LAWS382-15SU2 (C) Summer Nov 2015 start

Legal Internship

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 30 November 2015
End Date: Sunday, 31 January 2016
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 13 December 2015
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 10 January 2016

Description

Study of theoretical and practical issues relating to legal services.

This is a skills course in which students are given the opportunity to develop expertise in the real-world environment.  The essence of the course is learning and applying legal and business skills in the workplace, either as a volunteer or as a compensated intern.

Students must have work (paid or voluntary) in a host organisation (which may be a law firm, community group, government organisation or business).  It is the student's responsibility to find the work (whether paid or voluntary).  They will be expected to engage in legal work in that organisation and must work a minimum of 48 hours over the period of the course.

There are a number of internship options, namely:
•  Volunteer or compensated employment in any business, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated employment in any law firm, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated employment in any NGO, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated employment in any government department or agency, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated involvement in any other organisation approved by the Dean, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated involvement in special project approved by the Dean, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated participation in any approved exchange programme with a legal focus;
•  Volunteer or compensated employment in approved court case, doing work with a legal focus;
•  Any other service with a legal focus approved by the Dean.

The type and duration of each internship will be determined by the needs of the host organisation, but a minimum of 48 applied working hours is a requirement for all internships.

Students applying for this course are required to complete the internship application form (page two of which has to be completed by the Host Employer) and provide a short CV, indicating the details of their proposed internship.  

All applications must be submitted via email to:
Mrs Heather Couch: heather.couch@canterbury.ac.nz by the due date advised in the 2015 Enrolment Handbook (for summer school: 16 October 2015).  Students must also Apply to Enrol by the due date (for summer school: 9 November 2015).

Any queries about this programme may be sent to Professor Robin Palmer (robin.palmer@canterbury.ac.nz), or tel 364-2987, ext 8818.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this course are:
•  to provide a gateway between the theoretical and abstract study of law and its more practical application in the practice of law; its application in business settings, and its impact on the community;
•  to train students on the basic elements of professional conduct and behaviour;
•  to enable students to appreciate the influence of law and legal concepts within a wider social and professional environment;
•  to stimulate a critical awareness of the functioning of law and its place within society;
•  to develop basic skills of self-analysis, based on effective self-reflection techniques;
•  to equip a student with the ability to relate academic research in a practical ‘real world’ setting.

Learning Outcomes

  • Upon successful completion of this course, students will have:
  •  Developed professionally relevant competencies and relationships in a professional setting.
  •  Observed and understood a professional organisational culture by reflecting on personal performance and experiences.
  •  Applied academic knowledge and skills to critically reflect on their experiences through a research-led process focused on a particular topic.
  •  Acquired a range of new skills and knowledge, and have developed the ability to assess how the internship experience impacted on their personal and professional value-system.

Prerequisites

(i)LAWS101; and (ii) LAWS110; and (iii) Subject to approval of Head of School.

Co-requisites

Course Coordinator

Robin Palmer

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Five Part Introduction 14 Dec 2015 10%
Essay 29 Jan 2016 65%
Reflective Journal 29 Jan 2016 25%
Topic Finalisation 23 Nov 2015
Host's Assessment 29 Jan 2016


Assessment will be by way:
Topic Finalisation, (due Monday 23 November 2015);
a 5-part Introduction to the Essay (due Monday 14 December 2015, worth 10%);
a weekly Journal, detailing the pivotal points of each week’s experiences (due Friday 29 January 2016, 2,000-3,000 words, worth 25%);
a Research Essay, on a topic to be approved by the Programme Director (due Friday 29 January 2016, 4,000-5,000 words, worth 65%); and
an employer evaluation of competency (due Friday 29 January 2016, mandatory requirement).

An orientation meeting will be held on Thursday 26 November at 2pm, venue to be advised.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $737.00

International fee $3,450.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 20

For further information see Faculty of Law .

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