Legal Externship

Responsibilities

• Legal Research & Analysis:
• Conduct legal research across multiple practice areas and prepare memoranda with findings and recommendations
• Draft internal guidance documents on legal standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments impacting the business
• Labor & Employment
• Support day-to-day employment matters including hiring, performance management, leave policies, and worker classification
• Assist with union-related matters and collective bargaining agreement compliance
• Research and summarize employment and labor law issues
• Data Privacy & Compliance
• Assist with U.S. and EU privacy compliance efforts, including GDPR and state laws
• Support Privacy Impact Assessments and compliance gap analyses
• Research emerging privacy regulations
• Commercial Contracts
• Help manage contracts, track deadlines, and organize files
• Conduct due diligence reviews and summarize key terms
• Intellectual Property
• Assist with trademark infringement analysis and brand protection efforts
• Research IP issues and provide summaries
• Litigation Support
• Assist with document review, case tracking, and litigation hold processes
• Prepare case summaries and research relevant case law
• Project Management & Administration
• Track deadlines and coordinate materials across projects
• Maintain legal files and documentation
• Support cross-functional communication and project coordination
• Participate in meetings and observe legal counsel advising stakeholders

Requirements

• A current J.D. candidate (2L or 3L preferred) in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school
• Eligible to receive academic credit through your school's externship or clinic program
• Interested in employment law, privacy law or commercial transactions
• Interested in a corporate, media or technology environment
• Current enrollment in a J.D. program at an ABA-accredited law school (2L or 3L preferred)
• Eligibility for academic credit through a law school externship or clinic program
• Strong legal research and analytical skills, including experience with Westlaw, LexisNexis, or similar tools
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
• Professional judgment and discretion with confidential information
• Program details:
• Term: Summer (June-August)
• Location: POLITICO HQ in Arlington, VA
• Schedule: Part-time or full-time (please indicate your availability in your application)
• This is an unpaid, for-credit externship.
• Application requirements:
• Resume
• Cover letter describing interest in in-house legal work and relevant experience
• Writing sample (3-5 pages)
• Confirmation of externship credit eligibility from law school
• At POLITICO, we value integrity, collaboration, and innovation. This role offers the opportunity to work alongside top executives and contribute to a dynamic HR team. If you are an organized, motivated, and detail-driven professional who thrives in an in-office setting, we encourage you to apply.
• We value our people. Click here for more on what we offer and what it's like to work for POLITICO.
• Let's keep in touch. You can view our list of open positions here and email us careers@politico.com . We hope to see your application soon!
• About Us.
• POLITICO illuminates the forces shaping global power. Since 2007, we have delivered intelligence that anticipates tomorrow's headlines, not reports on yesterday's news. As politics has increasingly become the defining force of our era, our work has never been more vital.
• Innovation has always been a core tenet of our story. At l

Benefits

Additional Information

Job Description: POLITICO is seeking two (2) externs to join our in-house legal team. This externship offers a unique opportunity to gain a wide range of legal and business experience within a fast-paced digital media environment. Legal Externs will serve as generalists, supporting the legal team on issues spanning employment law, data privacy, commercial contracts, intellectual property, and litigation. Receiving supervision and mentorship from Senior Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, and global legal team, this opportunity is designed to provide meaningful, substantive experience while contributing directly to our legal operations.

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