Internship scheme offers work with Law Reform Commission, Attorney General or DPP

Final-year law students from disadvantaged backgrounds will have the opportunity to work in the Law Reform Commission, the Office of the Attorney General or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions under a newly-launched internship scheme.

Interns will gain practical experience, undertaking focused legal research work as part of a team, with one-to-one mentoring within the Law Reform Commission, Office of the Attorney General or Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The internships will provide experience of working in a legal environment and the opportunity to gain knowledge regarding the various career paths open to law graduates, including careers in the public sector.

Leanne Caulfield, a Deputy Director of Research at the Commission, recognised the need to widen access and that the Commission could play a part. She devised the Access Internship as a practical step to promote more accessible opportunities. Speaking about the rationale for the internship, she said:

“It can be difficult for candidates from lower socio-economic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities to gain the practical experience required to establish themselves on career paths in law. They lack connections, they may lack confidence and they lack social and cultural capital. Their disadvantage is often compounded by financial strains and the fact that, for many students, there is no family history of participation in higher education. Paid, accessible work experience opportunities are therefore particularly important for students from lower-socio economic backgrounds and students with disabilities.”

The scheme is open to current final year students in law who:

come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds or have disabilities, and

accessed a Higher Education Institution through an Access Programme or Access Route, or

are registered with, and in support of services from, a Disability Support Service in a Higher Education Institution in Ireland.

The Commission piloted the initiative in 2021. It was a resounding success, and the Commission decided to run the internship on an annual basis partnering with the Office of the Attorney General in 2022.

A 2022 Access Intern at the Office of the Attorney General, Joseph Brennan BL, who is now pursuing a career as a barrister, said:

"I found the internship highly beneficial… I was able to seek advice from qualified barristers many of whom had pursued careers in the Law Library as barristers. So, they were a great fountain of knowledge to seek advice on the first years at the Bar. As well, I was able to see the different career paths outside of the courts that are open to qualified lawyers such as barristers… I would advise anyone from an access background to apply for the internship.”

This year, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has joined the partnership in recognition of the importance of the Access Internship Scheme in promoting equality of opportunity in the legal and public sectors.

Director of Research at the Law Reform Commission, Rebecca Coen, said:

“Everyone benefits from diversity in law. We are delighted to be partnering with both the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions this year to expand the internship opportunities available to students from underrepresented backgrounds. We are also delighted that the 2021 and 2022 Legal Research Access Interns had such positive experiences, and we look forward to welcoming, and working with, the 2023 interns this summer.”

How to Apply

The application form and details on how to apply are available on the Commission’s website at www.lawreform.ie.

The closing date for applications is 3 April 2023.