Internship course provides valuable experience
An internship course is providing international LLM students at Te Kauhanganui Tātai Ture—Faculty of Law with valuable ‘real world’ work experience.
The Faculty of Law is seeking to increase its internship courses in line with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s promotion of ‘Work Integrated Learning’ (WIL). Held in Trimester 2, the 20-point course provides students with a unique opportunity to experience the day-to-day goings-on of a New Zealand legal workplace.
The faculty internship coordinator, Associate Professor Kate Tokeley, works to find each student an individual placement that is a good fit for that student’s legal interests.
“Students are placed in private law firms, government departments, the courts, community law centres, and other suitable organisations,” she says. “In 2023 we had students from Germany, Austria, Hong Kong, and India doing internships in places as varied as the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand, the criminal prosecution team at Luke Cunningham Clere, and the independent consumer rights organisation Consumer NZ.”
The course includes a component of legal/policy research and analytical writing, and students are assessed based on the work they produce at the workplace, an internship journal, and a presentation to fellow intern students about the internship experience.
“They share their thoughts on why they decided to do an internship, what the day-to-day work of the organisation involves, the kind of work they have been doing, how the New Zealand law and work environment is different to their home country, and whether the internship has influenced the kind of work they would like to pursue in their careers,” says Associate Professor Tokeley.
Faculty of Law Dean, Professor Lee Godden, believes Te Herenga Waka’s unique location at the heart of the country’s legislative and political centre allows for unparalleled opportunities to leverage connections with the profession and with industry.
“Creating opportunities for students to engage with the profession and apply classroom learning helps them understand the law in its social context, making it come alive. This boosts their confidence and prepares them for the workforce,” she says.
The Faculty also seeks to offer WIL opportunities—such as an internship course and/or a clinical experience—for its undergraduate students.
Te Herenga Waka is proudly co-hosting a conference around the theme of Work Integrated Learning—the WILNZ Conference—which will take place at the Pipitea campus on 9-10 April 2024.
This year’s theme—‘Thriving Together’—sets the framework for WIL practitioners and academics from around Aotearoa and abroad to discuss new ideas, best practice, and innovative research.
A free Student Showcase will be held on Monday 8 April from 4–5.30 pm in the Mezzanine foyer of Rutherford House on the Pipitea campus. Students will share their unique experiences of completing WIL placements, internships or projects, and their next steps. All are welcome.
Visit the WILNZ Conference 2024 page online for more information and registration details.