Legal internship opportunities

Legal internship opportunities – Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape

The Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape Divisions of the High Court, in partnership with the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit (DGRU) in the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town (UCT), are running a nine-month (9) internship programme for graduates.

Successful applicants will be employed by UCT on a nine-month contract and seconded to either the Cape Town High Court, Pretoria High Court, Durban High Court, or Pietermaritzburg High Court for the duration of the internship.

The legal research interns will be working in person at the respective courts.

We are looking for two interns for Pretoria, three interns for Cape Town, two interns for Pietermaritzburg and one intern for Durban in 2026.

REQUIREMENTS

• An LLB or four-year recognised legal qualification accredited by SAQA.
• Knowledge of Electronic Information Resource and online retrieval (Westlaw, LexisNexis, Jutastat, and Sabinet), as well as law library resources.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested parties should submit a cover letter, CV and transcript of academic performance by Sunday, 15 February 2026 to dgruapplications@uct.ac.za

It is essential that you state which court you are applying to in the subject of your email.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by Monday, 23 February 2026, and successful candidates will commence duties as soon as 1 April 2026 until 31 December 2026.

Preference will be given to applicants who are already based in the Gauteng region for Pretoria High Court placements, those already based in the Cape Town area for the Western Cape High Court, and those who are already based in Durban and Pietermaritzburg for the KZN High Court placements.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Excellent research skills, including the ability to integrate knowledge from diverse sources.
• Report writing and editing skills.
• Good communication skills (written and verbal).
• Problem analysis, solving and planning skills.
• Decision-making skills.
• Time management skills.
• Creative and analytical thinking.
• Ability to meet strict deadlines and to work under pressure.
• The ability to work as part of a team.

DUTIES

• Perform all legal research duties for the Judges to prepare judgements.
• Research and retrieve all material from all sources, in both hard copy and electronic formats, on legal issues, as instructed by Judges.
• Read all the relevant material and analyse it thoroughly.
• Attend court proceedings upon the request of the Judge.
• Proofread and prepare comprehensive memorandums on the outcome of the research.
• Assist in the drafting of speeches, legal articles, and conference papers on legal issues as requested by a Judge.
• The successful candidate will be responsible for efficiently managing and prioritising tasks to ensure swift turnaround times on assignments and projects.
• This role demands strong time management skills to meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.

REMUNERATION

Interns will receive a stipend of R9 000 per month.