Jobs

Student Mediator Spring Externship

Posted on: December 3, 2020 Apply Now
Full-time Government, Law & International AffairsExpires February 3, 2021

Division of Regional Affairs

Harlem Regional Office

Student Mediator Externship

Reference No. HRO_EXT/UG_SPR_2021

Externship Opportunity for Undergraduate Students

The Harlem Regional Office (HRO) of the New York State Office of the Attorney General has externships available during the spring 2021 semester for undergraduate students to work as student mediators. In addition to other legal matters, the HRO prosecutes businesses and individuals engaged in fraudulent, deceptive or illegal trade practices. Interested students must receive course credit for their work at the HRO as part of an independent study or externship program. Students are encouraged to commit to work part-time (approx. 15 hours/week) for at least a semester (10-12 weeks) or the minimum stipulated their externship source.

In addition to litigation, the HRO mediates thousands of complaints filed each year by individual consumers. A large percentage of these complaints are successfully resolved through an informal mediation process. Student mediators play an integral part of this mediation process.

Students are given the title of “Mediators” and act as consumer advocates in negotiating complaints against merchants. Each mediator is assigned a number of complaint files covering a broad range of consumer issues including retail sales, mail order transactions, credit transactions, telemarketing, warranty problems, home repair and automobile sales.

Students are exposed to the Office’s procedures and deal directly with consumers and merchants to resolve complaints. Students are taught interviewing techniques and will have the opportunity to develop analytical skills as they learn to focus on the underlying issues for each complaint. While each complaint is reviewed by a member of our professional staff, students typically exercise significant discretion and independent judgment. Professional staff and attorneys are always available to answer questions. The position provides students a high degree of responsibility and requires them to exercise excellent judgment. Applicants must be articulate, analytical, imaginative and organized. No specific experience is required.

Externship Details

  • Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will be hosting an exclusively remote spring program.
  • Students hired for spring externships may begin their placements on January 20, 2021 or after.
  • At the time of hire, students are required to provide written confirmation from their schools indicating their acceptance into an externship program or an approved independent study.
  • Additionally, this confirmation must indicate the following information:
  • The appropriate externship contact at the school;
  • The parameters of the externship including the employer’s responsibilities;
  • The required minimum/maximum work hours to be completed by the student; and
  • The number of credits the student will receive upon completing the externship.
  • Students must be eligible to be employed in the U.S.
  • U.S. citizenship and NYS residency are not required.
  • Applicants are encouraged to learn more about the OAG prior to submitting their applications by visiting the Divisions and Bureaus and Media sections of the OAG website.
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