Legal Intern

About the Role

The ACLU seeks a Spring Legal Intern in the State Supreme Court Initiativeof the ACLU’s National office in New York City or Washington Dc. This position can be remote or hybrid and is for course credit only.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The SSCI is a team of attorneys and legal fellows, dedicated to strengthening and expanding the ACLU’s voice in state supreme courts. Working with the ACLU’s affiliates around the country, along with other projects in the ACLU’s national office, the SSCI identifies cutting-edge cases of constitutional import in state supreme courts and files briefs in those cases, either as amicus curiae or co-counsel. It also facilitates strategic collaboration among the ACLU’s state affiliates and other partners engaged in state constitutional litigation and works with affiliates to develop strategies for building civil liberties and civil rights doctrine in their states.

What You’ll Do:

The intern will be responsible for research and writing projects relating to litigation in state supreme courts.

Your Day to Day:

• Draft memoranda, motions, and portions of briefs
• Conduct legal and factual research concerning issues and cases in multiple state supreme courts
• Track cases and issues of interest to the SSCI
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes

What You'll Bring:

The internship is open to students enrolled at U.S. law schools who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship commences.

Interns should possess the following:

• Excellent research skills, including by conducting internet searches and using Westlaw, PACER, and other law-related databases.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and in writing, and both in-person and via teleconferencing services
• Attention to detail, organization, time management, and deadlines
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

Future ACLU'ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

Internship Logistics

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote or hybrid based in our New York City or Washington DC office.
• Time Commitment: This internship can be part-time (10,15 or 20 hours/week) or full-time (35 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Spring internships span 12 consecutive weeks for part-time with a start date of January 12 or January 26.
• Stipend: This position is course credit only.

Why the ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people. 

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.  

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.  

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.