Law & Public Policy Internship Programmes

Our law and public policy internships are the perfect opportunity for students and recent graduates to explore their interests and make more informed decisions about the type of law they would like to pursue in their future career. We facilitate law and public policy internships in a variety of legal settings and as an intern you will have the chance to collaborate with clients, government officials and attorneys.

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Law & Policy internships - quick video overview
The best Law & Public Policy Internship Programmes in Africa?

The best law and public policy internships in Cape Town? We think so. We pride ourselves on delivering customised internship placements and on the ground support that offer life-changing, valuable professional experiences.

In these highly competitive career fields, it is crucial that you are able to differentiate and market yourself successfully to prospective employers.

An excellent way of doing this is by participating in an internship abroad, which demonstrates an understanding of international law and exemplifies your dedication to learning.  Pursuing a legal internship will also help you decide what niche in the legal field to specialize in after your studies.

We provide opportunities in a number of different types of legal settings, from large corporate firms to small NGOs working closely with the Government to uphold various Human Rights’ foundations.

Interns in this field could have the opportunity to attend parliament and participate in various campaigns, carry out crucial research on certain legislation, assist with reviewing client files, prepare briefs and a whole lot more!

Read on for a full overview of the best law and public policy internships in Africa.

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KEY INSIGHT

Law & Policy Internship Programme Overview

Here's what you can expect from the programme in a nutshell!

Law & Public Policy Internship Key Skills:

  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Time management
  • Research and analysis
  • Commercial acumen
  • Teamwork
  • Understanding client’s needs

Academic & Career Benefits

  • Apply classroom taught principles and theories to real world situations.
  • Learn from experienced mentors and have the chance to interact with clients, government officials and attorneys.
  • Explore your interests and gain and insight into the type of law you would like to pursue in your career.
  • Draw from your experiences and ace future job interviews and exams.
  • Build your CV and exemplify your dedication to learning.
  • Gain a valuable insight into how to act in a professional legal setting.

Ideal Internship Applicant

  • Excellent writing skills.
  • Proficient in English.
  • Either studying or been accepted to study law.
  • Resilient, self-motivated and hard working.

Programme highlights:

  • Gain practical work experience in a professional and fast paced environment.
  • Build an impressive portfolio of work and demonstrate your determination, enthusiasm and self-confidence to future employers.
  • Progress towards your career goals!
  • Take part in meaningful and important projects and assist some of the most in need people in South Africa.
  • Gain valuable exposure to case studies and learn from experienced professionals in your field.

Minimum Requirements

  • Minimum age: 18
  • Completed (or will have completed) A2-Levels or equivalent
  • Minimum of 4 weeks duration, no maximum
  • Not a resident of South Africa
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Skills you'll hone through your Law & Policy internship

Of course, the list is much longer - but these are the skills our intern alumni reported back that they grew in the most!

Communication
Attention to detail
Time management
Commercial acumen
Teamwork
Understanding client’s needs
Research

Ready?

Turbo charge your career in Law & Policy

What are you waiting for - get started now!

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KEY INSIGHT

Law & Policy internship programme reviews & ratings

We managed to grab some detailed interviews from previous interns on this programme, you can click on them below.

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I loved my host organisation! Everyone was so nice to me and always helpful. All the lawyers know so much and are willing to sit down and explain anything to you. I had such great mentors. The work they do is so important. They allowed me to get income in so many areas from research to supporting cases, going into communities to see clients and more.
Jora Onekanda
Undergraduate
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KEY INSIGHT

A hypothetical Law & Policy Internship Programme

What might your programme in this career field look like? Here's how it has typically shaped up for our alumni!

Week One

Arrival & orientation. Introduction to Cape Town, your accommodation and your internship host organisation and colleagues.

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Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 1
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 2
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Week Two

Get stuck into your law & public policy internship placement and establish yourself with your organisation. Come to our free social events.

