Legal Affairs Internship – Judicial Support and Cooperation Section

About the role

The Syria International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) is looking for a Legal Affairs intern within its Judicial Support and Cooperation Section (JSCS). The JSCS supports national, regional and international courts and tribunals by sharing information, evidence, analysis and expertise with investigative, prosecuting and judicial authorities. The internship is unpaid and full-time, Monday to Friday, 8h30 to 17h30 (40 hours per week), and can be done in-person, hybrid or remote, depending on what is agreed with the successful candidate.

There are two positions, each lasting between three and six months, with an estimated start in January 2027 for the first and May 2027 for the second. The intern reports to the P2 Associate Legal Officer of the JSCS and gains practical experience in judicial support for criminal justice cases involving the most serious crimes under international law committed in Syria since March 2011.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct legal research on assigned issues in domestic and international criminal law, human rights and public international law, using multiple sources and tools
• Assist Legal Officers in drafting or reviewing legal documents, instruments and other materials
• Help monitor judicial proceedings and legislative developments relevant to the IIIM, with a focus on criminal proceedings and legislation in Syria
• Map legislative frameworks relevant to the work of the JSCS
• Support colleagues in contributing to the work of other IIIM Sections
• No work directly with evidentiary material in the IIIM's Central Repository of Information and Evidence

Required profile

• Enrolled in or having completed a graduate programme, or the final year of a first university degree (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent)
• Field of study closely related to the internship, such as law, international relations, human rights or political affairs
• Fluency in spoken and written English; knowledge of Arabic is desirable, and knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage
• Knowledge of criminal accountability in the Syrian context is desirable
• Applicants must provide a cover letter stating motivation and availability, and may be asked for recommendation letters, transcripts and a sample of written work

Required skills

• Good knowledge of standard software, especially MS Word, MS Outlook and MS Teams (desirable)
• Interns must keep all unpublished information confidential and are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and living expenses