you join as a full-time employee, you will get the following benefits:

• Rental subsidy
• Dependency allowances
• Travel and shipping expenses
• Danger pay and rest and recuperation break
• Health insurance
• Holidays and leave
• Retirement pension

Training & development

During this internship, interns receive extensive training in the legal field, working in a multicultural, international environment. They will engage in tasks such as conducting legal research, reviewing legal documents, drafting official papers, and assisting in conferences. This experience allows interns to apply their theoretical knowledge, gain valuable professional skills, and enhance their educational background and interests.

Career Progression

Internships with the UN do not guarantee immediate employment, but they provide valuable experience that may lead to interest in applying for General Service or consultancy roles. For those aiming for positions at the Professional and Higher or Field Service levels, it is recommended to wait at least six months after the internship ends before applying, ensuring qualifications meet both educational and work experience requirements specified in job openings.

How to apply

Please create and complete a Candidate Profile with a Motivation Statement in the UN online recruitment platform and indicate if you are proficient in English.

The Motivation Statement must include the following details:

• Title of the degree currently being pursued, or recently completed, and the specific subjects taken
• Expected graduation date from the degree programme or graduation date if already graduated
• The applicant's objectives for undertaking an internship with the Office of Legal Affairs and how it fits within their education/career plan
• Three (3) divisions or offices of interest for internship from among the six units of the Office of Legal Affairs located in New York (in order of preference) with #1 being the most preferred: •
  • Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG)
  • Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC)
  • Codification Division (COD)
  • Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS)
  • General Legal Division (GLD), and
  • Treaty Section (TS)
• An explanation of why the applicant is suitable for the specific division or office
• The applicant's availability, at the time of application, to commence the internship between July 2024 and January 2025, and the projected end of availability.

Sources

The following sources were used in researching this page:

• careers.un.org/job
• careers.un.org/payandbenefits
• study.sudancareer.com/?p=941
• youtube.com/@UN_Careers