Legal Intern
This is a {Advertised Permanent / Temporary}, {Advertised Full Time / Part Time} vacancy that will close in {x} days at {xx:xx} BST.
The vacancy
Legal - Intern (6 months)
Location: London, SW1Y 5HX
Application Deadline: 2 December 2025, 17:00GMT
We are seeking a highly motivated Legal Intern to join the Legal Counsel’s Office team for six-months internship.
The Legal Counsel’s Office sits within the wider Secretary-General’s Office. It advises the Secretary-General, the Senior Management Committee, and the wider Secretariat on legal considerations arising in the conduct of the Secretariat’s organisational matters, as well as briefing the Governing Boards and Audit Committee on request. Their work spans international organisations law, international administrative law and relevant domestic laws of the UK (as host country) and other Commonwealth jurisdictions.
The internship offers an excellent opportunity for recent graduates to gain practical experience on a wide range of legal and administrative tasks in a professional legal environment.
The Legal Intern’s duties and responsibilities will include:
- conducting legal research on various issues on international, public, private and administrative law and international regulatory best practice.
- assisting in drafting and reviewing legal documents, including contracts, confidentiality agreement and memoranda of understanding.
- preparing and maintaining chronologies and indices/legal bundles of legal matters.
- developing workflows of internal processes, policies, and procedures.
- supporting the Legal Counsel’s Office in preparing for meetings or other activities; and
- assisting with administrative tasks as needed.
To be considered for this internship, the candidate must be between 20 and 30 years of age and have completed a law degree from a recognised university. A postgraduate degree in a relevant legal discipline or currently enrolled in one would be desirable. Demonstrable experience in conducting legal research and document review on legal matters, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, strong IT proficiency and a high attention to detail is required.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 member countries and provides guidance on policy making, technical assistance and advisory services to Commonwealth member countries. We support governments to help achieve sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development.
To join us, you must be a citizen of a Commonwealth member country and have the right to live and work in the UK for the full duration of the internship.
About us
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries.
It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of our members are small states, including many island nations.
Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.
The Commonwealth's roots go back to the British Empire. But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. The last two countries to join the Commonwealth were Gabon and Togo in 2022.
Vision & mission
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation that supports member countries to achieve the Commonwealth's aims of development, democracy and peace.
We:
- are a voice for small and vulnerable states
- champion young people
- promote justice and human rights
- address threats like climate change, debt and inequality
- help grow economies and boost trade
- support decision-makers to make good laws and deliver policies
- help strengthen governance and build inclusive public institutions
- provide technical help and training
- send experts and observers to countries to give impartial advice and help solve national problems
- provide systems, software and research for managing resources.
Our vision
To help create and sustain a Commonwealth that is mutually respectful, resilient, peaceful and prosperous and that cherishes equality, diversity and shared values.
Our mission
We support member governments, and partner with the broader Commonwealth family and others, to improve the well-being of all Commonwealth citizens and to advance their shared interests globally.
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