The ANU College of Law offers a limited number of college-arranged internships with a variety of Commonwealth and ACT Government departments, statutory bodies, community legal centres and other non-government organisations. Internships are also available at ANU College of Law Centres, under the supervision of an academic staff member of the ANU College of Law. Students should conduct preliminary research to ensure that they are aware of the organisation’s functions and goals before applying. Feedback from placement organisations indicates that this is very much a minimum requirement for those seeking selection.
Courses available
ANU College of Law offers two types of internship courses to eligible students:
Law Internship (research-focused) (LAWS4230/LAWS6230)
- Suited for students engaged in more traditional law-related research projects that incorporate academic research methodology where the main component is a detailed research report.
- This internship can be counted as a capstone course for Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Juris Doctor students.
Law Internship (law-related activities and less formal research) (LAWS4430/LAWS8430)
- Suited for students engaged in law-related research projects that incorporate less formal research methodologies and primarily involve BAU tasks (Business as usual) during the internship.
- Examples of workplace activities may include paralegal work, sitting on client interviews, drafting correspondence, attending court sittings etc.
- This internship can ONLY be counted as a capstone course for Juris Doctor students.
Eligibility
To be eligible to enrol in an internship, students must:
- Meet the requisites as indicated on the relevant Programs and Courses page below, under the Study tab, in the Requisite and Incompatibility section
- Not have previously completed any of the internship courses
- Submit a college-arranged application form before the deadline.
A student can only complete one LAWS4230/6230 Law Internship (Capstone) or LAWS4430/LAWS8430 Law Internship or Australian National Internships Program (ANIP) course. Students can complete one internship, one clinical course and one practicum course.
How to Apply
Students must apply for the internship project they are interested in and can select up to two projects.
As these places are highly competitive, we strongly encourage all applicants to:
- Conduct preliminary research into the organisations' functions and goals before applying
- Tailor your resume and written application to each internship project
- Practice your video interview skills with the ANU Careers Tool kit
- Ensure good video and sound quality and have appropriate attire and background
A student can only complete one LAWS4230/6230 Law Internship (Capstone) or LAWS4430/LAWS8430 Law Internship or Australian National Internships Program (ANIP) course. Students can complete one internship, one clinical course and one practicum course.
Application Dates
Summer 2025 21 November 2024 – 14 February 2025 | Semester One 2025 17 February – 23 May 2025 |
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A list of all law internships available can be found on ANU Careers Hub.
College-arranged Internships Available during Semester One 2025
ANU Investment Office
Location: Canberra, ACT
Delivery: Hybrid (In-person and online)
Course credit: LAWS4230/LAWS6230 - 6 units
Remuneration: Stipend $1,000
Apply hereCare Consumer Law
Location: Canberra, ACT
Delivery: In-person
Course credit: LAWS4430/LAWS8430 - 6 units
Remuneration: Unpaid
Apply hereDarwin Community Legal Service
Location: Darwin, Northern Territory
Delivery: In-person
Course credit: LAWS4430/LAWS8430 - 6 units
Remuneration: Unpaid
Apply hereDepartment of Industry, Science and Resources
Location: Canberra, ACT
Delivery: In-person
Course credit: LAWS4230/LAWS6230 - 6 units
Remuneration: Paid
Apply hereHuman Rights Law and Policy Team at the ACT Human Rights Commission
Location: Canberra, ACT
Delivery: In-person
Course credit: LAWS4230/LAWS6230 - 6 units
Remuneration: Unpaid
Apply hereOffice of International Law, Attorney-General’s Department
Location: Canberra, ACT
Delivery: Online
Course credit: LAWS4230/LAWS6230 - 6 units
Remuneration: Unpaid
Use cases of machine learning in international litigationLegal project to end plastic pollutionFurther Information
Information Session: Everything you need to know about Law clinics and internships
Assessment
For LAWS4230/LAWS6230: The main piece of assessment in the internship course is a research paper. Ideally, the research paper will be informed and enriched through the intern’s workplace experience and interactions with the professional supervisor and professional colleagues. We expect that the intern and professional supervisor will discuss and agree on the research topic. As each intern has a different workplace experience, their performance in the workplace is not assessed directly. Assessment details are available on the Class Summary published two weeks prior to each session or semester offering on the Programs and Courses website.
For LAWS4430/LAWS8430: The main pieces of assessment in the internship course are a research paper (50%) and two reflective blogs (50%). Ideally, the research paper will be informed and enriched through the intern’s workplace experience and interactions with the professional supervisor and professional colleagues. Assessment details are available on the Class Summary published two weeks prior to each session or semester offering on the Programs and Courses website.
Please refer to the class summary in Programs and Courses page below, under the class tab
Workload
Semester One and Semester Two
Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course (approximately 120 hours over a 12-week period). Approximately, the equivalent of one day per week should be spent in the workplace (96 hours over 12 weeks). However, exceptions may be made where circumstances prevent student presence in the workplace (e.g., security clearances). Such exceptions should be discussed with College Student Administration Services as part of the application for enrolment. The semester includes a two-week mid-semester break where students may choose to make up hours or utilise them as a study break.
Non-standard Sessions (Winter and Summer)
Internships can be undertaken in the form of full-time or part-time hours during non-standard sessions. The distribution of the 96 hours in the workplace is negotiable between the internship host and the student. However, a portion of the time for the internship should be related to the topic of the research essay assessment.
All interns are encouraged to meet with their professional supervisor regularly to obtain feedback on the progress of their research and to spend time in the workplace undertaking tasks separate from the research paper.
Please refer to the relevant Programs and Courses page below, under the Study tab, in the Workload section
Enquiries
Law Student and Education Support team
(02) 6125 3483