Internships in the Singapore Legal Service
The Singapore Legal Service offers internships to law undergraduates and JD students studying for a recognised law degree - as stipulated under the Legal Profession Act (Qualified Persons Rules) - at the NUS, the SMU or a Scheduled University.
2 The internships are offered twice annually and have been designed to coincide with the vacation periods of major law schools/institutions in each academic year: May to Sep; and Dec to the following Feb.
3 All applicants would need to complete an “Internship Application Form” (please click here for the said form). All applicants are requested to kindly review the “Guidance Notes” (set out in the said form) before completing and submitting an application. All applicants are also requested to clearly indicate the internship cycle(s) they are applying for.
4 We shall appreciate it if applicants would please kindly note the following in connection with data protection:
(a) all applications would need to be completed and submitted within three
weeks (this is in view that any "saved" drafts that are not "submitted" within
three weeks from the date that the application is "started" in the system would
be "automatically purged" and a fresh/new application would be required);
(b) all applications that are received would,
within two weeks from
submission by the applicant,
be "automatically purged";
and
(c) all drafts of applications that are currently "saved" and/or "residing" in
the system and have not been "submitted" would be "automatically purged"
by 18 Jan 2021.
5 Please note that the current framework is that all interns are eligible for a monthly “internship allowance”. The quantum of the said monthly “internship allowance” will be pro-rated - based on the number of actual working hours in the month that the intern undertook the internship.
6 All queries may be directed to the Internship Manager of the Singapore Legal Service (currently Mr Bryan Ng) at lsc_sec@lsc.gov.sg.
Singapore Legal Service Internship Programme 2020/2021
There are two internship cycles: one in mid-2020 (May – Sep) and another in late-2020/early-2021 (Dec 2020 – Feb 2021). All applicants are to clearly indicate the internship cycle(s) they are applying for.
2 Please note that all applications would be processed upon the close of the deadlines set out below:
(a) mid-2020 cycle: 16 Feb 2020
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by
Apr/May 2020; and
(b) late-2020/early-2021 cycle: 31 Aug 2020
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by
Oct/Nov 2020.
3 The following internship positions are available in mid-2020 and/or late-2020/ early-2021:
ACRA
| Expectations | You will be exposed to the work of ACRA relating to its regulation of businesses, companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, corporate service providers and public accountants. You should be able to obtain a better understanding of the procedures and administrative practices under the legislation administered by ACRA and of some of the policy, registration, filing and compliance issues faced by ACRA. You will be attached principally to assist the Legal Service Officers (LSOs) in ACRA but you may also be asked to observe and to assist other ACRA officers in the course of their work. You should be prepared to contribute and assist in legal research or legal policy projects, which may involve researching the law and practice of foreign jurisdictions. You may be asked to prepare legal and policy briefs under the guidance of the LSOs. You should be interested in business law or in the regulation of business entities. |
| Eligibility | 3rd & 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | May – Sep 2020
|
| Duration | 1 month. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Attorney-General's Chambers
| Expectations | In 2020, the Attorney-General’s Chambers will be offering two 3-week internship programmes, designed to introduce interns to what AGC does, and to find out how Legal Service Officers (LSOs) in the AGC make a difference every day. AGC’s internship programme gives interns broad exposure to our work as the Public Prosecutor and Legal Advisor to the Government. Interns will be rotated to the Crime Division, the Civil Division, the International Affairs Division, and the Legislation Division. Through a comprehensive and structured programme, interns will be directly exposed to a wide range of advisory, legislative drafting, prosecution, litigation and negotiation work, and will meet and work alongside many of our LSOs. Besides having a chance to observe real-life criminal prosecutions and civil litigation, interns will also be exposed to the seldom-seen, behind-the-scenes deliberations that shape and inform the Attorney-General’s / Public Prosecutor’s decisions. Apart from observing and assisting, interns will also have the opportunity to hone their litigation, advocacy, negotiation, advisory and drafting skills in simulated exercises based on real-life cases. To answer any questions and to give deeper insight into life at AGC, supervising mentors will be assigned to interns for the entire internship programme. |
| Eligibility | Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are undergoing any course of study in the law, whether at local or overseas Scheduled Universities. Applicants must be in at least the second year of their law course. Internship places are limited and applicants will be considered on a competitive basis. AGC is looking for dynamic and committed individuals who are interested or considering a career in public service. We also seek interns who possess leadership qualities and extra-curricular or community-service experience, beyond purely academic ability. Interested applicants should fill up and return the attached AGC Internship Application Form, in addition to the cover letter, CV and academic transcripts (as set out in the “Guidance Notes” on the application webpage). Applicants are advised to give careful thought to their application submissions.
