Internship Legal Operations

MISSION TO METRICS

The mission of The Ocean Cleanup is to develop and scale technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. This internship offers exposure to the mission and work of The Ocean Cleanup while supporting the Legal team’s daily operations and developing legal skills in a dynamic environment.

This internship is an opportunity for students and/or young professionals who wish to gain practical educational work experience and deepen their legal knowledge. Interns will receive monthly compensation, as well as free and healthy lunches at our office.

RESPONSIBILITIES

During this internship, you will gain first-hand experience of the day-to-day legal operations of The Ocean Cleanup by closely collaborating with all members of the Legal department. You will be involved in a variety of tasks, ranging from providing support in trademarks and patent assessments to supporting legal innovation projects such as acquiring legal research tools and managing the CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) tool.

Main tasks:

• Enhancing the legal filing system and supporting document management.
• Supporting the continuous functioning of the Contract Management Lifecycle tool.
• Assisting in reviewing various documents and contracts.
• Supporting with registration processes at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK).
• Supporting the Legal Team with day-to-day tasks such as drafting and reviewing contracts, conducting legal research, participating in meetings, and translating documents.
• Serving as a point of contact for other departments and escalating to the relevant Legal Counsel(s), where necessary.
• Organizing meetings and events related to the Legal Department.
• Providing administrative support in maintaining the intellectual property (trademarks and patents) and insurance portfolio of the organization.
• Assisting with the implementation of a Corporate Governance Platform tool, preparing documents, securing timeline, liaising with internal stakeholders (i.e. Management Team, IT), and suppliers.
• Taking notes during departmental meetings, identifying action items, and following up on them.
• Assisting the General Counsel with administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, managing calendars, organizing files, and supporting the preparation of presentations and the collection of other information, according to the needs of the Legal Department.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently pursuing a law degree (third year bachelor’s degree or higher) - this requirement applies only to non-EU candidates. EU candidates do not necessarily have to be enrolled at a university during the period of the internship.
• Knowledge of or an interest in legal topics related to the activities of the organization, in particular in the Legal Department (e.g.: maritime law, patents and trademarks, privacy, legal tech).
• Prior experience with SharePoint and/or Salesforce is desirable.
• Excellent English language skills (written and verbal); Dutch or Spanish is a plus.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Curious and eager to learn
• Pragmatic where possible, but thorough when needed
• Team player with high cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Excellent communication skills
• Thrives in a fast-paced, international environment
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Intrinsic motivation to work on our ambitious and meaningful goal

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Start Date: ASAP
• Duration: 6 months
• Candidates are expected to work from our HQ in Rotterdam at least 3 days a week.
• If applicable, the internship can be combined with a Master’s Thesis project