Victoria Law Foundation is now taking applications for its Legal Sector Internship Program for 2011-2012 (summer and winter placements). The program is open to all Victorian law students (LLB or JD).

Full details are in the 'Job Opportunities' section.

The MLS Internship Program develops internship opportunities for Melbourne Law School students.  There are a range of internships available for the Winter break - they are listed in the 'Job Opportunities' on the right of this page. 

Applications are open now for internships at Youthlaw, Worksafe and the Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre.

More opportunities will be advertised in the coming weeks.

Remember, applications for seasonal clerkships open soon - in fact some firms have already opened!

It is usual to apply in penultimate year of your law degree. Most firms recruit the majority of their graduate trainees from the seasonal clerkship “pool”.

This year, applications open from mid June to July – check exact dates from the firms’ websites or cvmail.com.au. Interviews will be held in August/September, with offers to follow on 10 October 2011.

Start thinking about the firms you are interested in.  Don’t just follow the crowd and apply to commercial firms if they don’t interest you - think carefully about which areas of law you have enjoyed at university or would like to gain more practical experience in.

You can book a careers consultation at the Law School Careers Office to discuss your options as well as review your CV or cover letters and even run through a mock interview. Make sure you book early - we do get busy! 

The Law Students' Society seasonal clerkship guidebook is a fabulous resource to help you prepare and find out which firms are offering clerkships.  The Guide and Extended Firms profiles are available from the  LSS website at http://www.mulss.com/seasonal-clerkship-guide-2011-out-now.

How have you benefited from the program thus far? Has your mentor given you some useful career advice/industry insights that may benefit your fellow students? Come along to this informal feedback session and benefit from each other's experiences, hear from some 2010 mentees and speak to careers staff.

This session is optional. Interested students should save this date. Registration details coming soon.

Remember, if you have any queries about your mentoring relationship, contact the Careers Program Coordinator, Helen Green, at any time. Helen is available by phone (03) 8344 1000 or h.green@unimelb.edu.au 

With the recruitment for seasonal clerkships and winter internships approaching it is very important to think about your voicemail message!  Potential employers will often contact you via phone and your voicemail message leaves a lasting impression.  Be sure that your message is professional, clear and concise.  It should include your name and invite the caller to leave a message.