International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
About
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) was established in 1982 by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has over 160 signatories. The
ITLOS is an international judicial organ designed to deal with matters relating to all ocean space, its uses and resources, and disputes over the interpretation and application of the UNCLOS.
What kind of work?
Interns for the ITLOS work in a variety of departments, namely: - The Legal Office: Carrying out research on a variety of
legal issues, preparing legal documents and reports. Interns may conduct research on specific topics and give an oral presentation to the Legal Office.
- The Library: Navigating and maintaining online databases, ensuring ease of access to documents.
- Linguistic Services: Assisting with the translation of legal materials in one of the working languages of the ITLOS, i.e. English and French.
- Press Office: Engaging in public relations to encompany the Tribunal's vision for a global reach with interesting and meaningful publicity.
Location
Germany
Student Opportunities
Approximately twenty internships are available each year for young government officials or students of law, international relations, public relations, political science, library science and
translation. The programme is designed to give participants the opportunity to gain an understanding of the work and
functions of the Tribunal and to enable the Tribunal and its members to benefit from the assistance of persons with
relevant knowledge and skills in areas within the scope of activities of the Tribunal.
Graduate Opportunities
The aforementioned internship opportunity for
students is also available to recent graduates and young professionals.
Fun Fact / Recent Project
Stepping Forward Despite the Pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic clearly poses a
challenge to the Tribunal’s work, steps were taken to
ensure that the administrative session of the Tribunal at the end of September, the swearing-in of the
newly-elected Judges and the hearing in the Dispute concerning delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and Maldives in the Indian
Ocean (Mauritius/Maldives) in October took place as planned.
These events and public sittings were held in a hybrid format, in which some participants took part in
person, and others remotely. To ensure public access to the hearing, a livestream was provided on the Tribunal’s website.
The Tribunal is determined to meet the challenge
presented by the pandemic and to adapt in order to
fulfil its mandate, dealing expeditiously with the cases currently pending before it as well as any new cases that may be submitted.
Participants in the programme are expected to be able
to contribute to the work of the Tribunal in fields such as the law of the sea, public international law, international organizations and international relations, political science, public information, publications and library science, and translation. You can find the opportunity here:
https://www.itlos.org/en/the-registry/training/internship-programme/
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