Expected duration
The duration of an internship in the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is a minimum of two (2) months to a maximum of six (6) months depending upon the particular needs of the division or office. Desired start date can be from May through September 2025.
Duties and Responsibilities
Organization Setting and Reporting The Office of Legal Affairs is recruiting interns for its six (6) divisions and offices located in New York. We 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 in order 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 assigned by them, which may include assignments that are relevant to their educational background and interests. The interns will have an opportunity to apply and further develop their theoretical knowledge. The six divisions and offices of OLA located in New York are: the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC), the Codification Division (COD), the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), the General Legal Division (GLD), and the Treaty Section (TS). It is important that candidates familiarize themselves with the functions of these as described at https://www.un.org/ola/en/mission, and that they make an informed decision as to which division or office would be best suited for their interests and qualifications. Responsibilities Responsibilities of internship positions range widely, encompassing many aspects of OLA’s work. These responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: • Assistance in conducting legal research on issues related to international law, ocean affairs and law of the sea, or other areas of specialization using multiple research resources. • Assistance in the review of legal documents, instruments or other material. • Assistance in drafting and preparing official and legal documents. • Attending and taking notes at conferences and meetings. • Assistance in servicing conferences and meetings. • Working on websites and/or presentations. • Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications/special skills
The degree programme which applicants are enrolled in or have recently graduated from must be in the area of Law. At time of application, applicants must meet one of the following requirements: Either (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent). Applicants are not required to have professional work experience to participate in the programme. Prior training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another United Nations official language, i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish, would be an advantage.
Additional Information
TO APPLY: Please create and complete a Candidate Profile with a Motivation Statement in the UN online recruitment platform, Inspira, at https://inspira.un.org. In your Candidate Profile, please indicate if you are proficient in the English language. PLEASE NOTE THAT INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED. It is imperative that the Motivation Statement includes the following details: 1. Title of the degree currently being pursued, or recently completed, and the specific subjects taken; 2. Expected graduation date from the degree programme or graduation date if already graduated; 3. The applicant’s objectives for undertaking an internship with the Office of Legal Affairs and how it fits within their education/career plan; 4. 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: • the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), • the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC), • the Codification Division (COD), • the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), • the General Legal Division (GLD), and • the Treaty Section (TS); 5. An explanation why the applicant is suitable for the specific division or office; 6. The applicant’s availability, at time of application, to commence the internship between May and September 2025, and the projected end of availability. Important Note: • The internship is designed to be full-time and in-person. Interns work five days a week under the supervision of the managers. The hybrid or remote setting of the internship may be considered based on request by the successful candidate. • Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any position in the professional or above categories, within the United Nations Secretariat for a period of six (6) months following the end of their internship. Any employment with the UN at that point in time shall be subject to established recruitment and selection procedures. • The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in the organization. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this internship programme. • For details on OLA’s mandate and the specific functions of its divisions and offices, please visit us at: https://www.un.org/ola.
Intern Specific text
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. 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.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.