DCU School of Law and Government in Dublin has now formally incorporated an internship/placement programme into its Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree.

The law (BCL) internship programme runs officially for the full academic year, from September to April each year, with many students being kept on after this period.

Year three

The programme is optional for students and takes place in year three of their degree.

Following the year-long placement in the workplace, the student then proceeds into their fourth and final year. 

Dr Aisling de Paor (pictured) of DCU told Gazette.ie that there are 20 students on the programme this year, working across a wide mix of law firms (including large corporate, general practice and human rights law firms), accountancy and finance firms, and company secretarial firms.

The students have also been placed in in-house legal departments as well as with bodies such as the Policing Authority. 

Wide interest

“Following wide interest in the programme from employers in the legal field, we will double this number of placements for the coming academic year,” says Dr de Paor.

“This internship/placement option has been a great addition to the BCL degree at DCU and enhances the experience of our students in learning practical legal skills and developing commercial and societal awareness,” she said.

The northside university is known for its strong industry links and job-ready students.

DCU’s work experience programme INTRA (INtegrated TRAining) is an integral part of most undergraduate and some postgraduate degree programmes.

Many undergraduate and some postgraduate programmes at DCU include a mandatory internship which is fully assessed.