Mexico Summer Externship Program

Summer Externships in Mexico's:

National Hydrocarbon Commission (CNH)
Petróleos de México (PEMEX)
Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores- SRE)

2020 Summer Application

Student Resources
Coming soon

The Center for U.S. and Mexican Law at the University of Houston assists UH law students to arrange summer internships in Mexico City through the following Mutual Cooperation Agreements:

México's National Hydrocarbons Comission (CNH)

Mexico's Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos, or CNH, is a decentralized agency of the Mexican government charged with regulating, overseeing, and evaluating all hydrocarbons exploration and production activities in the country.

Where do externs work?
UHLC students have externed in CHN's Legal Department, with Legal Advisors to Commissioners and in the Bidding Rounds and Regulations departments.
What do externs at CNH do?

Students research best practices, standards, and safety regulations of shale hydraulic fracturing in North American and European countries.

Pemex

Petróleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, is a government-owned oil company and is one of the few oil companies in the world that develops all the productive chain of the industry, from exploration to distribution and marketing of end products, including petrochemicals.

Where do externs work?
Pemex receives legal externs in to work at the Pemex headquarters in México City in the Legal Department of International Affairs.

What do externs at Pemex do?
Students assist in contract drafting and research international conventions.

Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE)

Mexico's Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, or SRE, is the governmental agency responsible for Mexico's foreign affairs, and seeks to expand and deepen Mexico's political, economic, cultural and cooperative relationships with all regions for the benefit of integral development of all Mexicans.

Where do externs work?
The Ministry receives University of Houston Law students in the Office of the Legal Adviser in México City as well in as the Legal Affairs department, and the Department for the Protection of Mexican Nationals Abroad.

What do externs at SRE do?
Students research issues of diplomatic immunity and review property contracts for Mexican embassies and consulates, researching and drafting on international treaties issues, and assist the supervising attorney in legal matters.

Summer Externships - How to Participate

How to apply next year?

Submit the online application, a writing sample, your resume, and an unofficial transcript.
Student applicants will be asked to schedule an interview with the Director of the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law, Alfonso Lopez de la Osa Escribano.
Accepted students must attend the Center's Summer Externship Program Orientation prior to the beginning of their placement in Mexico.

For more information, email Prof. Julian Cardenas at jcardena@central.uh.edu

Externship Prerequisites

These externships are available to University of Houston law students who will have completed at least two full semesters of study in the J.D. Program, OR who will have completed at least 12 units of study in the LL.M. Program prior to the beginning of the externship.
Good academic standing.
The externships require that the student have a proficient level of Spanish fluency. If selected, you will be working with Mexican lawyers in both Spanish and English, and while perfect fluency is not required you must be able to communicate in Spanish.
Students accepted to the summer externship program are responsible for their own airfare, lodging and food expense during their stay in Mexico.
Accepted students must be able to commit to work in Mexico for 6-10 weeks.

How to Receive Academic Credit

Law students that are accepted to the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law Summer Externship Program and are placed with one of the three Mexico organizations may be eligible for academic credit.
For more information about receiving academic credit, visit the Externship Program website.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) – Eligible for academic credit
National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) - Eligible for academic credit
Pemex- Eligible for academic credit