Legal Internship (LAWS50059)
Graduate coursework level 5Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
January
Semester 1 (Early-Start)
As above
June
As above
Semester 2 (Early-Start)
As above
November
As above
Overview
| Availability | January Semester 1 (Early-Start) June Semester 2 (Early-Start) November |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
The aim of this subject is to provide students with the opportunity to gain practical legal skills and undertake a public interest or community-focused legal workplace experience that complements and deepens their coursework learning in the Melbourne JD.
Internships can be hosted by any public interest organisation that will facilitate the student undertaking legally-oriented work, including government departments, regulatory and statutory bodies, courts and tribunals, legal assistance sector organisations such as legal aid or community legal centres, and non-government or not-for-profit organisations. Host organisations can be locally based, interstate or international and can be in person or remote/virtual (with approval).The proposed internship must be approved by the Subject Coordinators.
The internship experience should build on a students’ studies to date in the Melbourne JD and be of an appropriately demanding standard to model professional legal work or practice.
Students must complete at least 15 days of unpaid practical legal experience at the host organisation.
Important information about enrolling
This subject is not available for self-enrolment but is an application-based enrichment subject, which means prospective students must apply to enrol. Many of these application-based enrichment subjects also involve a selection process.
More information about the application process can be found on the Application-based enrichment subjects information page inside the Juris Doctor LMS Community [Juris Doctor student access only].
Intended learning outcomes
A student who successfully completes this subject will have:
- an enhanced understanding of professional legal practice through engaging directly in legally-oriented work.
- an enhanced understanding and critical appreciation of the role and value of public interest lawyering.
- an enhanced practice-based understanding of a particular legal area relevant to the internship.
- enhanced insight into their own learning and professional identity.
- critical insight into some of the challenges and opportunities facing public interest lawyers and/or organisations and the social and legal framework within which they operate.
- a deeper understanding of, and increased capacity to engage with, law, policy and reform in the area of the internship.
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of the subject, students will have developed and demonstrated the following skills:
- Thinking skills, including the ability to gather information, understand context, apply knowledge and convey law or law related concepts in a way that is useful and effective to a variety of audiences;
- The ability to identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant factual, legal and policy issues in a practical context;
- Personal and professional skills, including learning autonomously, being accountable for work, self-reflection on performance;
- Skills required for effective workplace performance, such as communication, time management, co-worker collaboration and office organisation;
- An increased capacity to reflect on their own professional competencies, including an awareness of current aptitudes and identification of areas where skills need to be consolidated; and
- The ability to engage with colleagues and develop professional networks.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
All of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning | Summer Term (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50025 | Torts | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50026 | Obligations | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS90140 | Disputes and Ethics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Only approved applicants can enrol into this subject.
Some internship host organisations may have specific requirements regarding prerequisite subjects.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Pre-internship orientation and workshop participation Hurdle requirement: Students must complete the pre-internship orientation session and participate successfully at workshops in order to pass this subject. | N/A | |
Performance on placement and Activity Log Hurdle requirement: Satisfactory performance on the 15 day placement is evidenced by the signed Legal Internship activity log. | Upon completion of internship placement | N/A |
Oral Presentation
| Due dates and submission methods will be advised via the LMS Canvas for each offering | 35% |
Reflective Portfolio
| Due dates and submission methods will be advised via the LMS Canvas for each offering | 65% |
Additional details
The due dates of assessment will be made available to students on the Assessment Schedule on the Juris Doctor Canvas LMS Community. Note, these are updated regularly.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- January
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students must complete at least 15 days of placement at an internship host organisation. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching requirements Please refer to Canvas LMS to check for any pre-class readings and preparatory learning activities before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 7 January 2025 to 28 February 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 November 2024 Census date 24 January 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 28 February 2025 Assessment period ends 28 March 2025 January contact information
- Semester 1 (Early-Start)
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students must complete at least 15 days of placement at an internship host organisation. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching requirements Please refer to Canvas LMS to check for any pre-class readings and preparatory learning activities before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 24 February 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 November 2024 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 (Early-Start) contact information
As above
- June
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students must complete at least 15 days of placement at an internship host organisation. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching requirements Please refer to Canvas LMS to check for any pre-class readings and preparatory learning activities before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 30 June 2025 to 25 July 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 November 2024 Census date 11 July 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 1 August 2025 Assessment period ends 22 August 2025 June contact information
As above
- Semester 2 (Early-Start)
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students must complete at least 15 days of placement at an internship host organisation. Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching requirements Please refer to Canvas LMS to check for any pre-class readings and preparatory learning activities before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 21 July 2025 to 26 October 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 November 2024 Census date 1 September 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 26 September 2025 Assessment period ends 21 November 2025 Semester 2 (Early-Start) contact information
As above
- November
Principal coordinator Kate Fischer-Doherty Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Students must complete at least 15 days of placement at an internship host organisation. Total time commitment 150 hours Teaching period 24 November 2025 to 24 December 2025 Last self-enrol date 8 November 2024 Census date 12 December 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 January 2026 Assessment period ends 30 January 2026 November contact information
As above
Time commitment details
150 hours (including 15 days internship placement, preparation for and completion of all assessment tasks)
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject is taught both on-campus and through a practical placement at an internship host organisation.
This subject is an application-based enrichment subject. Melbourne Law School offers a range of JD elective subjects that provide enrichment opportunities to students. Each of these subjects has its own application process and are not available for students to self-enrol.
For up-to-date details, see the Application-based enrichment subjects Canvas page as well as announcements from the JD LMS Community about applying to enrol in the suite of JD enrichment elective subjects.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
- Links to additional information
Last updated: 4 March 2025