Legal Intern

The Standard; Portland (OR); Remote; USD 39,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid internship

Job summary

The Standard is seeking first- or second-year law students for a fully remote Summer Legal Internship Program in 2027. This paid internship offers hands-on exposure to in-house legal work across several practice areas and mentors from the Legal & Compliance Department.

Under supervision of department attorneys, you will gain practical experience, work on diverse assignments, and learn how the Legal team partners with The Standard’s business units.

Qualifications

• First or second year law student during the 2026-2027 academic year.
• Authorized to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.
• Strong legal research, written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Research relevant laws, regulations, and case law.
• Review and summarize laws, regulations, and contracts.
• Observe client meetings, negotiations, and mediations.
• Draft legal memoranda.
• Attend department-wide and team meetings.
• Review contracts and advise on privacy issues.
• Address in-house employment matters.

Skills

Critical thinking

Legal research

Written communication

Verbal communication

Attention to detail

Time management

Excel basics

Team collaboration

Education

1st or 2nd year law student

Tools

LexisNexis

Microsoft Office

Teams

Outlook

Job description

Remote Type: Remote (USA)

Portland, OR

Remote, USA

Remote, OR

Time Type: Full time

Requisition ID: REQ007152

Description:

The next part of your journey is right around the corner — with The Standard.

A genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others is the foundation for everything we do. With a customer-first mindset and an intentional focus on building strong teams, we’ve been able to uphold our legacy of financial stability while investing in new, innovative technologies that support the needs of our customers. Our high-performance culture focused on operational excellence thrives thanks to remarkable people united by compassion and a customer-first commitment. Are you ready to make a difference?

Job Summary:

Department & Team Overview:

The Legal & Compliance Department at The Standard is a trusted business partner that helps turn legal and compliance risk into positive business results. Within Legal, we provide legal advice and counsel to The Standard’s business units and help manage/mitigate the company’s legal risk. There are four different attorney teams within Legal: Claims & Litigation; Transactions; Employment; and Asset Management Group (“AMG”) Legal.

Program Description:

The Standard is looking for a first or second year law student to participate in our Summer Legal Internship Program designed to develop and enhance the legal skills of law students. This a paid, fully remote internship for the Summer of 2027.

The Standard’s Legal Internship Program provides a unique and highly desirable experience of working in an in-house legal environment that utilizes not just legal skills but opportunities to work in an advisory role to the business. Under supervision of department attorneys, you will receive a variety of work assignments from each of the four different attorney teams within Legal. You will also learn about The Standard’s business operations and meet with internal business partners. Additionally, you will gain practical legal experience across a broad range of legal practice areas within The Standard, while honing professional skills at a top-tier financial institution. The Legal Internship Program is not designed for the purpose of recruiting new attorney hires following graduation from law school.

Responsibilities Include:

• Researching relevant laws and regulations
• Reviewing and summarizing laws, regulations, case law, etc.
• Observing client meetings, negotiations, and/or mediations
• Drafting legal memoranda
• Attending department-wide and team meetings
• Reviewing contracts
• Advising on privacy issues
• Addressing in-house employment matters

Opportunities Include:

• Relationship with Legal Internship Program mentor who will facilitate introductions, provide work assignments and feedback (including an exit interview at the end of the summer), and meet regularly to check in throughout the program
• Coaching and advice on legal career paths, drafting resumes, interview skills, and finalizing a writing sample to use for future job applications
• Exposure to and receipt of assignments from a wide array of legal practice areas (examples include litigation, employment, data use & privacy, marketing, contract review, retirement and insurance plans, and more)
• Learning how the Legal department partners with and supports The Standard’s business units through exposure to internal business clients
• Meetings and interactions with leaders throughout The Standard
• Networking and developmental opportunities, including trainings and working with law firms that represent The Standard

Location, Hours, and Schedule:

• Location: Remote (working anywhere within the continental United States and Hawaii)
• Hours: 40 hours/week
• Schedule: M-F 8am – 5pm (Interns will work these hours based on the time zone in which they live)
• Minimum of 8 weeks and may be extended to a maximum of 10 weeks

Benefits and Compensation:

• $28-30/hr.
• Up to three days of paid time off (accrual based on hours worked), plus Company paid holidays during the internship period.

Qualifications:

• First or second year law student during the 2026-2027 academic year

• Authorized to work in the United States without requiring company sponsorship, now or in the future.

Skills You’ll Need:

• Critical thinker with the ability to analyze laws, regulations, case law, contracts, etc.
• Ability to successfully perform legal research in a legal database such as LexisNexis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a virtual team environment.
• Strong attention to detail, commitment to accuracy, and ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel (including formulas, PivotTables, formatting, and data analysis), with experience using Teams and Outlook; familiarity with AI tools is a plus

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate:

Winning together: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build relationships with team members and stakeholders within the organization. Team-oriented and takes a collaborative approach to enhance subject matter expertise while contributing to project success.

Driving success: Independently drives work forward and takes responsibility for achieving job requirements, tasks, and objectives. Possesses an innate curiosity and self-motivation to produce great results.

Adaptability: Utilizes creative problem-solving techniques to address new circumstances and presents ideas for solutions. Demonstrated willingness to learn new skills and accept feedback.

#LI-DNI

Why Join The Standard?

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, financial strength and exceptional customer service through the contributions of the service-oriented people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard you can expect:

• Real-world experiences and meaningful projects that support your career goals provided by a supportive and responsive management team eager to help with skills development
• Opportunities to build relationships and broaden industry knowledge through virtual networking with leaders and team members across the company
• Three days of paid time off and paid company holidays during your internship period
• A virtual first day orientation and the equipment necessary (e.g., laptop, monitors, headset) for a successful internship experience

Salary Range:

Intern

Positions will be posted for at least 5 days from original posting date.

About Us:

The Standard is a family of companies dedicated to helping its customers achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. In business since 1906, we’re a leading provider of group and individual disability insurance, group life, dental and vision insurance, voluntary (employee-paid) benefits, absence management services, and retirement plans and annuities for employers and individuals. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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