By Emmanuella Odufa Masagbor
“Just like Food, shelter and water are necessary for human survival similarly, internships are necessary for a law student’s survival in the legal sphere.” – Anonymous
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary; An intern is a student or a recent graduate who works for a period of time at a job in order to get experience. On the other hand internship is a job taken by a student or a recent graduate in order to learn a profession or trade.
It is safe to say based on facts that a well versed student in academics doesn’t equate for a well versed student in experience. A law student gains this experience and contemporaneously inculcates work ethics by interning.
The dynamics of a successful legal intern varies based on the need of the firm and experience of the intern. Basically, certain activities/duties which interns engage in that exposes him or her to the professional field are:
- Researching and taking briefs from clients:
A large part of any legal internship is conducting research. Interns typically will be asked to search for and analyze background information for a particular case, including previous rulings in similar cases and laws relating to the client’s situation. The intern also may be asked to recommend next steps based on his research findings. An intern will typically conduct research using the Internet, legal databases, legal libraries and government offices.
On the other hand Brief means: (1) A written document presented to the court and to the opposing counsel by a lawyer that describes the facts of a case, questions of law, and legal arguments in support of his or her client’s position. (2) A summary or abstract of a case.
(i) To write a summary of a case. (ii) To inform someone of the details of something.
Having a background knowledge of what a brief is. An intern must be able to write out briefs and make sure that it is easily understandable. - Organising and prioritizing:
If there’s one thing that’s synonymous with law firms, it’s the massive amount of legal paperwork! Research papers, legal documents, client intake forms, billing invoices, time tracking forms, case files, evidence records, the list just goes on and on! With such a large amount of paperwork involved, your superior will be glad to have a helping hand in the form of an intern. Take advantage of this opportunity to make yourself useful and highlight your organisation and prioritisation skills! Organising is no mean feat, but your internship period is a good time to get started. After all, it’s a skill that will come in really handy in the future. Also, be prepared to handle some administrative work in the process – it’s common for interns to do traditional clerical work such as taking calls and messages, drafting emails and memos, preparing meeting minutes, transcribing, and scanning and photocopying documents. - Managing case files:
As an intern you may be required also to arrange case files in a way that makes them easy to find (think colours coded files in alphabetical order); organise research papers and legal documents in a systematic manner, and help put your superior’s court documents in order so that referencing is made easy. - Observing and learning:
The objective of an internship is to better understand what being a lawyer involves, and the best way to do that is to be around. Observe the partners and associates in your place of internship and take note of these things:
-How do they manage their time?
-How do they structure their daily and weekly schedules?
-How do they manage clients?
-Is there a protocol to follow when liaising with clients?
-How do they decide whether to represent a client or otherwise?
-What are the processes involved in managing a case and who do they liaise with apart from their clients?
-What is involved in the research process for a case and which resources are used?
-Where do you get those resources?
-What is the payment structure and how is it collected?
These are just some of the questions to which you need to get answers during your internship period. Garnering as much information and knowledge as you can during your internship will stand you in good stead when you finally graduate and become a fully fledged lawyer.
- Perform administrative duties such as filing, copying, staffing receptionists desks, assist with preparation for trials, client assistance, hearings and depositions, attend trials, hearings, arguments and depositions.
- Assist in any other official duties assigned.
The importance of internship cannot be over emphasized. It’s a pity that most law students during holidays see no need to apply for internships and get busy as regarding this chosen field little do they know that As an intern you:
i. Get to apply Knowledge acquired in law school into reality.
ii. Gain soft skills such as presentation, communication, team work, problem solving skills.
iii. Network and meet other professionals as well as fellow students
iv. Learn about yourself
v. Get exposure and insight into the professional lives of lawyers, attorneys and Judges.
vi. You could land a job.
The list is endless.
However, a law student can intern in various organizations such as under a lawyer, law firm, Government body participating in legal sphere, a research organisation or any other legally oriented institution.
If you’re unsure about what path to take in the legal career, legal work experience is a good way to sample the career options out there and gain valuable insight. It is recommended that as a student one internship program should be completed before applying for a job.
A successful law intern must possess various basic skills like; research skills, communication skills, computer literacy skills, administrative skills, Organizing and Prioritizing, Observing and Learning, Managing Case Files, Researching and taking of Briefs from Clients. Flexibility, enthusiasm and willingness to learn is also important and the possession of these skills should be emphasized by the student during interview.
Team spirit is really important and as an intern you must learn to relate with fellow interns, associates or other superiors. Be good at whatever you are asked to. You shouldn’t be found idle and engaging in casual activities during work hours. Punctuality is core and as a successful intern you must make it an habit to always be present at most 10 minutes before the real meeting time.
Finally, there’s no knowledge you can’t acquire and no level of success too hard to attain as an intern if you are truly open to learn.
