Intern, Legal Affairs

Work Location

The internship is in person in Vienna. Applicants may be requested to undertake the internship remotely in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, international travel and access to UN premises. Applicants should be willing and prepared to undertake the internship remotely for a part or the entirety of the internship.

Expected duration

The positions are for a minimum duration of two months and up to a maximum of six months with various starting dates within the period 1 April – 30 September 2025.

Duties and Responsibilities

The internship is located in the International Trade Law Division, Office of Legal Affairs (ITLD/OLA), United Nations, Vienna (Austria). The Division functions as the substantive secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). UNCITRAL received from the United Nations General Assembly the general mandate to further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of international trade. UNCITRAL has since come to be the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. The activities of UNCITRAL are focused on commercial law and involve only a little interplay with the work of the World Trade Organization (WTO). For more information on UNCITRAL, please visit https://uncitral.un.org. ITLD includes a Legislative Branch and a Non-legislative Section. Those are tasked, respectively, with the development of harmonized legislative texts, and the provision of technical assistance with respect to the adoption and use of UNCITRAL legal texts and coordination among organizations working in the field of international trade law. The objective of the internship is on the one hand to assist the officers of ITLD in fulfilling the mandate of UNCITRAL and on the other hand to provide practical training to the intern. During the internship, the intern will gain experience in international trade law. The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (40 hours) under the direct supervision of professional staff of ITLD in the Legislative and/or Non-Legislative Section. Specific assignments during the internship include: Legislative Branch: • Assisting with the research and preparation of comparative legal studies; • Assisting with the preparation and drafting of legal texts (e.g. draft conventions and model laws), including conducting related background studies; • Undertaking ad hoc legal and administrative assignments as requested. Non-legislative Section: • Contributing to the identification of legislative reform needs and assistance requirements in selected countries and/or sectors; • Assisting with the collection and analysis of case law on UNCITRAL texts; • Assisting with the development and maintenance of the UNCITRAL website; • Assisting with the coordination functions of the Division.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: • Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent). (OFFICIAL WRITTEN PROOF FROM THE UNIVERSITY SUPPORTING ONE OF THE ABOVE POSSIBILITIES MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE INSPIRA APPLICATION); • Be computer literate in standard software applications including word processing, spreadsheets and general research; • Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. Promotes and advocates for the fundamental values, standards, and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for and protection of human rights; and • Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. • Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. It is required that you have an excellent command of English or French. It is desirable that you can manage your time and priorities to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks, which are often time-sensitive. It is desirable that you interact well with people of various social and cultural backgrounds in an occasionally stressful environment. It is desirable that you have knowledge of standard office computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets and general research.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in either English OR French, i.e., oral and written proficiency, is required for the internship. Knowledge of both working languages or of an additional official United Nations language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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