|
| Period of Internship | Choose between: i) 25 May – 12 Jun 2020 or ii) 13 Jul – 31 Jul 2020 Interns will be required to commit to the full period (ie, all 14 working days) of the selected internship run. |
Competition & Consumer Commission of Singapore
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCCS”) is a statutory board of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. CCCS administers and enforces the Competition Act (Cap. 50B) which empowers CCCS to investigate and adjudicate anti-competitive activities, issue directions to stop and/or prevent anti-competitive activities and impose financial penalties. CCCS is also the administering agency of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (Cap. 52A) which protects consumers against unfair trade practices in Singapore. Our mission is to make markets work well to create opportunities and choices for business and consumers in Singapore.
CCCS’s Legal & Enforcement Divisions provide CCCS with the legal and enforcement expertise necessary for CCCS to perform the functions and discharge the duties under the Competition Act. Legal officers are actively involved in conducting investigations, advising other government agencies on competition matters and analysing the merits of notifications for guidance or decision, and merger filings. In addition, Legal officers also undertake critical review of the Competition Act, subsidiary legislation and CCCS’s guidelines and perform in-house legal advisory work required in the execution of CCCS’s functions and represent CCCS in all court and appeal proceedings.
| Expectations | Interns in CCCS are given responsibilities, with opportunities to experience real-work assignments / projects under professional guidance. During your internship, you will be given the opportunity to observe and participate in the work undertaken by the Legal & Enforcement Divisions. Besides contributing to legal and industry research, you may also participate in reviews of the relevant legislation and guidelines; and where appropriate, you may be involved in case investigations and policy projects. |
| Eligibility | Rising 3rd and 4th year law students with keen interest in competition law preferred. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i.) May – Sep 2020
ii.) Dec 2020 – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 4 – 12 weeks. Interested applicants should be able to commit for at least 1 month for the internship. |
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
| Project | Scope | Special Requirements | Attachment Period |
| Legal Department | Provide support drafting, research & analysis in the following areas:
a. International IP
work:
i.Preparatory work
for ongoing
negotiations for
FTAs and/or multi-
lateral treaties with
an IP-focus ii. Preparatory work
for meetings in
the international
fora (WTO, WIPO,
and bilaterals)
b. Domestic IP work:
i. Supporting
legislative reform
in Singapore in
the area of IP, or
related laws
ii. Support policy
development on
specific IP issues
(e.g. limitations &
exceptions for
copyright;
collective
management of
copyright)
c. In-house counsel
work: i. Drafting and/or
reviewing of
contracts,
external
publications, etc.
ii. Providing
research to
support the
provision of legal
advice
The candidate may also be required to assist in vetting and/or proof-reading draft practice guidelines and legislation where required. | Candidates must:
(a) have completed
their third year of
study;
(b) have studied at
least one course
on IP law; and
(c) be able to provide
a letter of
recommendation
from one their IP
Professors. Candidates who have taken more than one course on IP law, or who have past internship and/or work experience relating to IP law, will have an added advantage.
Given the sensitive nature of the work, internship applicants should be Singapore citizens.
| Candidates are invited to apply for an internship during the Dec 2020 – Feb 2021 period for a duration of 4-6 weeks per intern.
Candidates should preferably specify the exact period of commitment, and provide alternative periods where possible. |
Insolvency & Public Trustee’s Office
| Expectations | You will be exposed to the work of a Legal Service Officer (LSO) who is posted to IPTO, a department of the Ministry of Law, to perform duties of providing legal advice and other legal services to the department in the discharge of their statutory functions and duties relating to individual and corporate insolvency, the Public Trustee and the regulation of moneylenders and pawnbrokers. You may also be asked to conduct legal research and write an opinion on issues arising in the course of the work of IPTO and may be able to accompany LSOs to Court to observe their legal proceedings. |
| Eligibility | 1st – 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) May 2020
ii) Dec 2020 |
| Duration | At least 1 month.
All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Judicial Internship Programme
| Department | Supreme Court | State Courts |
| Expectations | You should have an interest in joining the Singapore Legal Service. You will sit in with registrars on a wide variety of hearings conducted in the Supreme Court, including interlocutory applications such as summary judgment hearings and discovery applications. You will also have the opportunity to sit in at pre-trial conferences, observe open court hearings and gain an insight into the process of court administration. You may be required to assist in some project or research work undertaken by the Judiciary. | You will have the opportunity to observe open court proceedings in the registries and court rooms of the State Courts and gain an insight into the process of court administration. You will also have the opportunity to meet Judicial Officers for fireside chats and attend Master Classes for criminal and civil law cases. |
| Eligibility | Rising final or penultimate year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Batch 1
State Courts: 29 Jun – 3 Jul 2020
Supreme Court: 6 Jul – 10 Jul 2020 Batch 2 (dates are currently tentative)
State Courts: 11 Jan – 15 Jan 2021
Supreme Court: 18 Jan – 22 Jan 2021 |
| Duration | All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Legal Aid Bureau
The Legal Aid Bureau was set up to assist indigent persons in need of legal help.
