Office Ready guide
How to Prepare for a Law Internship
A good law intern is not expected to know every answer. They are expected to understand instructions, protect confidential material, research carefully and present work that a senior can review quickly. This guide turns those expectations into a practical preparation plan.
Before the internship begins
Learn the organisation’s main practice areas and read a few recent matters, judgments or public updates connected with its work. This gives context without pretending that you already understand the live files you may receive.
Refresh the tools used for legal research, document comparison, word processing and citation checking. Keep a private task list and a research log ready, but never place client information in an unapproved application or personal cloud account.
- Confirm reporting time, location, dress expectations and the name of your point of contact.
- Prepare a notebook or approved digital task tracker for instructions and deadlines.
- Review confidentiality, conflicts and responsible use of AI tools.
- Practise writing a short research note with a clear question, answer and authority table.
How to receive an assignment
Write down the precise question, jurisdiction, relevant date, preferred sources, output format and deadline. Repeat the assignment back in one sentence so the senior can correct any misunderstanding before work begins.
Ask focused questions when a missing fact could change the answer. Avoid asking the senior to redesign the entire assignment for you after the instructions have already been given.
How to submit useful work
Lead with the answer, then explain the governing rule, strongest authorities, application and remaining uncertainty. Use descriptive file names, preserve the source links or citations you relied on and identify anything you could not verify.
Before submission, check names, dates, defined terms, cross-references, attachments and the requested format. A short, accurate note delivered on time is more useful than a long note whose conclusion is difficult to find.
Professional habits during the internship
- Acknowledge instructions and state when the work will be delivered.
- Give an early warning if the scope or deadline becomes unrealistic.
- Separate confirmed law and facts from assumptions or open questions.
- Accept corrections without defensiveness and record the lesson for the next task.
- Do not discuss client matters outside the authorised team.