For 24-year-old Theodora Karezi, serving a one-year internship with the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office is proving to be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’.

Born in Greece, Theodora moved with her family to the Isle of Man in 2006, attending St Ninian’s High School before graduating from Oxford Brookes University with a law degree, following which she spent a year working as a paralegal for a Manx law firm.

She began her internship in late November 2023, joining the research and scrutiny support team. Theodora said: ‘There was an element of research to my work as a paralegal, so I’ve been able to bring the knowledge I’d gained to my internship role.

‘I’m finding that there are so many opportunities emerging for me to develop a whole range of new skills I’ll be able to apply to whatever future career I might choose.

‘I’m finding working with committees extremely interesting. I’ve been serving as assistant clerk to a number of committees, notably the select committee of Tynwald on the regulation of the Steam Packet Company, and the House of Keys committee on the assisted dying bill.

‘Having worked as a paralegal, to see the evolution of the law-making process from the early stages is providing a very different perspective on the law. And it’s interesting to see how members bring all the strands together from committees to debates in Tynwald, and how they’re all working towards the common good of the island.

‘I’ve always wanted to become an advocate and working at Tynwald has made me appreciate politics all the more. It’s also opening up new possibilities for which direction my career might take.

‘From day one everyone has been very welcoming and supportive. The work is meaningful – it’s a much broader role than I had imagined – and I’m aware that people are putting their trust in you. I really enjoy coming to work each day and being productive as part of a team.’