The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), a joint center of Columbia Law School and the Earth Institute, is accepting applications until September 15, 2018 for internship positions for the Fall 2018 semester. Interns are staffed to one or more specific research projects depending on the background and interests of the particular applicant. Course credit can be granted in some cases.
CCSI is a leading applied research center and forum dedicated to the study, practice and discussion of sustainable international investment. Our mission is to develop and disseminate practical approaches and solutions to maximize the impact of international investment for sustainable development. The center’s work is organized around three major areas of research: Sustainable Investments in Extractive Industries, Sustainable Investments in Land and Agriculture, and Sustainable International Investment Law and Policy.
Candidates must commit to at least 10-15 hours per week, but more hours are possible. Continuation into subsequent terms is possible, and in some cases, preferred.
To apply for a Fall 2018 internship, please send a cover letter, CV and writing sample to CCSI’s executive coordinator, Nancy Siporin (NSipor@law.columbia.edu), unless otherwise specified, by September 15, 2018. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. The cover letter should include a distinct list of which internships you are applying for (you may include as many as you’d like).
Fall 2018 internship opportunities are currently available for the following:
Unpaid internship: Due Diligence Guide for Governments
CCSI is seeking a graduate student to help develop a manual for governments on how to do due diligence on prospective extractive industry investors. The guide will be developed in partnership with a leading global due diligence company. The intern will be responsible for researching and drafting sections of the guide. Excellent writing skills are required.
Unpaid internship: Human Rights Arguments for Community Rights to Consent, Information, and Consultation
CCSI is seeking a graduate student to assist with research, writing, and other activities relating international human rights law as it applies to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and rights to information, participation, and consultation. This relates to CCSI’s work on incorporating FPIC and consultation into investor-state contract negotiations, and building rights based arguments for transparency and consultation for all people in land-based investment. Preference will be given to applicants with strong research and writing skills who are law students or who have significant legal experience. Preference will also be given to Spanish speakers, especially those with previous experience reading and analyzing opinions of the Inter-American Commission on, and Court of, Human Rights.
Unpaid internship: Access to Justice
CCSI is seeking JD or LLM students to support research that seeks to assess the implications of the international investment regime for access to justice for investment-affected rights holders. Further information about the project can be found here and here. Applicants with experience in investment law and human rights law are strongly encouraged to apply.
Unpaid internship: Investment Treaty Analysis
CCSI is seeking JD or LLM students to work on investment treaty analysis. This unpaid internship will involve working with CCSI staff to collect and analyze recently drafted investment treaties in order to identify and comment on notable trends in investment law. Interest in investment law is required, and applicants with experience in public international law are strongly encouraged to apply.
Unpaid internship: International Trade and Investment Law and Policy
CCSI is seeking JD and LLM students to support a number of projects relating to policy analysis surrounding international investment treaties, treaty-based investor-state arbitration, and trade law. Students should be presently enrolled in law school. Familiarity with international trade and/or investment law is desirable, but is not required.
Unpaid internship: Local Content Research
CCSI is seeking an LLM or JD student intern to assist with research writing and other activities relating local content laws and policies in the petroleum sector in select South East Asian countries. Preference will be given to candidates with strong legal research and writing skills, and candidates who have experience or demonstrated interest in issues relating to extractive industries.
Unpaid internship: Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development
CCSI is seeking LLM or JD student interns to assist with research, writing and other activities relating to various projects in CCSI’s extractive industries work stream. Tasks may include: performing legal research on the legal frameworks governing extractive industries in different countries; assisting with maintaining the Negotiation Support Portal, an online portal to support resource-rich countries plan, prepare for, negotiate, monitor, and implement large-scale investment projects; assisting with cross-cutting research on land and extractives. Preference will be given to candidates with strong legal research and writing skills, and candidates who have experience or demonstrated interest in issues relating to extractive industries.
For more information on internship opportunities and how to apply, please see the CCSI website.
