Legal Research Internship Access Scheme
The Legal Research Intern Access Scheme has been created to provide internship opportunities in the Law Reform Commission, Office of the Attorney General and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for current final year students in law who come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds or have disabilities.
The internships will provide successful applicants with paid work experience in a legal environment and the opportunity to develop skills and confidence as part of a research team.
The aim of the access internship is to increase diversity in the legal profession and to improve access to opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds. Through the access internship, we seek to promote greater diversity in the legal sector. We are mindful of the evidence of indirect barriers to entry to the legal professions which are likely to impact on socio-economically disadvantaged groups in particular (Hook Tangaza (2018) Review of Legal Practitioner Education and Training).
Public bodies in Ireland have a responsibility to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and other affected by their policies and procedures. This is a statutory obligation known as the Public Sector Duty for Equality and Human Rights. The statutory duty is set out in Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act. While the Law Reform Commission, Office of the Attorney General and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions are equal opportunities employers, we have created this access scheme to further promote equality.
Successful candidates will be placed on a panel in order of merit.
Role of a Legal Research Intern
The role of the Legal Research Intern will vary depending on which organisation they are placed in. Under the supervision of an assigned manager and mentor, the Legal Research Intern will:
- complete research tasks;
- assist with preparing or prepare memorandums, presentations, case notes, papers, reports, and notes of meetings, as the case may be;
- attend and participate at conferences and meetings, both internally and externally with stakeholders where required; and
- undertake such other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the Law Reform Commission, the Office of the Attorney General or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
President of the Law Reform Commission, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, introduces the Legal Research Access Internship Scheme 2023 and wishes candidates the best of luck:
Insights and advice from some of the 2021 and 2022 Legal Research Access Internship Scheme interns:
Application form and interview tips for prospective applicants:
Please find the Information Booklet for this position here.
Please find the Application Form for this position here.
Frequently Asked Questions: Legal Research Access Internship Scheme
- How do I know if I am eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?
To be eligible for this internship access scheme, you must be a final year undergraduate law student and:
(a) have entered an undergraduate degree in law in a Higher Education Institution in Ireland through an Access Programme; and/or
(b) be registered with, and in receipt of supports from, the Disability Support Service in your Higher Education Institution.
If you do not fall into (a) or (b) above, you are not eligible for this internship access scheme.
- What is an Access Programme/Route?
“Access Programme / Access Route” includes a variety of higher education initiatives which support access to third-level education, for example, the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR), Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) and other access initiatives which are local and specific to individual Higher Education Institutions and which cater to both school leavers and mature years’ students.
Mature years' students are defined as those aged 23 years or over prior to entry date and who have no previous undergraduate Level 8 qualification.
Access initiatives which are local and specific to individual Higher Education Institutions include being admitted to an Institution’s Access Programme and awarded funding to complete an undergraduate degree by the Institution despite not having entered through the HEAR or DARE Access Programmes. This includes opportunity scholarships awarded by a Higher Education Institution to those who would have been unable to afford to study an undergraduate degree at the Institution without the scholarship.
If you were registered with, and receiving supports from, the Disability Support Service in your Higher Education Institution in this academic year, you are also eligible to apply for the access internship. If you are still unsure about whether you are eligible to apply for the internship, please email internship@lawreform.ie.
- What documents do I need to provide with my application?
You need to provide a letter from the Access Office in the relevant Higher Education Institution stating that you accessed an undergraduate degree as part of a specified Access Programme/Route e.g., the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) or Disability Access Route to Education (DARE). The letter must refer to you by name.
If you entered an undergraduate degree through an access initiative other than HEAR/DARE, you must provide a letter from the Access Office in the relevant Higher Education Institution stating that you accessed an undergraduate degree through that local initiative specifying the initiative and whether it involved the awarding of funding, for example, through a Student Assistance Fund or scholarship. The letter must refer to you by name.
OR
You need to provide a letter confirming that you are registered with, and receiving supports from, a Disability Support Service in a Higher Education Institution in Ireland. The letter must refer to you by name.
- If I am studying for a postgraduate degree in Ireland for which I received a scholarship or funding, but I did not enter an undergraduate degree in Ireland through an Access Programme/am not registered with, and receiving supports from, a Disability Support Service, am I eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?
No, you are ineligible.
- If I am in the final year of a degree programme in a subject/discipline other than law, am I eligible to apply for this access internship?
You must be in the final year of a degree programme in law or a degree programme in which law is a major component (for example: a BA in Legal Studies/Law with another discipline is a degree programme in which law is a major component). You must also meet the criteria specified in the response to Q1. above.
- If I am in any year other than the final year of a degree programme in law, am I eligible to apply for this access internship?
You must be in the final year of an undergraduate degree programme in law or a programme in which law is a major component. You must also meet the criteria specified in the response to Q1. above.
- If I entered an undergraduate degree in a Higher Education Institution through an Access Programme/was registered with a Disability Support Service and have undertaken FE1 exams in the 2022/2023 academic year, am I eligible to apply for this internship access scheme?
No, you are ineligible.
