Information on Student-Proposed Internships
All uOttawa law students who are currently in their second or third year of study in either the J.D. or any joint J.D. program have the opportunity to pursue self-proposed internships during their studies at the University of Ottawa. These internships allow students to learn in a more practical setting and to explore different legal fields and work environments. These internships can be done during any academic term after 1st year. Internships during the summer term or the January term may be undertaken abroad.
Please note that each term at the Faculty is slightly different:
Fall Term: September through early-December. Students typically complete their internship hours by interning 1, 1.5 or 2 days a week throughout the term.
January Term: Condensed term for three weeks in January. Students typically complete their internship hours by interning full time for 3 to 4 weeks during the month of January.
Winter Term: February through mid-April. This term is also condensed and runs for two and a half months. Students typically complete their internship hours by interning 1 to 2 days per week throughout the term.
Requirements for students:
Students are responsible for finding a work placement and a supervisor who is willing to oversee their work. Students must complete a minimum of 125 hours of law-related work in order to obtain three (3) academic credits (graded on a “Satisfactory/Non-Satisfactory” basis). The work cannot be remunerated. Once the work placement has been established, students submit an application package including 4 forms, 2 of which must be signed and approved by the supervisor and the Faculty before beginning the internship. During the internship, students prepare a mid-term report as well as a final report also signed and approved by the supervisor and the Faculty.
Supervisors must now complete an Evaluation Form which must be signed and dated by them and the students.
To avoid possible conflict of interest, internships cannot be undertaken under the supervision of a student’s past, present or future employers. In cases related to future employment, this only applies if it is known at the time the proposal is submitted that the student will be employed in the future. This is not intended to discourage an offer of employment once the internship has been completed.
Where can law students undertake a Student-Proposed Internship?
Students can undertake internships with the following:-
Sole Practitioner
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Small, medium, or large-sized firm
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Community Legal Clinic
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Department or branch of the municipal, provincial or federal government
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Non-Governmental Organization, a Not-for-Profit Organization or an organization working in the public interest, in either a domestic or international context
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Aboriginal Organization
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Canadian Embassies abroad
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Legal Department of a bank
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Legal Department of a private company (or In-house Counsel)
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Agency of the United Nations
What kind of work can a law student do?
Students can undertake the following tasks during an internship:-
Legal research: case law and legislation (becoming familiar with using search engines such as LexisNexis Quicklaw and CanLII)
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Legal writing, such as drafting letters, drafting affidavits, writing short articles, memoranda and research papers, compiling information to create a guidebook, gathering of information on specific topics for lawyers
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Assisting lawyers in preparing a client for a hearing
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Assisting lawyers in client intake and at times interviewing clients
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General interaction with lawyers and clients
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Attending proceedings conducted by lawyers in court or in a mediation (attending a hearing, a labour arbitration hearing, a case conference, etc.)
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Learning about procedural matters for filing documents
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Filling out forms (any paper work pertaining to client files)
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Being exposed to and learning about professional responsibility
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Being exposed to and learning about the operation of a small firm or a solo practice
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Attending workshops offered by the firm or to the lawyers of the firm
If you are interested in undertaking a Student-Proposed Internship program, please check out the Student-Proposed Internship FAQs and additionnal information on the Academic Affairs webpage or contact Isabelle Karar, Professional Development Counsellor.