Week Three

Enjoy a great work-life balance, getting out and about to see the sites alongside working hard on your internship.

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Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 3
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 4
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Week Four

Pick up more responsibility in your internship as you prove your capability. Enjoy regular activities in Cape Town outside of work. Come to another social!

Week Five

Now you're flying (metaphorically) at work, you'll be more and more autonomous. Expect to pick up even more challenges!

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Week Six

Internship is going swimmingly, now go and do something crazy like swimming with some great white sharks or abseiling off of a mountain.

Week Seven

Regularly enjoy the benefits of Cape Town and at work, gather materials needed for portfolio (e.g. references from us and provider).

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Week Eight

Putting the finishing touches to your internship and gathering feedback from us and your internship provider for use in your academic / career portfolio. Finalise paperwork for university (if needed)

LEAVE TRANSFORMED
Download and read a free guide.

13 Essential Insights for a Fulfilling and Safe Internship in Cape Town

TAKE ME TO THE GUIDE
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KEY INSIGHT

Why others apply for Law & Policy internship programmes

Here's what others said when they applied. Some of these people came just for this career area, some mixed it with other career fields too...

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KEY INSIGHT

Law & Policy internship programme features

What makes our internship programmes a worthwhile investment? Here's a swift overview of what you can expect!

Choice of two programmes

We have two primary programmes to suit your needs. In some instances we also offer virtual placements.

Unlimited duration as standard

You can come for as long as you need without paying any extra fees.You'll receive the same level of support.

Backed by concrete promises

We are 100% on your side. We guarantee every aspect of your trip with unrivalled promises.

Career
Focus

Need to focus on a precise niche or two? No problem! Your programme can focus on your specialist areas.

Immersive cultural experience

We'll help you engage with the culture and personal benefits of being in a foreign country.

Virtual placements

Save on travel and accommodation costs, pay a far lower fee. All while building your professional network.

Academia friendly

We will handle all aspects of academic accreditation, including direct liaison with your tutors and academic staff.

Future career friendly

We will write full reference letters for your placement(s) to optimise future employers' first impression of you.

ACTION

Current Law & Policy Job Openings

Here are some current or recent internship job opportunities in this career area. We do not publish all openings - so please contact us to hear about others.

Advocacy and Education Intern

Ability to work independently Good problem-solving skills Excellent communication skills An interest and a basic understanding of human rights issues in South Africa Currently studying or completed a degree in law or public policy would be beneficial

The Organisation: A not for profit organisation that focuses on human rights activism through education, advocacy and public interest litigation.
Keywords: Advocacy, Education, Public Policy, Law, Internship
Programme Development Assistant: Social Protection and Public Policy

Ability to work both independently and within a team Excellent communication skills An interest and basic understanding of human rights within a South African context Currently studying or completed degree in law or public policy would be advantageous

The Organisation: An NGO which focuses on independent research and development of policy for inclusive economic growth, and the protection and development of vulnerable communities.
Keywords: Public policy, Advocacy, Social justice, Policy development, Internship
Human Rights Law Intern

A graduate or currently studying a law-related degree. Good writing skills. A strong interest in human rights law and issues.

The Organisation: An NPO that aims to promote justice and equality in South Africa. The organisation, which operates across a number of regions in South Africa, releases publications to assist legal practitioners. It also serves as a public interest law clinic.
Keywords: Human rights, Law, Public policy, Advocacy, Internship
Advocacy and Education Intern

Ability to work independently Good problem-solving skills Excellent communication skills An interest and a basic understanding of human rights issues in South Africa Currently studying or completed a degree in law or public policy would be beneficial

The Organisation: A not for profit organisation that focuses on human rights activism through education, advocacy and public interest litigation.
Keywords: Advocacy, Education, Public policy, Law, Internship

Get in touch.

Explore your custom Law & Policy programme now

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Click right here to get started
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KEY INSIGHT

A straightforward process

We have worked very hard to streamline our process to make your experience easy, fun and highly rewarding personally and professionally. Flick through the steps below, or read about our process in more detail.