- If I entered an undergraduate degree in a Higher Education Institution through an Access Programme/was registered with a Disability Support Service and am now studying (2021/2022-2023/2024) for the Barrister-at-Law degree at the King’s Inns, am I eligible to apply for this internship scheme?
No, you are ineligible.
Intéirneacht Taighde Dlí Chothromais
Tá an intéirneacht chothromais dírithe go sonrach ar mhic léinn ó chúlraí faoi mhíbhuntáiste socheacnamaíoch nó ar mhic léinn faoi mhíchumas. Is í aidhm an intéirnacht chothromais éagsúlacht sa dlí agus cothromas teachta ar deiseanna ghairmiúil sa dlí a mhéadú d’iarrthóirí faoi mhíbhuntáiste. Tabharfaidh an intéirneacht taithí oibre do mhic léinn i dtimpeallacht dlí, chun scileannea agus muinín a forbairt mar chuid d’fhoireann taighde.
Leis an intéirneacht chothromais, táimíd ag iarradh níos mó éagsúlachta a spreagadh i ngairm an dlí agus éagsúlacht níos mó a chur chun cinn san earnáil dlí. Tugaimid an bhfianaise ar bhacainní indíreacha ar iontráil chuig gairmeacha dlí faoi deara agus an tionchar ar ghrúpaí atá faoi mhíbhuntáiste socheacnamaíoch go háirithe (Athbhreithniú Hook Tangaza (2018) ar Oideachas agus Oiliúint Cleachtóirí Dlí).
Tá sé de fhreagracht ar gach comhlacht poiblí in Éirinn comhionannas a chur chun cinn, idirdhealú a chosc agus cearta daonna a bhfostaithe, a gcustaiméirí, lucht úsáidte a seirbhísí agus gach duine a dtéann a gcuid beartas agus pleananna i bhfeidhm orthu a chosaint. Is oibleagáid dhlíthiúil é sin, ar a dtugtar Dualgas na hEarnála Poiblí um Chomhionannas agus Cearta an Duine, agus d’eascair sé as Alt 42 den Acht fá Choimisiún na hÉireann um Chearta an Duine agus Comhionannas, 2014. Cé go bhfuil Coimisiún Athchóirithe Dlí, Oifig an Ard-Aighne agus Oifig an Stiúrthóra Ionchúiseamh Poiblí tiomanta do pholasaí deis comhionann, cruthaíodh an intéirneacht chothromais chun comhionannas a chur chun cinn tuilleadh.
Cuirfear na hiarrthóirí rathúla ar phainéal in ord fiúntais. D’fhéadfaí deiseanna intéirneachta rochtana a thairiscint d’iarrthóirí in Oifig an Ard-Aighne freisin.
Ról Intéirnach
Braithfidh ról an Intéarnach Taighde Dlí air an eagraíoacht ina bhfuil siad lonnaithe. Faoi mhaoirseacht bainisteora agus meantóra sannta, beidh an Intéirneach Taighde Dlí:
- Ag déanamh tascanna taighde;
- Ag tabhairt cúnamh le hullmhú, nó ag ullmhú, meamraim, láithreoireachtí, nótaí cáis, páipéir, tuarascálacha, agus nótaí cruinnithe, de réir mar is gá;
- Ag freastal agus ag glacadh páirt i gcomhdhálacha agus i gcruinnithe go hinmheánach agus go seachtrach araon le geallsealbhóirí nuair is gá,
- Dualgais eile a dhéanamh de réir agus a bhíonn siad sannta ó am go ham ag an gCoimisiún, Oifig an Ard-Aighne nó Oifig an Stiúrthóra Ionchúiseamh Poiblí.
Nuair atá an Intéirneach Taighde Dlí lonnaithe i gCoimisiúin um Athchóiriú an Dlí, cuirfidh an Coimisiún a rannchuidiú i leith nuair a fhoilseofar Páipéar Comhairliúcháin nó Tuarascáil ar thionscadal ábhartha.
Faigh an Leabhrán Faisnéise don phost seo anseo.
Faigh an Fhoirm Iarratais don phost seo anseo.
Ceisteanna Coitianta - Intéirneacht Taighde Dlí Chothromais
- Conas a bheidh a fhios agam an bhfuilim i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?
Le bheith incháilithe don scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo, ní mór duit a bheith i do mhac léinn fochéime sa bhliain deireanach, agus
(a) ní mór go ndeachaigh tú isteach in ollscoil in Éirinn chun staidéar a dhéanamh ar an dlí trí Chlár Rochtana; agus/nó
(b) ní mór duit a bheith cláraithe leis an tSeirbhís Tacaíochta Míchumais i d'Institiúid Ardoideachais agus ag fáil tacaíochtaí uaithi.
Mura dtagann tú faoi (a) nó (b) thuas, níl tú incháilithe don scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo.
- Cad é Clár / Bealach Rochtana?
Cuimsíonn “Clár Rochtana / Bealach Rochtana” réimse tionscnamh ardoideachais a thacaíonn le rochtain ar oideachas tríú leibhéal, mar shampla an Bealach Teachta ar Ardoideachas (HEAR), an Bealach Teachta Míchumais ar Oideachas (DARE) agus rochtain eile tionscnaimh atá áitiúil agus sainiúil d’Institiúidí Ardoideachais aonair agus a fhreastalaíonn ar lucht fágála scoile agus ar mhic léinn aibí araon.
