Job Opening
Job Opening ID: 224854
Job Network : Legal
Job Family : Legal Affairs
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : NEW YORK
Department/Office : Office of Legal Affairs
Date Posted : Feb 2, 2024
Deadline : Mar 2, 2024

Work Location
United Nations
Expected duration
Duration of internship is 2 – 6 months.
Desired start date can be from 26 February through 31 August 2024.
Duties and Responsibilities
Org. Setting and Reporting

The Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is recruiting interns for the period starting from February 2024 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:
• 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.

Applicants are not required to have professional work experience to participate in the programme. The training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.
Qualifications/special skills
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 to the United Nations Internship Programme must at the time of application 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).
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat in New York. 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.