CIPPIC's internship programs offer students an opportunity to work with experienced lawyers on real-life, cutting-edge legal issues arising from the use of new technologies. CIPPIC is engaged in high-level advocacy and policy work related to a wide range of technology law issues including privacy, free expression, intellectual property rights, data governance, and algorithmic accountability. Clinic work involves research, policy analysis, strategy development, and drafting of legal and policy documents, all from a public interest perspective. Typical clinical projects include:

  • submissions on government policy consultations and policy/law reform initiatives; development of public education materials for the CIPPIC website or for community groups;
  • research and policy papers designed to influence public policy;
  • interventions in precedent-setting court cases; and
  • provision of legal advice to clients on issues involving privacy, copyright, domain name disputes, consumer rights, and other issues arising from new technologies.

Interns are selected on the basis of academic and extracurricular achievement and demonstrated interest in technology law and public policy issues. We plan on offering all of our internship programs on a hybrid basis for the foreseeable future, though our ability to offer an in-person component will depend on the public health situation over time.

Academic internships

Upper-year J.D. and graduate students in law at the University of Ottawa can intern at CIPPIC in any of the three academic terms for credit (3 credits/term). Preference is given to students who commit to two terms (6 credits) of clinic work. Interns attend training sessions and tutorials, participate in case rounds, and work closely with CIPPIC staff on client files and advocacy projects. The total hourly commitment for 3 credits is 120 hours. See the uOttawa course calendar under "CML 3316" for applicable deadlines and other details. CIPPIC staff may also supervise directed research projects (1-3 credits) related to CIPPIC work.

Summer internships

CIPPIC offers summer internships to outstanding graduate and undergraduate students from law schools across Canada and around the world. Our summer program includes seminars on current issues in technology law as well as training and work on clinic projects and cases.

Summer interns from Canadian law schools will receive a stipend for their participation in the 12-week program, which runs from early May to late July. International interns need to arrange for summer public interest funding from their home institutions to be eligible to participate in our program.

Research assistantships

From time to time, CIPPIC hires student research assistants to work on specific projects. CIPPIC will advertise for these positions on its website and, occasionally, on the University of Ottawa's Work Study program website.

Volunteers

CIPPIC welcomes volunteers to assist in a variety of capacities on our active projects and cases. Volunteers must make a firm commitment of at least 3 hours per week during the term. We are not currently accepting volunteers, but we will provide an application link on our website when we are seeking volunteers.