Work Location
In-person and full-time internship in New York, USA. Hybrid, remote or part-time (equal / less than 34 hours) internship may be considered based on request by successful candidates.
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.
Expected Duration
The duration of an internship in the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is a minimum of two months with a possibility of extension of up to a maximum of six months, depending upon the particular needs of the divisions or offices. Desired start date can be between 1 September 2026 and 2 February 2027.
Duties and Responsibilities
Organization Setting and Reporting The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is recruiting interns for its six (6) divisions and offices located in New York. We are seeking highly motivated applicants who wish to gain professional experience in the legal field within an international organization in order to supplement their knowledge, skills and studies. This internship will provide practical experience in legal affairs in a multicultural intergovernmental organization. Under the supervision, interns are assigned to projects and tasks which will provide them with the opportunities to apply and further develop their knowledge in the recruiting divisions and offices. The six divisions and offices are the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC), the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), the Treaty Section (TS), the Codification Division (COD) and the General Legal Division (GLD). The latter two divisions may consider requests for hybrid or remote setting of the internship by successful candidates. It is important that candidates familiarize themselves with the functions of these divisions and offices as described at https://www.un.org/ola/en/mission; and make an informed decision as to which division or office would be best suited for their interests and qualifications. 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. • Performing other duties as assigned.
Qualifications/Special Skills
Applicants at the time of application must meet one of the following requirements: (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) in the area of Law; (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent) in the area of Law. Please indicate which scenario is applicable to you. Please note that your will be asked to provide an official certificate upon selection. 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.