Our services cover a wide range of matters, including divorces, adoptions, guardianship, committee of persons and estates, variation and enforcement applications, claims for maintenance, wrongful dismissals, motor and industrial accident claims, probate and letters of administration, tenancy disputes and monetary claims.
| Expectations | You will get a firsthand experience in drafting legal documents, doing legal research, interviewing applicants and assisting in putting up opinions for the Legal Aid Board. You will also receive a guided orientation into the workings of the Legal Aid Bureau. All interns will have the opportunity to work independently under the guidance and supervision of a Legal Service Officer (LSO). You will also get the chance to accompany LSOs to Court to observe Court proceedings. This includes sitting in at court hearings, attending status conferences / pre-trial conferences / mediations and experiencing video-link hearings. You will also get the chance to sit in at the legal advice sessions given by our LSOs at the Legal Aid Bureau. Your internship at the Legal Aid Bureau will provide you with a wide exposure not just in the area of legal work but also the fulfilling personal experience in helping others. |
| Eligibility | 2nd and 3rd year law students. |
| Period of Internship | NUS
i) 18 May – 5 Jun 2020
ii) 29 Jun – 17 Jul 2020
SMU
i) 27 Apr – 15 May 2020
ii) 8 Jun – 26 Jun 2020 U.K.
i) 20 Jul – 7 Aug 2020
ii) 11 Aug – 28 Aug 2020
Australia / N.Z.
i) 4 Jan – 22 Jan 2021
|
| Duration | 3 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Legal Unit, Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth
The Legal Unit provides legal services to all the departments of the Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY), including the National Youth Council, the Charities Unit and the Registry of Co-operative Societies and Mutual Benefit Organisations. Thus, our work covers a variety of subject areas, including Regulatory and Corporate law, Trust law and Charities law.
| Expectations | You will be invited to contribute and assist in vetting/drafting contracts (including funding agreements and deeds) and MOU, advisory work, devising legal strategies, and undertaking legal analysis and research. |
| Eligibility | Any law undergraduate. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) Jun – Sep 2020
ii) Jan – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 6 – 8 weeks. Interested applicants should commit to at least 1 month for this internship. |
Legal Services, Ministry of Communications & Information
| Expectations | Interns will undertake research and/or work assignments on topics relevant to MCI's functions and operations. Such topics include contracts, data protection, info-communications and media, cybersecurity, and administrative and constitutional law. Interns are expected to be able to perform research and work independently, and to produce written work. |
| Eligibility | Applicants should be at least a 2nd year law student, and a Singapore citizen. It will be an advantage if you have studied contract law, administrative and constitutional law, IT law and/or media law. |
| Period of Internship | Dec 2020 – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 2 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Education
| Expectations | Candidates must be keen to learn and understand the role of a Ministry in-house legal counsel and the legal issues dealt with by MOE’s Legal Services Branch. |
| Eligibility | Rising 3rd and 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) May – Aug 2020
ii) Dec 2020 – Jan 2021 |
| Duration | 4 weeks.
All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship |
Legal Services Unit, Ministry of Social & Family Development
| Expectations | - Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Good research skills
- Strong in written English
- Ability to work independently, with display of initiative
[The intern will undertake research and work assignments relating to the legal aspects of MSF’s functions and operations. This may include the areas of family law, adoption, child protection, intellectual property and contracts.] |
| Eligibility | At least 2nd year law students. Should preferably have studied some or all of the following subjects: Contract law, Administrative and Constitutional law, Family law. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) May – Sep 2020
ii) Jan – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 4 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted must be able to commit for at least 4 weeks. |
Legal Division, Ministry of Home Affairs
The MHA Legal Division renders legal advice to the Divisions in the Ministry Headquarters as well as the Home Team agencies, which include the Singapore Police Force, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Singapore Prison Service, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Central Narcotics Bureau.
| Expectations | Interns will be exposed to the wide range of legal work handled by the Legal Division. You will have the opportunity to draft advice, carry out legal research, and assist in the vetting/drafting of agreements. Visits to various Home Team agencies will also be arranged. |
| Eligibility | Singapore Citizens. 3rd and 4th year law students preferred. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) 6 Jul – 17 Jul 2020
ii) 4 Jan – 15 Jan 2021 |
| Duration | 2 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Legal Services Department, Ministry of Defence
| Expectations | Interns will be exposed to the wide spectrum of work handled by the Legal Services Department, which includes matters relating to contract, tort, and areas of law unique to the Ministry of Defence such as the administration of Military Justice.
