* * *
Thank you for the interest many of you have expressed
regarding the legal internship offered through the US Mission to the European
Union in Brussels, Belgium. I would like to clarify several questions
that have been raised about the position.
· The
position is located in the US Mission to the EU, in Brussels, Belgium,
specifically in the Mission’s Executive Office, which consists of the
Ambassador, deputy chief of Mission, and legal counselor, among others.
The selectee would work on projects generated by the Ambassador and legal
counselor.
· We
offer this internship opportunity three times a year, in the fall (beginning
September), winter (beginning in January) and summer (beginning in May-June)
for a term of ten weeks. Thus it is a good opportunity for students who
are interested in spending a semester abroad as well as for those looking for
summer employment. There is some limited flexibility on starting dates.
· The
internship is an unpaid position. We appreciate that this can be a hardship for
students, but fortunately many are able to obtain funding from their law
schools or other institutional resources to enable their participation.
· The
link regarding the internship on the U.S. Mission’s website (http://useu.usmission.gov/internships4.html)redirects
potential applicants to a link on the U.S. Department of State website (http://careers.state.gov/intern/student-internships) for
applications to the larger State Department internship program. This
is because the selection process for the Brussels position examines only those
applications submitted through the State Department internship program as a
whole.
· As
several have noted, the State Department student internship program currently
is not accepting applications. Applications next will be accepted
beginning in approximately mid-October, for internships during the summer of 2015.
It will remain open only for a number of weeks thereafter. The selection
process for the summer position then will occur over the next several months.
The US Mission will conduct telephone interviews with a handful of top
candidates.
· The
candidate selected through this process for the internship then must undergo a
security clearance process, which can require several months, hence the need
for the long lead time for applications.
· Your
students who are interested in applying for the summer 2015 cycle should place
their names on an email distribution list (http://careers.state.gov/intern/student-internships)
in order to be notified specifically when the short window for applications
will open in October.
· The
only application materials are those required for the larger State Department
internship program. A CV, summary of academic record, and personal
statement are the main features. We look closely at all these elements,
concentrating on legal background, especially in international and European
law, grades, and quality of writing. Applicants interested in the
Brussels legal internship should specifically so indicate in their application
through the State Department program.
· Unfortunately,
because of volume, we discourage potential applicants from contacting the US
Mission directly with further questions about the program.
I wish the process were less cumbersome and bureaucratic,
but we must operate within U.S. Government constraints.
I hope this further information is helpful. Please
circulate as appropriate.
Kenneth R. Propp
Legal Counselor
United States Mission to the European Union
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