Sainmhínítear mic léinn aibí blianta mar mhic léinn 23 bliana d’aois nó níos sine roimh an dáta iontrála agus nach bhfuil aon cháilíocht fochéime Leibhéal 8 acu roimhe seo.
Áirítear mar thionscnaimh rochtana atá áitiúil agus sainiúil d’institiúidí ardoideachais aonair cláir rochtana na n-institiúidí féin, agus maoiniú a dhámhachtain ag na n-institiúidí chun céim fochéime a chríochnú (in ainneoin nár iontráil siad trí na Cláir Rochtana HEAR nó DARE). Áirítear leis sin scoláireachtaí deise bhronnaithe ag Institiúid Ardoideachais orthu siúd nach mbeadh ar a gcumas staidéar a dhéanamh ar chéim fochéime san Institiúid gan an scoláireacht.
Más rud é nach bhfuil a fhios agat fós má tá tú incháilithe don intéirneacht, seol ríomhphost le do thoil: internship@lawreform.ie
- Cad iad na doiciméid a chaithfidh mé a sholáthar le m'iarratas?
Ní mór duit litir a sholáthar ón Oifig Rochtana san Institiúid Ardoideachais ábhartha ag deimhniúgo bhfuair tú rochtain ar chéim fochéime mar chuid de Chlár / Bealach Rochtana sonraithe m.sh., an Bealach Rochtana Ardoideachais (HEAR) nó an Bealach Rochtana Míchumais ar Oideachas (DARE). Caithfidh an litir tagairt a dhéanamh duit de réir ainm.
Má tá cúrsa céim fochéime déanta agat trí Chlár Rochtana/thionscnamh rochtana seachas HEAR / DARE, ní mór duit litir a sholáthar ón Oifig Rochtana san Institiúid Ardoideachais ábhartha ag deimhniú go ndeachaigh tú go hInstitiúid Ardoideachais tríd an tionscnamh áitiúil sin ag sonrú an tionscnaimh agus an raibh baint aige leis an maoiniú a dhámhachtain, mar shampla, trí Chiste Cúnaimh do Mhic Léinn nó scoláireacht. Caithfidh an litir tagairt a dhéanamh duit de réir ainm.
NÓ
Ní mór duit litir a sholáthar ag dearbhú go bhfuil tú cláraithe le, agus ag fáil tacaíochtaí ó, Seirbhís Tacaíochta Míchumais in Institiúid Ardoideachais in Éirinn. Caithfidh an litir tagairt a dhéanamh duit de réir ainm.
- Má táim ag staidéar do chéim iarchéime in Éirinn a bhfuair mé scoláireacht nó maoiniú ina leith, ach níor iontráil mé céim fochéime in Éirinn trí Chlár Rochtana / Bealach, / níl mé cláraithe le, agus ag fáil tacaíochtaí ó, Seirbhís Tacaíochta Míchumais, an bhfuil mé incháilithe iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?
Níl, níl tú incháilithe.
- Má táim sa bhliain dheireanach de chlár céime in ábhar/disciplín seachas an dlí, an bhfuilim i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh ar an intéirneacht rochtana seo?
Ní mór duit a bheith sa bhliain dheireanach de chlár céime sa dlí nó i gclár céime ina bhfuil an dlí ina phríomh-chomhpháirt (mar shampla: is clár céime é BA sa Staidéar Dlí/Dlí le disciplín eile ina bhfuil an dlí mar phríomh-chomhpháirt) nó mac léinn iarchéime dlí, (mar shampla BA i staidéar dlí nó dlí le disciplín eile ina bhfuil an dlí mar phríomhábhar). Ní mór duit na critéir atá sonraithe sa fhreagra ar C1 a chomhlíonadh freisin. os cionn.
- Má tá mé i mbliain ar bith seachas an bhliain deiridh de chlár céime dlí, an bhfuilim i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh ar an intéirneacht rochtana seo?
Ní mór duit a bheith sa bhliain deiridh de chéim dlí ina bhfuil an dlí mar phríomhábhar. Ní mór duit na critéir atá sonraithe sa fhreagra ar C1 a chomhlíonadh freisin.
- Má chuaigh mé isteach i mbunchéim in Institiúid Ardoideachais trí Chlár Rochtana/go raibh mé cláraithe le Seirbhís Tacaíochta Míchumais agus má rinne mé scrúduithe FE1 sa bhliain acadúil 2022/2023, an bhfuilim i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh ar an scéim rochtana intéirneachta seo?
Níl, níl tú incháilithe.
- Má chuaigh mé isteach i mbunchéim in Institiúid Ardoideachais trí Chlár Rochtana / má bhí mé cláraithe le Seirbhís Tacaíochta Míchumais agus má táim ag staidéar anois (2021/2022-2022/2023) don chéim Abhcóide Dlí ag Óstaí an Rí, an bhfuilim i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh. don scéim intéirneachta seo?
Níl, níl tú incháilithe.