Amicus internship

hey

ive been offered a six-week internship at Amicus (http://www.amicus-alj.org), a london-based charity that focuses on capital punishment worldwide but mainly in the US. Ive been told the internship will be mainly administrative based.

I am a 2nd year non-law student so do you think this is a good move to reach a TC at a City firm next year?

Reply 1

Schott

denny.crane

It depends what other options you have. This will be an interesting addition tot he CV, but at the same time, it might not be quite as useful, for example, as working as an administrative assistant at a law firm during the summer. As you probably know, City firms don't really do Human Rights or Criminal Law, so it's not directly applicable in that sense.

However, it shows you'll be interested in doing pro-bono work once you join a firm, and you'll probably learn some transferable skills too.

Did you apply for any vacation schemes in the City this year? I think there are about 20 firms or so in the City that take second year non law students.

Hope the internship goes well.

Reply 2

toridunford

I'd die for an opportunity like this, so I would definately go for it.

How did you get the internship so short? Don't they normally ask for a commitment exceeding 3 months? Also, I was under the impression that you could only apply for an internship once you had finished your degree. Is this not correct then?

Reply 3

Aerasay

I think that it will be well looked upon by firms. When I interviewed at city commercial firms they were impressed by my overseas volunteering experience that wasn't related to law at all. law firms like you to have a personality and to stand out. You have still plenty of time to get UK commercial law experience - take the opportunity and enjoy it!

In my interviews I said that I had enjoyed volunteering and would look forward to continuing that in the firms pro bono department. It is a perfectly valid statement.

Reply 4

denny.crane

@tony_ron
i have done 3 internships at mid-sized commercial firms with a lot of exposure to fields like banking and insolvency which are fields i am most interested in. i have no city firm VS offers right now so thought an amicus internship would show adaptability etc.

@toridunford
yes the internships are normally 3 months but another intern is working there until september and there is not much room so the length was reduced. and anyone in uni can apply, however for the US internship they ask for graduates only.

Reply 5

toridunford

Ah I see. If you don't mind me asking how did you go about applying for a UK internship? Was it just the same application form as for the US?

Reply 6

denny.crane

for the UK internship all you need to do is send a CV and covering letter.

Reply 7

zainyk

I have an interview tomorrow (saturday 5th June) with Amicus for an internship in the states. I'm really nervous! Did you get an option as to where you are sent? Which state are you being sent to?

Reply 8

toridunford

Hi, I think denny.crane said that his was just a UK internship. But, from what I have a read from the website, I think you can say in interview if you want to go to a particular state. When were you hoping to actually go over to the States? How long ago did you apply? Sorry if this is a lot of questions, but I am hoping to do the same thing in a few years. :biggrin:

Good luck for tomorrow!

Reply 9

zainyk

On my application i said i would be willing to go anywhere, but i also said i would be suited to a smaller firm that needs more hands on help because of my particular background, so maybe somewhere in the deep south that is very short handed.

I also said on my application that i am able to spend a long period since i have worked previously and am able to finance myself for up to a year. (3 months is the minimum for US interns).

You have to undergo the Amicus training which you sign up for before applying, the next session is in october which i am enrolled in, if i get the internship i expect to start soon after that. Also gives me time to get an internship visa (some say i can take upto 5 months).

Thanks for the good luck!

I will let you know how it goes.

Reply 10

FMQ

toridunford

Good luck for tomorrow!

If you applied for a US internship and can afford to fund it yourself you will definately be offered a spot (unless something is BADLY amis) as they have fewer people able to fund themselves than available slots. I was offered a place but never went as it wasnt practical - ie didnt want to rent my house out.

Reply 11

FMQ

zainyk

Good luck with that - they will love you wanting to go for a year.

Reply 12

toridunford

FMQ: When you applied did you have much experience in the fields of either capital punishment or international human rights as it stipulates on the application form? If so, what kind of things would you suggest undertaking?

Also, what was the structure of the interview etc?

Sorry for all the questions, it just something that I'm really interested in and I want to get as much information as I can! (even though I wont be applying for the next couple of years) :biggrin:

Reply 13

zainyk

Well, i got the position, and have been accepted onto the Amicus internship scheme. They haven't told me where in the States i will be going or who i will be working for yet, but they say they will be in touch soon. Now onto getting my VISA...

Reply 14

toridunford

zainyk

Wow...I'm so jealous! Not to be nosy but how did the interview go...what was it like etc?

Reply 15

zainyk

The interview was in front of a panel of 3, all former interns. Two ladies and one guy, two had been sent to Mississippi and one had gone to Oklahoma. They started by asking me about my CV and my motivation, also checking my understanding of cultural differences between the UK and US. Next they asked me about my understanding of what the internship would entail and finally they gave me a hypothetical situation and asked me what i would do in that situation, in my case it was an inmate who admits his guilt to me and what my reaction would be.

It was pretty informal on the whole and actually it was a good back and forth conversation. The three interviewers were all about my age... the last ten mins was me asking them about their experiences.

I will let you know where they decide to send me once i find out!

Reply 16

General Stink

If anyone's interested, I did an internship in the US with Amicus. It was really good. My interview was over a year ago now but was exactly as zainyk experienced.

Reply 17

toridunford

General Stink

If anyone's interested, I did an internship in the US with Amicus. It was really good. My interview was over a year ago now but was exactly as zainyk experienced.

Hey, where did you do your internship and for how long? Also, what was it like.

Reply 18

TambourineGirl

Original post by denny.crane

Hey danny,

As this was four years ago, I doubt you're still on the site! But if you are, I was wondering if I could ask you about your experience with Amicus, and how things have been going since? I am a recent non-law graduate and I would love to hear more about how the whole thing works.