Competition Intern/Trainee

Contact(s): Wiebke Eckermann

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, a preeminent international law firm, has an opening for a legal intern/trainee in its competition practice in Brussels.

Applicants should be English native speakers or be able to demonstrate native-level written and spoken English during the interview process.

Candidates should have finished their first law degree and preferably have completed an LL.M. Admission to practice as a lawyer is not required. Work experience as a stagiaire in DG COMP at the European Commission, in a Member State competition authority, or in the competition practice of an international law firm, as well as an academic focus on competition law is highly desirable.

The successful candidate will be engaged as an intern on a six-month, fixed-term contract and could be renewed. The position is available from as early as 1 July 2015.

Cadwalader’s Brussels office provides leading advice on all aspects of EU law and policy. Our focus in particular is on antitrust: merger clearances, market dominance, cartel defense and state aid, spanning a wide range of industry sectors. We represent clients before the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission, in the European Courts in Luxembourg, before the competition authorities of the EU Member States and in the courts in EU Member States. The successful candidate will be relied upon to be involved in many aspects of a wide variety of EU competition law matters.

The existing team in the Brussels office forms part of the firm’s highly-regarded cross-jurisdictional Antitrust Group. The Group’s members are ambitious, entrepreneurial, collegial, hard-working and strive for excellence in all their endeavours. It is an essential requirement that our interns share these qualities and are able to fit in to the existing team seamlessly.

Essential skills and experience

A very strong academic record; including solid undergraduate credentials, and preferably an LL.M. completed in a different country/language to the undergraduate degree, with an academic focus on business law and preferably a demonstrated specialisation in EU competition law;

Native speaker level in both spoken and written English; additional European languages a definite asset;

Experience at a competition authority a plus;

Previous internships in a law firm competition practice a plus;

Strong written, interpersonal and oral and written communication skills;

Ability to be a creative thinker while working under pressure;

An existing right to work as an employed intern in Belgium. Candidates who do not hold an EEA citizenship should only apply if they already hold a Belgian immigration status which allows them to be employed in Belgium on a short-term employment contract, and should explain their immigration status clearly in their application.

How to apply

Please do not apply if your profile does not match the specifications above.

Please send a formal covering letter in English of no longer than one page highlighting why you believe you are suitable for this role. Please clearly state your date of availability in your covering letter.

Along with your covering letter, please include a CV in English and scans of all academic transcripts, as well as any written references you may have from previous internships in the competition law field.

Non-native English speakers should apply only if their command of English is of near-native level. They should provide detailed information on their level of English according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, in the format used in the language section of the standard Europass CV template, and include scans of certificates for all English language exams completed.

Your completed application should be sent by email, with all the relevant attachments, to Wiebke.Eckermann@cwt.com in the Brussels office.

Closing date: 21 June 2015. NB: Applications in advance of the 21 June deadline are strongly encouraged immediately from candidates who fit the profile for the position detailed above and interviews will commence with suitable applicants without delay