Volunteer Roles

Last updated 12/11/2024


UN Human Rights Interns (Geneva) — United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism

Interns are sought at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva to primarily assist Professor Ben Saul as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-terrorism (see https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-terrorism). Two Sydney Law students have already successfully completed internships. Interns are supervised daily by the Special Rapporteur's full-time staff in Geneva and the Special Rapporteur. The work is challenging and diverse and involves monitoring 193 states and 46 United Nations entities for compliance with human rights while countering terrorism, including through assessing individual complaints of violations, reviewing national legislation, research for annual thematic reports to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council, research for official country visits, attending briefings and meetings, drafting speeches and media releases, and diplomatic engagement. Internships are unpaid but Sydney Law School is likely to fund a return economy airfare. Some work will also be undertaken for other thematic special rapporteurs. More information about the internship program in general is here: https://www.ohchr.org/en/work-and-study-opportunities/internships

Applicants to the United Nations internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

(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).

Start Date: 1/01/2025

Rate of Pay: Unpaid. Return economy airfare may be paid by Sydney Law School

Duration/Employment Type: Full-time. Ideally 6 months. 3 months also considered.

How to Apply: Initially - email ben.saul@sydney.edu.au with CV & uni transcript

Contact Details for any Questions/Enquiries: Email ben.saul@sydney.edu.au


Online Internship — PW Lawyers

The PW Lawyers online internship program offers law students the opportunity to gain practical legal experience from their own location. The internship program uses a variety of digital tools to allow interns the ability to learn and be mentored by the experienced team at PW Lawyers. Our team of lawyers will provide guidance and support throughout the internship.

Interns will have the opportunity to learn legal skills, build professional connections and enhance their job prospects. It will give law students an opportunity to gain practical experience in a legal environment. Our internship aims to enhance students’ understanding of legal practice, develop professional skills and be exposed to different areas of law.

All interns will undertake an online orientation session where they will be introduced to PW Lawyers and provided with information about how the online internship will operate. The internship will cover:

  • An introduction to working in a law firm (1- 15 days)

  • An introduction into legal research, note taking and advising clients (15-30 days)

  • An introduction to drafting and preparing documents (30 – 45 days)

  • Preparation for legal practice (45 – 60 days)

  • A study into the legal area of choice (60-75 days).

To be eligible for the PW Lawyers online internship program you must be:

  • Enrolled in a recognised law program (LLB, LPAB Diploma of Law or JD).

  • Have completed a minimum of two years of the law program.

  • Have an interest in legal practice.

Start Date: 4/02/2025

Rate of Pay: Unpaid

Duration of Internship: All interns must complete a minimum of 15 working days to be deemed as completing the internship. Extended programmes are offered for interns who wish to complete more working days.

How to Apply: Law students can send a resumé and cover letter to the practice manager at PW Lawyers via email at admin@pwlawyers.com.au. Students will also be asked to provide their academic transcript, photo identification and contact details for someone who has known them for an extended period of time.

Contact Details for any Questions/Enquiries: For more information, please contact PW Lawyers on (02) 9415 8192 or admin@pwlawyers.com.au.


Law Student Volunteer — Ability Rights Centre

Ability Rights Centre (ARC) is a community legal centre. It provides legal and advocacy services for people living with disability in NSW. It is a free service.

ARC is operated by the Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS).

Role Description:

  • Voluntary work (i.e. no wages)

  • Work in our office in Sydney CBD (i.e. not from home)

  • Work is supervised by a solicitor

Duties:

  • Client intake and interviewing, by phone or in person

  • Assisting solicitors and NDIS Appeals advocates follow up on client matters

  • Research related to client matters and/or to law and policy reform activities

  • Assisting with community legal education projects and related research

  • Assisting with general centre administration

  • Other projects and tasks that arise as part of the centre’s operation

Desirable Attributes:

  1. Undertaking tertiary legal studies

  2. Understanding of and commitment to social justice

  3. Experience in administration and/or customer service

  4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  5. Ability to work independently and as part of a team

