International Programs | Columbia Law School

Dean Acheson Legal Stage

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, 2013.
Click here for application form.

The United States Embassy in Luxembourg is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for the Dean Acheson Legal Stage (traineeship/internship) Program in Luxembourg at the Court of Justice of the European Communities for 2013-2014. These stage opportunities for periods of not more than three months are offered to a limited number of students or recent graduates from select U.S. law schools. Applications must be submitted to Columbia Law School by April 25, 2013. Selected applications will be submitted by Columbia Law School to the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg by May 3, 2013.

Available Stage Periods at the European Court

There are two possible Dean Acheson Legal Stage periods for 2013-2014:

Fall Term (mid-September to mid-December)

Spring Term (mid-February to mid-May)

Some flexibility regarding dates may be possible at the discretion of the Judge or Advocate General to whom the Dean Acheson stagiaire is attached. Exact dates will be determined by the calendar of the Court. The maximum stage period is three months due to Luxembourg visa requirements for non-E.U. citizens.

Categories of Dean Acheson Legal Stage

Three types of stage are available:

With a Judge of the Court of Justice

The Dean Acheson stagiaire works in the Chambers of a Judge of the Court of Justice in association with his or her referendaires (law clerks). The stagiaire is expected to assist the Judge and his or her referendaires as required. This experience offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain insight into a judicial process characteristic of the European Court, but very different from the American approach, involving a high degree of intellectual teamwork. Strong French language skills are essential.

With an Advocate General of the Court of Justice

The Dean Acheson stagiaire works in the Chambers of an Advocate General of the Court of Justice in association with his or her referendaires. The stagiaire takes part in the research and writing of the Advocate General’s opinions, an experience most akin to a traditional U.S. judicial clerking experience. Advocates General prepare their opinions in their native language. The stagiaire therefore needs to have the language skills appropriate to the Advocate General who selects him or her. A reading knowledge of French is required.

With a Judge of the Court of First Instance

The Dean Acheson stagiaire works in the Chambers of a Judge of the Court of First Instance (CFI), assisting him or her in connection with cases before the CFI. Candidates for this stage should have a strong background in antitrust/competition law. A reading knowledge of French is required.

Eligibility Requirements

The purpose of the Dean Acheson Legal Stage Program is to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of the United States and the European Union in the context of the legal profession. It is therefore open to American citizens and legal permanent residents only. Priority will be given to applicants who have completed three years of law school and who have a strong knowledge of Community Law. As noted above, some knowledge of French is required, varying with the type of stage. Knowledge of an E.U. language other than French and English is an advantage, and generally necessary for a stage with an Advocate General.

Application Procedure

Applications must include a completed application form and graduate and undergraduate transcripts.

All applications must first be submitted to each law school’s administrator for review. After initial screening, each law school should forward as a single packet a maximum of three (3) endorsed applications to the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg.

After review, the Embassy will forward approved applications materials to the Court of Justice for review and circulation among the Judges and Advocates General, according to the applicant’s stated preferences.

Individual Judges and Advocates General will select Dean Acheson stagiaires from the lists submitted and the European Court of Justice will notify the Embassy and the applicants of their selection.

Financial Assistance

No U.S. Government funds are available to assist applicants chosen for Dean Acheson Legal stages. Dean Acheson stages are unpaid, and the European Court of Justice does not make any funds available to support Dean Acheson stagiaires.

No academic credit is given for the stage this is an unpaid clerkship.

Participating Schools

Boston University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
George Washington University
New York University
Northwestern University
Seton Hall University
Southern Methodist University
University of Chicago
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University

Since 1998, numerous Columbia J.D., LL.M. and JSD graduates have participated in the program. The following individuals were selected to the traineeship in previous years:

Julie Bedard
Cecile Boyer
Kimberly Danzi
Kyriakos Fountoukas
Miyako Ikuta
Christopher Kirkham
Rafael Leal-Arcas
Elina Mangassarian
Marguerite Marty
Gwanael Muguet
Jacques Roder
Tom Snels
Kevin Stemp
Andrea Welcher
Sidne Koenigsberg
Victoria Koroteyeva
Jason Casey
Emmanuelle Henry
Carolyn Bidwell
Michael Gousgounis
Mary Finsness

The deadline to submit your application is 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 25, 2013.

Inquiries

Questions concerning this program may be addressed to:

Public Affairs Office
U.S. Embassy Luxembourg
Tel. +352 46 01 23 ext 2121
Fax +352 26 27 04 37
http://Luxembourg.USEmbassy.gov
LuxembourgPublicAffairs@state.gov