“Importance of Internship for Law Students at Law Firms” BY Malvikka Arya

Importance of Internship for Law Students at Law Firms

BY Malvikka Arya              

University School of Law and Legal studies, IP University, Delhi

Importance of Internship for Law Students:

Internships are essential part of student’s development and overall growth. It has been seen in various law colleges that internships are not mandatory till 3^rd Year, but it is on the discretion and interest of the student whether he wishes to do internship before 3^rd Year or not. It has always been recommended that internships should be seriously done which enhances legal skills of a student not just in academics but also at in practicality. A law school teaches us with the basic substantive law which a student needs to know at first in order to become a lawyer, whereas at internships we get an opportunity to learn about the applications of such laws and concepts in the real world.

Internships not only exposes you to the practical life but also helps in building ones resume which accelerates the number of opportunities after the law school. It provides you with an image of the outside professional world. There can be both paid and unpaid internships depending on Firm to Firm and Lawyer to Lawyer.  At various places stipend is provided to the interns on monthly basis whereas there are firms where no stipend is given. At various paid up internships it requires more dedication and long working hours from the interns which may conflict with their college timings. In such cases students are recommended to apply for summer internships where generally they get two months break.

INTERNSHIPS AT LAW FIRMS

• Firm gives knowledge and exposure about various fields in which they have practices which, where further a student can learn and opt for the field of his interest. It might be IPR, Corporate, Litigation etc.
• It lays down an opportunity for a law student to gain familiarity in the legal world and legal practice beyond academics. This familiarity is helpful in making a decision as to whether to attend law school or to pursue a different career course.
• Timings at law firms are longer which helps a student to enhance its work timings and capable of working for longer. It also provides you an opportunity to work with the team which consists of best of associates having immense knowledge and experience at various fields.
• During your internship period you get a chance to interact with other co-interns, understand the significance of group work and compatibility. Being in a professional world such compatibility is mandatory.
• If a student in fascinated towards any particular stream or subject, he may opt for that particular team of his interest so that he may further pursue in that particular field.
• Many law students with the intention to get a Future career opportunities work with the firm for months and with time they get placed in that very particular law firm. Also connecting with talented employees and providers allows the intern to bond with others in their field.

Internships help students get this real-world experience while still in school. Internship programs are a great way to generate more work samples for your professional portfolio and give you real accomplishment stories for your resume and online profiles. Learning new skills in an internship can help you in future employment opportunities and might give you a leg up on your competition in future application processes. Internship experiences provide a valuable opportunity to share your skills with a prospective employer long before the hiring process for an entry-level job occurs.