Interns will assist the Department in carrying out research and work assignments and will be given the opportunity to observe the conduct of General Court Martial proceedings. |
| Eligibility | Singapore Citizens. 3rd and 4th year law students preferred. |
| Period of Internship | Jul 2020 |
| Duration | 4 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Ministry of Law
The Ministry of Law strives to advance access to justice, the rule of law, the economy and the society through the development of policy and law.
| Expectations | Interns will assist the legal departments on various initiatives and will undertake research and policy analysis on domestic and international legal policy. This will cover substantive areas such as civil and criminal justice, family law, legal industry, land, intellectual property, community, human rights and international law. Interns can expect to: embark on rigorous legal research and analysis; study developing trends and practices in other countries; assist with statistical collation and analysis; do cross-jurisdictional comparative studies; and witness how such knowledge is applied in policy-making. |
| Eligibility | 2nd – 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) May – Sep 2020
ii) Dec 2020 – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 4 – 6 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit for at least 4 weeks. |
Legal Office, Ministry of Health
| Expectations | To conduct legal research on a diverse range of legal issues including contract law, tort law, criminal law and administrative law. To assist in vetting the Ministry's contracts and other legal documents. To assist on files concerning regulatory offences under MOH’s purview. |
| Eligibility | To minimally have completed modules on Contract law and Tort law.It would be good if student has completed an Administrative law and/or Criminal law module(s). |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available: Mid–2020 (i.e. May – Sep 2020) Interns are to commit for an internship of up to 8 weeks.
Late–2020/early–2021 (i.e. Dec 2020 – Feb 2021) Interns are to commit for a 4-week internship. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit for the stated duration.
|
Legal Services Division, Ministry of Manpower
| Expectations | You will undertake research. You may also be involved in case analysis and discussion and may also have the opportunity to assist in a trial. |
| Eligibility | 1st to 4th year law students. Applicants should have completed a course in criminal law. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) May – Sep 2020
ii) Jan – Feb 2021 |
| Duration | 1 month. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Singapore Land Authority
| Expectations | You will gain insights into the work and practices of SLA in areas such as land registration, land survey, land alienation and management of State land and property. You will have a better understanding, gain a broader perspective and knowledge of the procedures under the various legislation administered by SLA, e.g. Land Titles Act, Residential Property Act, Boundaries and Survey Maps Act, State Lands Act and State Lands Encroachments Act. You will also work closely with the Legal Counsels in SLA to help provide legal advice on policy and operational issues to the various divisions. You should be prepared to contribute and assist in legal research or legal policy projects (which may involve researching the law and practice of foreign jurisdictions) and you may be asked to prepare legal and policy briefs under the guidance of the Legal Counsels. At the end of the internship, you will appreciate the realistic expectations of the work in a legal environment and you can revel in the experience of working with issues that touch and concern land – a limited resource in Singapore. |
| Eligibility | Rising 3rd & 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) Mid–2020
ii) Early–2021 |
| Duration | 3 to 4 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |
Senior Officers’ Law Clerk Programme
| Expectations | You will have the opportunity to observe open court proceedings in the registries and court rooms of the State Courts and gain an insight into the process of court administration. You will also have the opportunity to meet Judicial Officers for fireside chats and attend Master Classes for criminal and civil law cases. |
| Eligibility | Rising final or penultimate year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) 29 Jun – 21 Aug 2020
ii) 11 Jan – 5 Mar 2021 (dates are currently tentative) |
| Duration | All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit for 2 months. |
Family Justice Courts
| Expectations | Interns will have the opportunity to sit in with Judicial Officers and observe open court proceedings in the Family Court and the Youth Court as well as hearings in Chambers. Interns will also have the opportunity to understand court administration process and framework. Interns may also be asked to assist in project work undertaken by their respective Judicial Officers mentors or other Judicial Officers as may be required. |
| Eligibility | 1st – 4th year law students. |
| Period of Internship | Choose between either one of the two windows available:
i) 6 Jul – 31 Jul 2020
ii) 4 Jan – 29 Jan 2021 |
| Duration | 4 weeks. All applicants who wish to be shortlisted for an internship must be able to commit to the full period/duration of the internship. |