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Working at the Australian Law Reform Commission

The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) is an independent federal statutory authority that reviews Australia's laws to ensure that they are equitable, modern, fair and efficient.  Recent examples of ALRC's inquiries include secrecy, privacy, sedition, evidence, sentencing, and genetic discrimination.

The ALRC usually works on two inquiries at any particular time, ranging from technical aspects of the law to questions of broad legal and social policy. The ALRC conducts extensive consultations with the legal profession, interested organisations and the community to inform its research. ALRC recommendations provide advice to government but do not automatically become law. However, the ALRC has a very strong record of implementation.

Positions for lawyers

The ALRC has a legal team of around ten Legal Officers and Senior Legal Officers who undertake legal research, write chapters for ALRC consultation documents and final reports, develop recommendations for law reform, and generally assist Commissioners to conduct inquiries. All legal positions at the ALRC are advertised nationally and on the ALRC website.

The ALRC Internship Program

The ALRC provides opportunities for interns to work alongside Commissioners and legal staff. Internships at the ALRC are flexible to suit the needs of the intern and the ALRC- it is possible to serve on a voluntary basis for one day a week for one semester, or for four weeks full-time during a semester, or during winter or summer breaks. The ALRC accepts around two to three interns at any one time.

An internship at the ALRC provides you with ‘hands on' experience in law reform at a professional level and the opportunity to contribute to the ALRC's process.  Interns become a member of the team for one of the ALRC's current inquiries and are supervised by a legal officer. ALRC interns have gone on to work as Associates to High Court justices, for the United Nations, and as lawyers for private law firms and government agencies in Australia and overseas.

The ALRC accepts law students from Australian and international universities and tertiary institutions. ALRC interns have come from almost every Australian state and territory, as well as overseas, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, Kenya and Germany.

The ALRC strongly prefers students who have substantially completed their law degree-namely, those in their penultimate or final year of an undergraduate or graduate law degree. The ALRC will consider applications from post-graduate students in law or any discipline related to a current inquiry, and recent graduates seeking unpaid work experience.

As there is strong demand for internships at the ALRC, there is a formal selection process. The selection criteria, closing dates for applications, and information about the selection process are available on the ALRC website.

If you are interested in applying for an internship, please forward a covering letter addressing the selection criteria, your CV and a transcript of university results to the Research Manager.

Contact details

Research Manager

ALRC

GPO Box 3708

Sydney NSW 2001

Ph: 02 8238 6333

Fax: 02 8238 6363

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