Cooperation Protocol on the “National Internship Program” Signed for Law Faculty Students

A Cooperation Protocol enabling law faculty students to carry out internships in law offices, notaries, mediation offices, and centers within the scope of the National Internship Program was signed on March 6, 2025, at Ankara Hakimevi. The signing ceremony was jointly organized by the Ministry of Justice, the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, the Union of Turkish Notaries, and the Mediators and Mediation Centers Platform (TURAMEP). Balıkesir University was represented by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Doğdubay and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yasan.

Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salim Atay, stated: “With this protocol, internship opportunities for law students will increase, and we will achieve better results.” Emphasizing that the cooperation protocol under the National Internship Program would significantly expand opportunities for future jurists, he noted: “Students who complete internships start working three months earlier than those who do not. Turkey is among the most successful countries in the world in implementing talent-based development.”

Atay further explained that the Ministry of Justice’s “Remote Education Platform” currently has 183,058 registered users, with 99,051 active participants, and that the ministry has uploaded 29 of its own training modules. He underlined that the Ministry of Justice has conducted 6,318 live training sessions on the platform, making it the most active institution in its use among all ministries. He added that their broader focus remains on talent development, with initiatives such as regional career fairs involving 17 ministries, various institutions, private sector stakeholders, and local small-and-medium enterprises. According to Atay, more than 1.25 million young people have participated directly in these fairs, where the most popular activities included virtual court practices, typewriting competitions, and other events organized by judges and prosecutors. He noted that surveys and administrative data consistently showed that these Ministry of Justice activities were the most well-received by students.

Atay highlighted that the National Internship Program is another crucial initiative for talent development: “Specifically regarding law faculty students, 55% of those who completed internships in the public sector did so at the Ministry of Justice. The satisfaction rate among those who interned at the Ministry was 87%, which is an excellent figure.” He also emphasized that applications to the National Internship Program are received annually from 613 departments nationwide, with law students consistently ranking among the top applicants: “This protocol will increase opportunities for law students and enable better outcomes. Students who complete internships begin working earlier, and these findings are based on administrative data, not just surveys. Investing in human talent results in growth that is 2.9 times greater than investments in physical capital. In justice-related innovations and reforms, this multiplier effect rises to 4.7. Improvements in justice alone contribute as much to development as investments in health, education, and R&D.”

President of the Union of Turkish Notaries, Mr. Ahmet Alıcı, also addressed the importance of the protocol, noting that notaries play a vital public role in ensuring that rights arising from private law are effectively exercised and safeguarded. He emphasized that notaries serve as preventive actors in the resolution of disputes from the perspective of public order: “This protocol is a concrete step in a strong cooperation aimed at investing in the future of our young jurists. Through this project, we aim to contribute to the enrichment of students’ knowledge and experience, which will also yield significant benefits for our legal system. Internships will allow law students to become more familiar with notaries and the notarial institution.”

President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, Mr. Erinç Sağkan, stressed that improving the quality of legal professionals is among the greatest services that can be rendered to the country. He acknowledged that recent years had not been entirely successful in this regard, but emphasized that identifying and addressing these problems has been a priority. Thanking Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, Sağkan highlighted important reforms, such as the closure of evening law programs and the restriction of transfers from justice vocational schools to law faculties, as critical steps toward strengthening legal education and the legal profession. He added: “The inclusion of these reforms in the Judicial Reform Strategy Document, along with the subsequent increase in the admission threshold for law faculties from the top 125,000 to the top 100,000, are significant measures. Raising the threshold further and maintaining the effective implementation of the entrance exam for legal professions are key steps to improving the quality of legal education.”

Expressing his support for the protocol, Sağkan said: “There is no doubt that this initiative will also enhance the quality of attorney internships. In the coming years, law graduates will enter the system as attorney interns or judicial trainees. Having prior experience through this pre-internship program will make a significant contribution to the internships they will later undertake.” He concluded by extending his gratitude to the Presidential Human Resources Office and the Ministry of Justice and affirmed that the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and local bar associations will fully support the implementation of the protocol.

Chairman of the Board of TURAMEP, Mr. Harun Uyanıkoğlu, stated that the program will provide an important opportunity to introduce law students to the institution of mediation, its objectives, and its philosophy. He underlined that interns will gain firsthand knowledge of the operations of mediation centers and acquire practical insights into alternative dispute resolution methods.

Following the speeches, Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç and the stakeholders formally signed the cooperation protocol.