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.
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.
Here's what you can expect from the programme in a nutshell!
Of course, the list is much longer - but these are the skills our intern alumni reported back that they grew in the most!
We managed to grab some detailed interviews from previous interns on this programme, you can click on them below.
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.
What might your programme in this career field look like? Here's how it has typically shaped up for our alumni!
Arrival & orientation. Introduction to Cape Town, your accommodation and your internship host organisation and colleagues.
Get stuck into your law & public policy internship placement and establish yourself with your organisation. Come to our free social events.
Enjoy a great work-life balance, getting out and about to see the sites alongside working hard on your internship.
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!
Now you're flying (metaphorically) at work, you'll be more and more autonomous. Expect to pick up even more challenges!
Internship is going swimmingly, now go and do something crazy like swimming with some great white sharks or abseiling off of a mountain.
Regularly enjoy the benefits of Cape Town and at work, gather materials needed for portfolio (e.g. references from us and provider).
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)
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...
What makes our internship programmes a worthwhile investment? Here's a swift overview of what you can expect!
We have two primary programmes to suit your needs. In some instances we also offer virtual placements.
You can come for as long as you need without paying any extra fees.You'll receive the same level of support.
We are 100% on your side. We guarantee every aspect of your trip with unrivalled promises.
Need to focus on a precise niche or two? No problem! Your programme can focus on your specialist areas.
We'll help you engage with the culture and personal benefits of being in a foreign country.
Save on travel and accommodation costs, pay a far lower fee. All while building your professional network.
We will handle all aspects of academic accreditation, including direct liaison with your tutors and academic staff.
We will write full reference letters for your placement(s) to optimise future employers' first impression of you.
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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.
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
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
A graduate or currently studying a law-related degree. Good writing skills. A strong interest in human rights law and issues.
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
Get in touch.
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.
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'.
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.
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 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).
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.
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.
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.
Comprehensive support
Visa & travel assist
Accommodation assistance
Social events & excursions
... and lots more
We've answered some specific questions about this internship programme below.
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.
Generally, all fields of law are in demand, however popular fields include commercial, criminal, litigation, family and tax law.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Send it to us below and we will answer ASAP.
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.