Internship Programme
About internships
FIELD's internship programme hosts volunteer lawyers and students from all over the world. The programme provides its participants with practical training and insight into international legal issues relevant to environmental protection and sustainable development. It also gives valuable volunteer experience in a public interest organisation.
Interns work under the supervision of a FIELD lawyer on one of the three programme areas:
- Climate change and energy
- Biodiversity and marine resources
- Trade, investment and sustainable development.
FIELD is a group of public international lawyers committed to helping disadvantaged countries, communities and campaigners negotiate for fairer international environmental laws. Our work is part campaigning, part research, and part the work of a conventional law firm.
We work with local partners, national and international NGOs and institutions. Whenever possible we provide our services on a pro bono basis, using funding from foundation grants, governmental institutions and our fee income. We also take on fee-paying work. For example, we advise other NGOs on the legal aspects of international campaign strategies and governmental agencies on issues related to international treaties.
The quality and commitment of past interns has made an invaluable contribution to FIELD's work. Perhaps the best recommendation for the programme is that many of the former interns and volunteers come back to work with FIELD, sometimes many years later.
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Who should apply?
Due to the nature of the work at FIELD and the high number of applicants each season, candidates can only be considered if they are legal graduates or students in their final year of a legal degree. Applicants with a postgraduate degree and/or relevant experience are preferred. If you are interested in applying, please complete the application form and email to caroline.johnston@iied.org
Application form for the Internship Programme.
Interns will need to be fluent in English and be familiar with computers. Much of the work will involve research, drafting position papers, or editing academic papers. Familiarity with MS Office, and MS Word in particular, is essential, and experience of the internet and library research is very useful.
Our Summer 2008 interns Bryce Rudyk, Fiona Kunihira and Lai Lynn Barcenas
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What does a FIELD internship involve?
Internships are typically 3 months in duration, and candidates usually commit to a minimum of 21 office hours per week. When interns arrive, they are assigned to a lawyer whose usual workload includes teaching commitments, research projects under one or more programme areas, and consultancy / advisory work, usually for non-governmental or inter-governmental organisations. This 'allocation' to a lawyer is flexible and will depend on the workload of each lawyer.
You may not know until you arrive who you will be working with, although we do try to match your interests to a particular programme area if possible. While you are at FIELD, if there is work elsewhere in the organisation that needs to be done you may be asked to take on projects in other areas. Intern placements are based on practical work experience, and there is no formal training element. Our interns usually work independently on tasks and projects.
What to expect from the internship
- A better understanding of the work of a small NGO
- Improved drafting and research skills,
- Supervision and guidance of senior lawyers,
- Work with environmental law in an international organisation
- Attendance of climate change and environment related meetings
- Participation in the office management, staff meetings etc.
It is important to be aware that FIELD internships are unpaid, and your time in London is expected to be entirely self-funded. London is an extremely expensive city in which to live, and you must be certain that you have sufficient funds to pay for your flights if necessary, and all your living expenses whilst at FIELD. As a small, non-profit organisation, we can only offer essential travel expenses within London (for Zones 1-4), pro rata, for those in financial need.
Whilst there is flexibility in your hours, we prefer you to commit to regular, agreed hours as far as possible, or at least specific days you will be in the office. This makes it easier for the lawyers to plan work schedules and projects and to supervise your work. Part-time work is always a possibility, and this enables some interns to continue with their studies or part-time paid employment (visa-dependent for foreign candidates) whilst undertaking an internship.
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Application deadlines
There are three intakes per year for FIELD internships -
Spring (Jan/Feb - April/May)
Closing date for applications is 31 October 2009
Summer (May-Aug/Sep)
Closing date for applications is 31 January 2010
Autumn (Sep/Oct - Dec)
Closing date for applications is 31 May 2010
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Past interns - stories and experiences
FIELD hosts several interns every year - and over the course of time this has created a valuable network of past colleagues and friends. Learn more about previous interns' experiences and their current whereabouts - Past interns page.
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