Project Description

Law internships in South Africa

If you are a foreign student interested in law internships in South Africa, our program offers some excellent opportunities within this field. Many of our finest legal internship opportunities involve human rights law in South Africa, although we also offer more traditional law internships in startup and environmental sectors too. Our human rights law internships in Cape Town are arguably our most unique internship offerings within the legal field because many firms and NGOs work directly with the South Africa Parliament to promote human rights causes.

Law internships in Cape Town through VACorps

Law internships in Cape Town through VACorps:

There is a rich legal tradition in South Africa and legal scholars from across the globe admire the South African Constitution, which was drafted in 1994 after the end of Apartheid. At the very heart-and-soul of South Africa’s new Constitution is the promotion of human rights. Apartheid created deep racial divisions South Africa and the new government continues to combat prejudice, xenophobia, gender inequality, poverty and racism in communities. As a human rights intern, you will be placed directly within this dynamic legal environment.

Past human rights law internship placements include the following:

  • Human rights law firms
  • HIV/AIDS advocacy NGOs
  • Human rights policy centres
  • Refugee centres
  • Environmental law firms
  • Government organizations

The benefits of a participating in law internships in South Africa:

Become familiar with South African & International Law— Learn more about the intricacies of the South African legal code and work alongside qualified lawyers.

Intern in a country that is famous for its human rights law traditions— The South African Constitution is revered as one of the most progressive and liberal constitutions in the world. Many of our human rights law internships will give you access to individuals who have been victims of human rights abuses.

Work directly within the communities you serve through your daily internship work— Many of our best Cape Town law internship offerings are located at small grassroots NGOs that are based in the townships (low-income areas of the city). In such an internship setting, your daily work responsibilities will have a tangible impact on the communities you are serving.

If you are interested in participating in one of our law internships in South Africa, please contact us today to begin the application process.

Get Started. Apply Now

Meet past participants:

Grace Krsul-Sullivan, California, USA (2022)

Grace is studying for her B.A. in Political Science and Psychology at the University of California. She joined to VACorps program in June 2022 and participated in a human rights Law Internship at a [...]

Hugo Carter, Durham, England (2022)

Hugo is an LLB graduate from Durham University.  He joined the VACorps program in January 2022, and participated in a Law internship at a corporate law firm.  "Everyone here was exactly what I’d hoped [...]

Laura Black, London, United Kingdom (2022)

Laura (pictured third from the left in the front row)  joined the VACorps program in February 2022 and participated in a law internship at an NGO that advances women's rights and equality through strategic [...]

Atabong Wilfred, Cameroon (2021)

Atabong has completed his LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the European University Viadrina Frankfurt. He joined the VACorps program in February 2021 and participated in a human rights law internship [...]

Valeria Guerra, Georgia, USA (2020)

Valeria is studying Global Law LLM at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. She joined the VACorps program as a remote intern in September 2020 and participated in a law internship at an NGO.  "I [...]

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