UQ law students will use their legal knowledge to provide assistance to under resourced native title and indigenous policy organisations and the Department of Public Prosecutions over summer.
Two students have received internships under the Aurora Internship Program. One has been assigned to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Canberra and the other to the Australian Human Rights Commission, Strategic Projects Unit.
As part of their internship, students are expected to assist their host organisation in any way possible. Typical duties can include preparation of briefs to counsel and submissions to government, legal research, preparation of affidavits and attending court with NTRB staff.
The Native Title Legal Internship Program has been placing Australian law students with Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRB) and indigenous organisations since 2004. It introduces students to career opportunities and at the same time provides assistance to under-resourced and over-worked NTRB lawyers.
Another eighteen law students have been assigned internships with the Department of Public Prosecutions in chambers stretching between Cairns and the Gold Coast.
Department of Public Prosecutions interns will be exposed to a wide range of experiences on real criminal cases before the courts. They will be expected to assist with the preparation of cases, instruct the Crown Prosecutor at trials and sentences and assist with the day to day operations of the Queensland Prosecution Service.