Law placements and internships

Get real-world legal experience and university credit.

Law placement information for students
Applications closing soon
Submit by 2:00pm on Friday 11 September 2026.

Put your legal knowledge into practice

If you're in the final or penultimate year of law, the Law and Justice Internship (six units) gives you 22 days inside a court, tribunal or justice organisation.

The Adelaide Law School offers the internship in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in your host organisation's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

The 22 days are full-time equivalent, and you arrange the timing directly with your host organisation to suit you both. One common format is two weeks full-time before semester starts, then one day a week for 12 weeks.

Law and Justice Internship

22 days with one of 16 host organisations.  

Entry: final or penultimate year of your Bachelor of Laws degree.

Apply on this page

Legal Advice Clinic

Work directly with real clients under the supervision of qualified legal practitioners.

Entry: Becoming a Lawyer (LAWS 3005) and a Grade Point Average of 4.0 or higher.

Course information

Law Professional Placement

15 days in a law firm, government office or justice-oriented organisation.

Entry: Becoming a Lawyer (LAWS 3005), 96 units of undergraduate law study and a Grade Point Average of 4.0.

Course information

On this page

Available internships

Choose from 16 host organisations. Open each to see when it runs and who it suits.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the court's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Preference is given to applicants with an interest in general legal and compliance matters, contract drafting and review, privacy, trusts and bequests, dispute resolution and management, research-related matters and the role of in-house counsel.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in human rights are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in human rights and anti-discrimination law are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in policy, politics and the drafting of legislation are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Only students who've completed criminal law are eligible. Preference is given to applicants with an interest in evidence, criminal law and sentencing.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in human rights are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the office's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the section's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the tribunal's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

Offered in Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the section's day-to-day activities, including research projects.

Offered in Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in employment law are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with a strong interest in public law are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Your internship might be in the civil or the criminal jurisdiction. Preference is given to students who've completed criminal law, with an interest in evidence, civil dispute resolution, criminal law and sentencing.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. Applicants with an interest in wine and the wine industry are preferred.

Offered in Summer Semester, Semester 1 and Semester 2. You'll be involved in the court's day-to-day activities, including research projects. Preference is given to applicants with an interest in youth justice, criminal law and child protection.

How to apply

Before you rank them, visit their websites and, where applicable, the legislation that establishes the office and grants it powers. Make sure the kind of law they practise matches your passions and the courses you've studied or are studying.

You'll need a police check before your internship starts
Arrange the check and pay the fee yourself through National Crime Clearance. For Adelaide University students the cost is $20 (GST inclusive).

In the form you'll need to:

  • Rank the available internships in order of preference
  • Indicate your preferred semester for undertaking this course
  • Indicate whether the coming year is the final or penultimate year of your Bachelor of Laws degree
  • Indicate whether you've studied or are presently studying Administrative Law
  • Provide your Grade Point Average for your Bachelor of Laws degree
  • Provide your grades in the public law courses – Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, and Law, Government and Community – for any you've completed
  • Submit a copy of your resume
  • Submit an unofficial record of study or academic transcript.

250 words maximum per answer:

  1. Explain what you'll gain from undertaking the Law and Justice Internship.
  2. Explain what you can offer your host organisation, and your preference among the internships available. If you're applying for one of the following, also address the interest area shown:
    • Adelaide University Legal Branch – in-house counsel work
    • Commonwealth Ombudsman – human rights
    • Equal Opportunity SA – human rights
    • Office of Parliamentary Counsel – policy and legislative drafting
    • Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions SA – criminal law
    • Office of the Public Advocate – human rights
    • South Australian Employment Tribunal – employment law
    • South Australian Solicitor-General's Office – public law
    • Supreme Court of South Australia – criminal law
    • Wine Australia – the wine industry
    • Youth Court of South Australia – youth justice, criminal law and child protection.
  3. Describe an occasion when you've developed your research skills and successfully completed a research project.
How we select students
We consider the quality of your answers to the questions above, academic merit, research skills and your demonstrated interest in the law your host practises.

Apply now

Deadline: 2:00pm on Friday 11 September 2026

Submit your internship application

 

Questions about your application?

Contact the course coordinators:

FAQs

You can study Legal Advice Clinic (LAWS 1036) and Law Professional Placement (LAWS 1124) and at the same time in Semester 1 or 2.

You'll need to be available in person at least three days a week for seminars and placement, and complete weekly assessment tasks for both. If you're also considering the Law and Justice Internship, talk to the course coordinators about your load first.

In January and February, Legal Advice Clinic also runs as an intensive five-week course – you'll attend in person two days a week for placement, plus seminars and weekly assessments. This nine-unit course is considered a full-time load when taken intensively.

You'll need a current National Police Clearance certificate that's valid for the full duration of your course (12 months from the issue date). Adelaide University students can apply through the National Crime Check portal for $20 (GST inclusive). Some external placement providers may also require a current Department of Human Services Working with Children Check, which must also be valid for the duration of your course.

About six weeks before your study period starts, you'll receive detailed instructions on how to apply. You'll need to apply at least four weeks before your study period begins and cover the associated costs.

Your National Police Clearance may include disclosable court outcomes. These could affect your eligibility for clinical or industry placements and may result in withdrawal from your course.

Enrol in Legal Advice Clinic (LAWS 1036) and Law Professional Placement (LAWS 1124) via myEnrolment in the Student Portal.

Enrolment closes four weeks before the study period begins. If you're enrolled, you'll receive an email then with instructions on how to submit your preferred placement days.

The Law and Justice Internship works differently – you apply using the form on this page, and we'll enrol you if selected.

Placement opportunities may include state government legal services, private law firms, community legal centres and other justice-focused organisations. Available placements vary each study period.

Opportunities are listed on InPlace eight weeks before the study period begins, and you'll have seven days to apply and rank your preferences. If you're enrolled, you'll receive an email with instructions when applications open.

If you're enrolled in Legal Advice Clinic (LAWS 1036), you'll get an email four weeks before the study period starts with instructions on how to choose your preferred placement days. Clinic days and locations may change each study period depending on how many students are enrolled.

Adelaide University provides insurance for all unpaid placements if the placement is approved by the University before it begins.

For paid placements, the host organisation must show proof of both public liability and professional indemnity insurance for the full placement period.

Contact the Law WIL Team for more information:

Phone: (08) 8313 5063

Email: wil.law@adelaide.edu.au

For Law Professional Placement, yes. It's not required, but sourcing your own placement can be a good option if you're interested in a specific area of law. You must get approval from your course coordinator at least eight weeks before the study period begins.

For the Law and Justice Internship, no – placements are only with our 16 partner host organisations.

Are you an employer interested in hosting a law student?

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