Embarking on an internship is essential for any law student who wants to excel in the legal sphere; there’s no substitute for firsthand experience in a real legal setting.
Internships also help students develop valuable transversal skills like teamwork, time management and the soft skills required to successfully work in a professional environment. But for law students, they go one step further as they offer the chance to put the sector-specific competencies—such as legal acumen, analytical and research skills, problem-solving, persuasive oral and written communication skills—that they’ve learned in the classroom into real-world practice.
Another chance for professional growth
It’s thanks to the dedication of the IE Talent & Careers team, and the global network of top-level collaborative partners that IE University has spent years building, that some of our students have the outstanding opportunity to intern at the Spanish Ministry of Justice. IE Talent & Careers foster personal and career development by providing relevant tools, opportunities and resources to help students achieve their goals, and through this internship, tomorrow’s legal professionals are placed right in the heart of the legal ecosystem in Madrid. It’s a chance to learn from some of the top minds in the Spanish legal ecosystem.
The Spanish Ministry of Justice Internship Program is a one-month initiative offered as part of IE University’s partnership with the State Attorney’s Office in Madrid, one of the most important institutions within Spain’s Public Administration apparatus. The official agreement allows a number of students to participate in training internships that encompass the theoretical aspects of law and are based on the methodology of case resolution.
As a result, these students develop a broad overview of the various departments and areas that comprise the State Attorney’s Office. It’s also a chance to gain important insights into one possible career path for their future in the legal sector.
In the real world of law
This year, 10 IE University students were chosen to join the prestigious internship program, which kicked off right after examinations were completed and ran from May 8 to June 6. According to Mario Vicente, a student of the Dual Degree in Laws + International Relations now in his fourth year, “The internship consisted of a series of courses about the role of the lawyers of the state in every department.” He explains that they learned about the structure of the State Attorney’s Office, which is organized into two different areas: the provision of legal advice to various Spanish ministries; and litigation, in which lawyers from the Office represent the State’s legal interests in court.
“These lawyers typically specialize in labor law or criminal law,” says Mario. Thus, participating students were able to gain in-depth insights into both areas throughout their internship. They also engaged in several educational sessions that allowed them to learn fundamental principles from established legal professionals. More importantly, though, they developed a broad, extensive understanding of the operating mechanisms that inform each area of legal expertise.
The internship program opened up a new sphere of legal knowledge and expertise for each and every participating student. “I discovered a whole new part of law in Spain, which is not only law firms,” explains Carolina Franco, another fourth-year Dual Degree in Laws + International Relations student.
Not only did they get to solve real cases in a real professional environment, but they also connected with the lawyers on the State’s legal team to understand more about their career journeys so far. “I liked how approachable each of them was, because they made themselves available to address any question about their job and how they got there,” fellow student Elvira Acinas adds.
A career-building experience
All in all, participating students were able to gain practical, hands-on experience through real and mock trials in order to understand in-depth the structure of trials. They also got a real taste of daily life within the Ministry, and what they might look forward to as they prepare to start their own careers in the sector. An outstanding opportunity and a resounding success.