Working While You Are Studying Law
Working While You Study Law
There are many advantages of working part-time in the legal industry during your studies. In addition to making money, you can gain practical experience and valuable soft skills that cannot be taught in a classroom but are highly valuable to employers.Â
There are many options for law students to work in the legal industry while studying. These include internships, cadetships, volunteer work and paralegal roles.
Below, you can find a description of each of these roles. You will also find lists of some of the opportunities available to First Nations students, as well as suggestions on how to find job opportunities.
Internships & Cadetships
Internships are usually short-term work experiences designed to provide people (typically students) with some entry-level exposure to a particular industry or field. As an intern, you get a chance to gain real work experience, learn from professionals in the industry, develop practical skills, and build networks.Â
Some internships are paid while others are unpaid volunteer-based work. Payment and duration of an internship will depend on the company and the industry.Â
Cadetships are longer-term on-the-job training programs. Like a part-time job, some cadetships involve working a few times a week for an extended period of time. Other cadetship programs require cadets to undertake part- or full- time work for a minimum number of days per year.
Unlike interns, cadets can obtain a recognised qualification whilst undertaking paid work. This will depend on the type of cadetship you undertake. Generally companies offer cadetships with the aim of developing students’ skills so that they may be prospective future employees.
Below is a list of some of the internship and cadetship opportunities available to First Nations law students in NSW and the ACT.
Within NSW and the ACT:
- Gilbert + Tobin Indigenous Cadetship Program
- G+T cadetships are open to First Nations law students at any stage of their degree who can commit to working one to two days per week.
- Aurora Internship Program
- The Aurora program places First Nations and non-Indigenous cadets in full-time unpaid 4-6 week internships working in areas of native title, land rights, policy development, advocacy, environmental policy and more. The Commonwealth provides financial support to First Nations interns through program scholarships.
- Legal Aid NSW Cadetship Program for Aboriginal Law StudentsÂ
- The Legal Aid cadetships are open to First Nations law students at any stage of their tertiary studies. Cadets can undertake part-time or full-time work placement for 60 days per calendar year in their preferred area of law (Crime, Civil or Family Law).Â
- Community Legal Centres NSW First Nations cadetshipsÂ
- The Community Legal Centres cadetship provides training and mentoring to First Nations students in the final two years of their law degree. Funded by the Cth government, the programs aim to encourage cadets to consider a career in a community legal centre. The programs run state-wide in NSW.
- Allens Legal Indigenous InternshipÂ
- The Allens internship is designed to provide First Nations tertiary students in their second year or above with exposure to a commercial legal environment. The paid program runs over a two-week period traditionally during NAIDOC week.
- King & Wood Mallesons Waiwa Mudena ProgramÂ
- This program is a flexible 15 day paid work-placement offered to First Nations students in their undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. Applicants do not need to have prior legal work experience or an outstanding academic transcript to apply.
- CSIRO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cadetship ProgramÂ
- The CSIRO cadetship involves 12 weeks of paid work placement at flexible times through the year. During the placement, cadets will work with mentors to solve some of Australia’s biggest challenges in a range of settings.
- Allens Dive In Introductory programÂ
- This introductory program is the first step to applying for a clerkship, paralegal position or internship. It is designed to equip students in their second or third year of a LLB or their first year of their JD with some of the skills required to apply for other programs in their penultimate and ultimate years.Â
- Coleman Creig Indigenous Cadetship Program
- This introductory cadetship is open to all full-time first year law students who completed their HSC at a school in the Hills District, Parramatta or the Greater West areas of Sydney.
- CareerTrackers InternshipsÂ
- CareerTrackers offers 12-week paid internships to First Nations students in year 12 and at any stage of their university degree.
Outside NSW and the ACT:
- Kimberley Aboriginal Justice InternshipÂ
- The Kimberley Community Legal Service (KCLS) offers students an opportunity to work full-time as a paralegal for the KCLS in Broome or Kununurra, WA for a minimum of 4 weeks. For a list of internship dates in 2022, visit the KCLS website.Â
- NAAJA Intern Placement ProgramÂ
- NAAJA offers one-month volunteer and intern placements to law students and graduates looking to gain paralegal experience in their Criminal, Civil and Law & Justice Projects Teams in the Northern Territory.
Paralegal roles
Paralegals provide legal services under the supervision of solicitors and barristers. Although paralegals are generally not admitted to practice law, they often perform legal tasks performed by lawyers, such as running their own files, drafting client correspondence, drafting court documents, analysing and summarising documents, preparing for and assisting at a court trial, and interviewing witnesses pre-trial. Unlike lawyers, paralegals do not provide legal advice or represent clients in court.Â
Paralegals work in law firms or barristers’ chambers or within the legal team of larger organisations (such as insurance companies) and government agencies.Â
You do not need any formal qualifications to work as a paralegal. However, having some prior work experience and knowledge of the law and research skills will help you when applying for paralegal jobs.Â
Many students do voluntary work or undertake internships before applying for paralegal roles.
Aboriginal-identified Paralegal roles
There are several identified paralegal roles, mostly available in Sydney. Examples include:
- LegalAid NSW and the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT regularly recruit paralegals to work in their Sydney Central and other offices. Some roles are identified positions.
- Gilbert + Tobin’s Indigenous Cadetship program employs Indigenous Cadets as paralegals from 3rd Year and onwards. G+T recruits annually.
- SBS Legal employs an Indigenous Paralegal. SBS advertises when the role is vacant.
- The Tenants Union of NSW employs an Aboriginal Paralegal. TUNSW advertises when the role is vacant.
To find other, non-identified paralegal opportunities you can:
1. Search online. The following are websites you might find useful:
- iworkfor.nsw.gov.au
- au.indeed.comÂ
- linkedin.com/jobs/
- GradAustralia.com.au
- au.gradconnection.com
- ourmob.net
- koorimail.com/employmentÂ
- LegalVitae.com.auÂ
2. Go directly to the firm / company / organisation website and search for internships on their website directly.
3. Use your university resources. Here are some ideas:
- Browse through your university careers page;Â
- talk with your lecturers and professors about job opportunities; andÂ
- Subscribe to your university job portal mail list (if they have one).Â
4. Network, network, network!
Get involved in committee programs and attend social events where you can network with professionals and other students in the legal industry. By establishing a network of professional connections, you will stay up to date with new job opportunities and may be approached by legal recruiters.Â
Volunteer work while you are studying law
why should you volunteer?
Volunteer work is unpaid work or service. It is a useful way to build your community network, develop new skills, boost your self-confidence and improve your job prospects.Â
What do volunteers do?
The work that volunteers do varies depending on the organisation or company that you volunteer for. Some volunteers will manage day-to-day tasks, such as organising and tracking case files, conducting legal research and drafting legal documents. Others will help with organising a charity event or answering simple client and customer queries.Â
Volunteering roles generally run on a needs-basis, which means that volunteer work will only be offered when an organisation needs assistance. Other volunteer programs, however, are more structured and will take place over a specified period of time (these are mostly volunteer positions in larger organisations).Â
Volunteer Intern programs are offered by many different organisations. Including:
- Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT
- Your local Community Legal Centre
- Arts Law Centre of Australia
- Australian Pro Bono Centre
- RACS
- UNICEF
- United Nations Young Professionals ProgrammeÂ
You can find available volunteering positions and keep up to date with positions as they arise on the LegalVitae jobs board here.
Questions?
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