  6. Appreciation of ethical practice issues affecting community legal centre workers, including confidentiality obligations and conflicts of interest

Ideal Start Date: 2/12/2024

Rate of Pay: Unpaid

Employment Duration/Type: Casual, ongoing

Application Deadline: 20/12/2024

How to Apply: Please send the following documents to arc@idrs.org.au: - A one-page expression of interest indicating availability - A resume including education, relevant experience and referees (include name, relationship and contact details). - Your academic transcript. If you have any questions, please email arc@idrs.org.au. All volunteer roles are subject to satisfactory results from a criminal record check. Website: www.abilityrights.org.au Address: Suite 459/311 Castlereagh St, Sydney, NSW, 2000. Phone: 02 9265 6350

Contact Details for any Questions/Enquiries: arc@idrs.org.au, 02 9265 6350

Please view this document for further information.


Legal Intern — Lincoln Legal Pty Ltd

About Us:

Lincoln Legal Pty Ltd is a reputable and dynamic law firm located in the heart of Sydney. We focus on family law, conveyancing, litigation, etc. Our team is dedicated to providing top-tier legal services with a commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and professional growth.

Position Overview:

We are seeking highly motivated law students or recent graduates to join our team as legal interns. This volunteer role is perfect for students looking to gain practical experience in a fast-paced law firm environment. As an intern, you will work closely with our experienced legal team, assisting with legal research, document preparation, client correspondence, and various administrative duties.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Conduct legal research and assist in drafting legal documents

  • Support our lawyers in court preparation and case file management

  • Assist with conveyancing matters and other transactional legal work

  • Prepare case summaries and legal correspondence

  • Attend client meetings and take detailed notes

  • Assist with filing, scanning, and general administrative tasks

  • Other tasks as directed by senior staff and legal assistants

Requirements:

  • Current enrollment in a law degree or recent graduate

  • Strong academic performance

  • Excellent research and writing skills

  • Strong attention to detail and organizational abilities

  • Ability to work independently and within a team

  • A keen interest in gaining practical legal experience

  • Commitment to working two days per week (flexible scheduling available)

  • Previous legal experience is not required but will be viewed favorably

Rate of Pay: Unpaid

Employment Type: Casual Volunteer - 2 days per week

How to Apply: Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for this role to andrew@lincolnlegal.com.au.

Contact Details for any Questions/Enquiries: andrew@lincolnlegal.com.au


Academic Tutor — Inspire Tomorrow Education

Inspire Tomorrow Education is a not-for-profit that aims to bridge gaps in tertiary education access by providing free tutoring and scholarship application support to high-school students experiencing barriers to education. Our mission is to empower future changemakers, foster diversity in professional fields, and promote education as a fundamental human right in Australia.

Join our team! Are you a university student or recent graduate? Whether you're an experienced tutor looking to make a difference in a young person's life or wanting to learn how to tutor to give your resume an edge, we have a place for you. By working with Inspire Tomorrow Education, you earn a LinkedIn Badge and have the opportunity to expand your professional network by joining a team of accomplished community leaders.

Criteria

To tutor with ITE, you must have graduated from a NSW high-school within the past 5 years and have achieved a Band 5 or Band 6 in the subject(s) you'd like to tutor.

Key responsibilities:

  • Communicating with your student to organise lesson times

  • Conduct one-on-one tutoring sessions to provide assessment or content help

  • Offer assistance to learners based on their unique needs and learning styles

Core competencies:

  • Passion for improving educational equity

  • Strong interpersonal and organisational skills

  • Ability to work cohesively and with empathy alongside diverse students

  • Previous tutoring experience preferred, but not necessary!

Start Date: 1/06/2024

Rate of Pay: Unpaid

Employment Duration: 1 year

How to Apply: Fill out the short application form: https://forms.gle/XpmwFjDJVFSNhh7e9

Contact Details for any Questions/Enquiries: Email inspiretomorroweducation@gmail.com