As part of Akin’s commitment to operating as a more environmentally sustainable business and reducing the firm’s environmental impact, and as part of the firm’s membership in the US’s Legal Sustainability Network and the UK’s Legal Sustainability Alliance, the firm is seeking a Sustainability Intern for an internship (for course credit and stipend) during the spring semester (approx. February to May). This internship will support Akin’s Always Green environmental sustainability program and mission and will offer a student the ability to use their educational knowledge with real-life responsibilities within a global professional services setting.

The Sustainability Intern will work under the general supervision and direction of the Senior Manager of Practice Initiatives, as well as members of the firmwide Always Green team, and in partnership with the other Sustainability Interns. The Sustainability Intern will work collaboratively to support, implement, and promote a variety of programs, activities, and projects relating to environmental sustainability.

At the end of the internship, students will have worked closely with firm leadership to gain experience researching, consulting on, and implementing corporate social responsibility in a leading, global law firm. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in consulting or working in-house for an organization committed to sustainability.

This internship requires students to secure course credit at their educational institution. This internship also provides a one-time stipend payment.

Key responsibilities of this co-op/internship include:

• Assist with the conception, organization, and promotion of programs and events related to the Always Green initiative.
• Utilize an industry-leading carbon accounting technology platform to assist with tracking and analyzing the firm’s sustainability performance benchmarks, helping to synthesize and present key findings and recommendations to help further the firm’s sustainability goals.
• Help gather information related to the firm’s sustainability practices across all offices.
• Assist in implementing strategies for improvement, including, but not limited to, improving upon the firm’s environmental certifications and ratings.
• Research and stay up-to-date on environmental news, current events, policies and trends, including those specific to the legal industry, and help share information and suggestions with members of the Always Green team and the firm.
• Help promote employee engagement for the Always Green initiative through webpage contributions, blog posts, and helping to draft other internal communications.
• Work closely with Always Green team members to advance best practices and opportunities in the environmental sustainability realm.
• Assist with the development and implementation of projects across all four Always Green areas of focus (Internal Policies; Local Team Liaisons; Marketing / Branding / Recruiting; Carbon Accounting).
• Work in conjunction with Always Green team members to complete various tasks and special projects as assigned.
• Coordinate with other departments as needed to complete tasks as they relate to the Always Green team or environmental sustainability.
• Assist with client requests related to environmental sustainability, including working with BD/Marketing to provide proposal content.
• Support the advancement of our Sustainability & Climate Change cross-practice client initiatives as needed, including the opportunity to collaborate on drafting public-facing social media posts and thought leadership.
• Propose individual projects to better incorporate sustainability at the firm.
• Participate in educational programming discussing legal practice and business functions across the firm to gain understanding and acumen for the law firm business setting.
• Follow specific instructions to satisfactorily complete assigned projects and cross-functional tasks within designated department(s).
• Collaborate collegially with other Sustainability Interns.

Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Enrollment in a bachelor’s degree seeking program required.
• Relevant professional or educational experience in Environmental Studies or related field of study preferred.
• Interest in sustainability and its role at a corporate level.
  
• Proficiency in Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to recognize patterns and proactively notice opportunities for improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with individuals at all levels within and outside of the firm.
• Ability to work independently and with colleagues located in different offices and departments.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions with high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize work, coupled with the ability to work concurrently on a variety of projects and requests, providing a solutions-oriented approach to ensure user satisfaction.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of client, firm and personnel information, and adhering to the Firm’s Core Values.
• Ability to proactively communicate and work with the firm to manage potential scheduling conflicts.  Ability to work within a defined schedule.