Introduce yourself to our friendly team

Getting your dream internship all starts with you saying hello! Just pop your details into our enquiry form and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation with you that we call a 'discovery call'.

Ask questions & learn how we can help

In your discovery call, you can ask us any questions you still have. We'll talk about your options in the career fields you've told us you're interested in to help you imagine your placement and decide if our service is right for you.

Complete your programme application

If everything sounds good to you, complete your application to put into words your dream programme. This forms the basis of the 'design' of your customised placement and will be the primary framework against which we validate potentially suitable opportunities.

We'll source you the best opportunities

We maintain a large and varied network of the best organisations in Cape Town. We will identify the best potential fits for your programme goals and preferences and reach out on your behalf to assess those organisations for suitability (learn about their current projects and initiatives).

Prepare and plan for your experience

Once you've confirmed which placement offer you prefer, we'll start helping you plan the rest of your trip. We'll book your accommodation, help with your travel arrangements and provide extensive advice and information on how to get ready for your time in Cape Town. Your Bridging Gaps mentor will be on hand to make sure you're fully prepared for your placement.

Maximise your experience & learning

Finally, every member of our team will move mountains to make sure you get what you came for and MORE! It's essential to us that you're safe, you're learning and growing in confidence and developing the most important skills for your future career.

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Law & Policy internship programme cost

Our programme fees are shown below, for a full description of our service offering please click to view the programme or a side-to-side comparison.

Bootstrap

£
795
one-off, fixed

Bespoke programme

Backed by 4
concrete promises

VIEW BOOTSTRAP

Concierge

£
1195
one-off, fixed

Comprehensive support

Visa & travel assist

Accommodation assistance

Social events & excursions

... and lots more

VIEW CONCIERGE

Virtual

£
395
one-off, fixed

Tailored Search

Ongoing support
& mentoring

VIEW VIRTUAL
Click to see detailed programme feature comparison.
FAQ
Law & Public Policy Internship Programmes FAQs

We've answered some specific questions about this internship programme below.

How do I start a career in international law?

The first requirement for entering the international law field is to be certified as a lawyer through the BAR exam. You would typically need a masters of law (LLM) as well. 


What kind of lawyers are in demand?

Generally, all fields of law are in demand, however popular fields include commercial, criminal, litigation, family and tax law. 


What is the best type of law to practice?

This depends on your personal interests and choice of career path. If you have a passion for human rights, going into public policy, family law or criminal law is a great option. Commercial and private law are also great choices to look into with lots of niche focuses you can consider, such as tax, property, marital and corporate law.


What kind of lawyer makes the most money?

This varies depending on the size of the firm and the number of clients on their database. Generally, commercial law is considered more profitable than other types of law, however private law is also considered a high paying discipline. 


How do I start a career in international law and policy?

The first requirement for entering the international law field is to be certified as a lawyer through the BAR exam. You would typically need a masters of law (LLM) as well. 


What should I expect from a research internship?

Research internships often entail a lot of independent work, although asking questions, being proactive, and making the most of your resources are key to a successful research internship. Medical internships or those in the field of biology are often heavily focused on research and interns will either be asked to complete their own project or contribute to ongoing research. These types of internships will also involve laboratory work. Research is also often integral to internships in human rights, law and public policy.


What type of work will I be doing during my law and public policy internship?

This very much depends on your internship organisation but as an intern you could be involved in;  conducting research, drafting reports, reviewing client files, liaising with authorities, attending parliament, attending court, meeting with clients, preparing briefs, writing newsletters, managing social media accounts and attending meetings with advocacy organisations.

Have a different question?

Send it to us below and we will answer ASAP.

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Law & Public Policy Internship Programmes

Hi, we're really sorry but we are no longer offering internship opportunities in this career field. However, we wish you the best with your search.