Spring 2027 Legal Intern, Human Rights Program

Summary

The ACLU is a civil liberties and civil rights organization that defends individual rights and liberties. The Spring 2027 Legal Intern will support the Human Rights Program through legal and policy research, drafting, human rights documentation, and domestic and international advocacy work.

Responsibilities

• Conducting legal and policy research
• Drafting memoranda, affidavits and briefs
• Researching prospects for new litigation, including both factual and legal claims
• Researching and drafting materials for public education and human rights documentation
• Researching and drafting materials for advocacy before regional and international bodies

Skills

• Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students
• This internship is open to law students from the United States who will have completed their 1L year before the internship commences
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the ACLU, including civil liberties, civil rights, social justice, and international human rights
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regard to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• A demonstrated / strong interest in protecting and expanding civil and human rights
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently, as well as in a team
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills
• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel)
• The initiative to see projects through to completion
• Knowledge and experience using the human rights framework and the international human rights system are a plus
• Knowledge and experience working on immigration and criminal legal system issues, especially extreme punishment, sentencing and juvenile justice are a plus

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students
• This internship is open to law students from the United States who will have completed their 1L year before the internship commences
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of the ACLU, including civil liberties, civil rights, social justice, and international human rights
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regard to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance
• A demonstrated / strong interest in protecting and expanding civil and human rights
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently, as well as in a team
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills
• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel)
• The initiative to see projects through to completion

Nice to Haves

• Knowledge and experience using the human rights framework and the international human rights system are a plus
• Knowledge and experience working on immigration and criminal legal system issues, especially extreme punishment, sentencing and juvenile justice are a plus

Benefits

• Remote or hybrid work based in the New York, NY office
• Offered for course credit only