Native Title Legal Internships
The Legal Internship Program introduces students to career opportunities in the area of native title and Indigenous affairs and at the same time provides assistance to under-resourced and over-worked lawyers who work at Australia’s Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs), Native Title Service Providers (NTSPs) and Indigenous policy and other organisations.
Law students usually work on legal issues but can also end up working on policy issues. Most NTRB and NTSP placements involve native title and land rights related work. Interns working in this area can also expect to deal with areas of law as diverse as constitutional law to local government regulations.
By contrast, placement in a policy organisation could potentially provide exposure to a wider range of issues arising in Indigenous affairs, such as Indigenous governance, health, education and economic development. While these issues may arise as part of an internship at an NTRB or NTSP, these are more likely to be the core aspect of work as a policy intern.
Short-term internship positions
Applications are open to all law students who have completed the property law component of their legal studies and are interested in working in native title and Indigenous policy organisations.
Most internships run for 4 to 6 weeks over the June to July and November to March university breaks. They are a full-time workload usually around 40 hours per week and are unpaid. Applications are open from 11 August to 5 September, for the summer 2008/09 internships.
Click here to go to our application page
Longer term contract locum positions
Applications are open to law students as well as qualified solicitors. Placements can start at two months and may continue for up to one year. Duties, conditions and remuneration vary from position to position.
If you would like any further information or would like to be placed on our 'register of interest' click here to email the Placements Team.
(Please note the selection criteria for locum positions differs from those mentioned below - the information below applies only to unpaid student internships).
Selection criteria
Selection for an internship will require that applicants:
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have a strong academic record |
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have an interest in the area of native title and Indigenous affairs |
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have a strong cultural awareness and sensitivity |
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have good interpersonal and communication skills |
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have the willingness to commit to the minimum required period |
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are currently enrolled in, or have completed, the property law component of their legal studies.*
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* Where an applicant has completed a substantial part of their law degree but has not completed the property component he/she may still be eligible to apply for an internship .Please email the Placements Team or telephone (02) 9385 9049 to discuss your application.
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Locations of legal internships
Locations of placements are Australia-wide. We request that interns provide their preferences, and we do our best to accommodate them. However, as placements are dependent upon organisational need, we cannot guarantee that interns’ preferences will be met.
Click here to see a map of the NRTB regions
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Costs associated with legal internships
Travel costs and accommodation will in some instances be covered, either partially or totally, by the host organisations. Where this is not possible due to resource constraints, internships will be available to those who can self-fund. Regardless, interns need to cover their own day-to-day expenses (e.g. food, entertainment, local travel etc).
The Aurora Project does not provide financial support for interns.
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University course credit
Some universities provide course credit for undertaking internships or for a paper arising from internships. In some cases universities offer a Practical Legal Training (PLT) program to postgraduate students. Aurora is aware of the following universities that offer such programs: Australian National University, University of Adelaide, Flinders University, University of Sydney and University of New South Wales. Applicants should consult with their relevant faculty or school as to the availability of such programs.
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What to expect as an intern
Regardless of whether you are a legal or policy intern, your role as an intern is to assist the host organisation in any capacity and way possible. The nature of your tasks will vary depending upon the type of organisation at which you are placed. Although each placement is unique, set out below are some general guidelines on the sort of work you may be asked to do as part of your placement. As a legal intern, you could be involved in:
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preparation of briefs to counsel and submissions to government |
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legal research |
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preparation of affidavits |
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drafting of consent determinations, court documents, etc |
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attending and taking minutes at claimant group and other meetings |
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attending court with NTRB staff |
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assistance in the development of policy |
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administrative tasks such as filing, photocopying, catering for meetings, driving claimants to and from meetings etc. |
Other than an NTRB you may be placed at organisations such as the National Native Title Tribunal. The Tribunal is an Australian Commonwealth agency set up under the Native Title Act 1993, and mediates native title claims. The Tribunal (and Native Title Registrar) have three main functions:
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mediation and arbitration of native title applications |
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assistance in negotiations regarding future acts |
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application of the registration test to native title claims and registration of Indigenous Land Use Agreements. |
They are also an independent source of information on how native title processes work. As an intern, you will be involved with the various functions of the Tribunal, and assist in Registry functions.
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Policy Placements
As a policy intern, you may be required to undertake significant research and analysis. You must have an ability to work independently, with minimal day-to-day guidance on your tasks. These placements are sometimes project-based and may involve the preparation and presentation of findings in a particular area. However, the specific nature of your tasks will vary, and may include:
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drafting submissions to government inquiries |
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preparing speeches to be presented to the public |
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researching and preparing information for the organisation’s website |
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attending events with staff from your placement organisation |
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helping prepare for events and functions hosted by the placement organisations. |
We encourage interns to adopt the attitude that they are volunteers at the host organisations; recipients of a real privilege.
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Obligations following completion of legal internships
As ambassadors of the program, successful applicants will be expected to assist with the exposure of the internship program upon their return. This will involve duties such as the following:
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provide weekly written emails on the progress of the internship while on placement |
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complete an overview at the completion of the internship, reflecting on the experience and evaluating it |
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commit to arranging and speaking to classes or interested students at your law school and other local career-based events, within the semester following your return - does not apply to those students who have already graduated |
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commit to writing an article for an appropriate internal law school publication on your placement |
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continue your internship to the agreed end date |
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all interns will be provided with the Aurora Code of Ethics for Interns, which outlines the expectations Aurora has of interns while on placement. |
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