Is your firm considering hiring a new trainee, or are you interested in an overseas placement? If so, then AIJA, in partnership with the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA), has the perfect solution. But be quick – the application deadline is 3rd November.
The Student Trainee Exchange Programme (STEP) enables law students and young lawyers to gain first-hand experience of the procedural law and culture of another country. It also gives your office the opportunity to have highly qualified law students from all over Europe as trainees. The traineeship can vary from 2 weeks to 24 months and can take place in any law related field.
The application process and subsequent participation is free of charge. The trainee will be paid a basic salary while on the exchange and the traineeship specifications (such as education level, language and specific legal skills needed) are set by the traineeship provider. All the practical details around the traineeship, e.g. accommodation, are handled by the Local ELSA Group (given that there is a Local Group in that city, otherwise, the National Group handles the contact).
Alyona Litvinova, Vice President for Student Trainee Exchange Programme of ELSA International explains: “When specifying the requirements for the trainee, our traineeship providers set those that are relevant for their office. Through our own pre-selection process, we ensure that only high qualified applicants who match the set requirements are forwarded to our traineeship providers. This way we can make sure that they receive the applicants that are needed in their office.”
Feedback from previous STEP traineeship providers has been very positive, says Litvinova, “both in terms of being satisfied with the trainee received in the office and with ELSA. Our traineeship providers are also fond of the internationality that is brought into their office by the international students.”
Manuela Cavallo, of the Italian law firm Portolano Cavallo Studio Legale, took part in STEP and described it as “an interesting experience for the trainee who had the opportunity to work with us for a period of time and live the life of a law firm, but also for the people of our firm who benefited from networking with an international student”. David Diris of Kocks & Partners (Belgium) also had a great experience, and explained: “the selection process was very smooth and fast, and is almost completely arranged by ELSA itself. We just fill in the forms concerning the requirements and after some time we receive detailed CVs, so we can concentrate on working together with the students.”
To apply before the deadline of 3 November or to find out more, just send an e-mail to step@elsa.org and you will be provided with further details.