My Summer Internship at ESW
I’m Jessica Moodley, a third-year Economics, Politics and Law student at Dublin City University. I always had a strong interest in law from a young age, but like many students, I was unsure how to gain meaningful experience and build professional connections within the industry. This summer, I had the fantastic opportunity to work as a Legal Intern at ESW. Being part of the team has allowed me to gain first-hand experience of working within an in-house legal team and to see how legal principles are applied in a fast-paced global business environment.
My role consists of supporting the legal team with a variety of tasks, including reviewing agreements, assisting with agreement drafting, conducting legal research and collaborating with different teams across the business. It has been a fantastic opportunity to bridge the gap between what I learn in university and how legal work operates in practice, allowing me to apply the knowledge gained at university in a real-world setting.
Why I Applied for an Internship at ESW
As a student of such a broad degree with a wide range of potential career paths, I was eager to apply what I had learned in the classroom to real world legal and commercial matters. Studying at DCU has given me access to fantastic opportunities to bridge the gap between university and the workplace and I was fortunate to take part in DCU’s Access to the Workplace programme, which helps students gain practical industry experience before graduating. Through this programme, my coordinator introduced me to ESW. After learning more about the company and its role in the global e-commerce industry, I was particularly interested in the opportunity to gain exposure to contract, consumer and commercial law- areas of law I had already developed an interest in through my studies, therefore making ESW an incredibly appealing opportunity.
What It's Like Working with the Team and Experiencing ESW's Culture
What also surprised me most was how quickly I felt included at ESW. From the beginning, I was invited to team meetings, introduced to colleagues across different departments and encouraged to get involved in conversations and projects.
The culture at ESW is very social and welcoming. From social events, to learning sessions, to simply just chatting with colleagues in the office at lunch, there was plenty of opportunities to meet new people and build connections. As someone joining for a summer internship, that made settling in much easier and helped me feel part of the wider ESW community rather than just my own team. No matter who I reached out to, people were generous with their time and happy to share their knowledge. That openness created an environment where it was easy to ask questions, learn from others, and make the most of the experience.
Skills and Experiences I Gained During My Time Here
One of the most valuable aspects of my internship has been the level of responsibility and trust given to me from day one. I wasn’t just learning from the sidelines – I was involved in a lot of meaningful work that allowed me to contribute to the teams’ day-to-day activities, while learning on the go.
Throughout the internship, I gained a handful of experience of reviewing countless agreements with reviewing commercial agreements, working with NDAs, supporting document execution processes, managing legal records, and even getting a flavour of how legal risk is assessed in a business environment while collaborating with other teams. I became familiar with the systems and processes that help legal teams operate efficiently within a global organisation.
Beyond my own daily responsibilities, ESW also invested heavily into my own development. Through LinkedIn Learning, training sessions, workshops and learning initiatives, I had access to endless amounts of resources-such as sessions to assist with legal terminology- that helped me to develop and build both technical and professional skills during my time at ESW, which I can now take forward with me into the future.
What surprised me most was how interconnected the business really is. Working closely with different departments showed me how closely connected every function is and how collaboration across teams helps drive success. It has given me a much broader perspective on the definition of teamwork in a real-world setting than I could have gained in a classroom alone.
Considering an Internship at ESW? Here's My Advice
My biggest piece of advice, coming from an intern, would be to embrace this learning opportunity that comes your way. You do not need to know everything on day one, nor are you expected to! The purpose of an internship is to learn, develop, challenge yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. Thankfully, my time at ESW has given me a much clearer understanding of the career path I want to pursue, and it has been an excellent starting point for my professional journey – coming from somebody who, at first, felt a bit lost of what they wanted to do after graduation.
Be curious, ask questions and connect. The more involved you become, the more you will gain from the experience. Take advantage of the training opportunities available, learn from the people around you and be open to the challenges.
For me, this internship has been far more than just gaining work experience. It has allowed me to grow professional, build confidence in my skills, develop practical legal skills and gain a much clearer understanding of what a future career in law could look like.
The experience has been incredibly rewarding, and it has given me lessons and skills that I will carry forward throughout my career.
