Please see below for the most recent job postings from our sponsors and other public interest employers.
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ACLU of Michigan: Legal Internship for Summer 2012
The American Civil Liberties Union is the largest and oldest organization in the United States dedicated to protecting the civil liberties of all people in this nation through litigation, public education, advocacy, and organizing. The ACLU litigates impact cases addressing a wide range of constitutional issues, including free speech, religious freedom, police misconduct, post-9/11 issues, reproductive freedom, voting rights, privacy, drug policy, LGBT rights, and the rights of people of color, women, immigrants and prisoners.
Summer legal interns with the ACLU of Michigan have a unique opportunity to work on cutting
edge civil liberties and civil rights cases. For example, summer legal interns in 2011 participated in developing cases on debtors’ prisons, adoption rights of same-sex couples, education issues, unlawful searches of students, and many other issues. In addition to a vibrant and innovative caseload, the ACLU of Michigan offers legal interns a rewarding summer experience, including opportunities to attend court hearings, social activities, supervision and mentorship.
Some of our recent litigation includes:
- a class action to reform Michigan’s broken indigent defense system
- a federal lawsuit to preserve affirmative action in university admissions in the wake of Proposal 2
- a pregnancy discrimination case on behalf of female Detroit police officers
- an Eighth Amendment challenge to Michigan’s practice of sentencing children to life in
prison without the possibility of parole
Please see our website for more information on our current and past case dockets.
INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW
Responsibilities: Law students work on many aspects of potential and ongoing cases, such as: drafting memoranda addressing the merits of a case, meeting with and interviewing plaintiffs and witnesses, and drafting complaints and briefs. Students may also be asked to analyze the constitutionality of pending legislation or help with discovery.
Internship Locations:Internships are available at our Detroit headquarters, our Lansing legislative office, and our West Michigan Regional Office in Grand Rapids. In your cover letter, please indicate whether you have a geographic preference.
Qualifications:
- Must have finished first year of law school
- Very strong research, writing and communication skills
- A demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and civil rights issues
- Students who have studied constitutional law are preferred
Supervision: Legal interns and externs will be supervised by the legal director and six staff attorneys. They may also be asked to assist a cooperating attorney on a pending case or to work with the executive director or legislative director.
Credit/Fellowships: Our summer legal internship requires a 10 to 12 week commitment. This is an unpaid internship. Students are highly encouraged to seek public interest fellowship funds. Arrangements can also be made with the student’s law school for work/study stipends or course credit.
Applications: Applications for summer 2012 will be considered on a rolling basis but should be submitted no later than January 31, 2012. Please email a cover letter, resume and writing sample to:
Michael J. Steinberg, Legal Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
2966 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 578-6814
msteinberg@aclumich.org
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2012 Summer Legal Internship: ACLU Washington Legislative Office, DC
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with more than 500,000 members dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Washington Legislative Office (WLO) of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, D.C. seeks legal interns for the Summer of 2012.
OVERVIEW:
The Washington Legislative Office is responsible for advancing the civil liberties agenda of the national organization before Congress and the Executive Branch, as well as working with ACLU affiliates on state legislatures.
INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW:
The WLO is offering Summer Legal Interns the opportunity to work on all aspects of ACLU legislation/policy work. Our Summer Legal Internship requires a 10-12 week commitment and is full-time. This is an unpaid internship. Students are highly encouraged to seek Public Interest Fellowship funds for the internship. Arrangements can also be made with the student’s law school for work/study or course credit. Summer Interns who do not secure funding will be eligible to receive a stipend provided by the WLO.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Summer Legal Intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the WLO’s team of lobbyists. Interns will gain hands on experience in all aspects of legislative/policy work including but not limited to the following:
- Conducting research on civil liberties implications of legislative proposals and tracking legislation.
- Drafting testimony for Congressional hearings. Interns will accompany lobbyists to hearings and be mentored on preparing written reports on actions.
- Conducting research and drafting issue statements for posting on the ACLU’s web page, newsletters and/or action alerts.
- Attending coalition meetings with lead lobbyists.
DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:
Second and third year law students are encouraged to apply.
- A demonstrated interest in civil liberties and legislation.
- Excellent research, writing, analytical and communication skills.
- Initiative and determination to see projects through to completion.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants should send a letter of interest, a list of two references, an official or unofficial transcript, a resume and a legal writing sample of 5-7 pages to hrjobs.org reference [Summer 2012 WLO Legal Internship] in subject line – or by mail to:
Gina Prince
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
RE: Summer 2012 WLO Legal Internship
915 15th Street, NW – 6th Floor
Washington DC, 20005
Please submit your application materials as early as possible. Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this internship opportunity.
The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.
The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”
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Summer Legal Internship at the Supreme Court of Pakistan
The Supreme Court of Pakistan offers a summer internship for law students and recent law graduates. Legal interns work closely with a Justice, conducting legal research, drafting memoranda, and performing other tasks usually reserved for “clerks” on appellate courts around the world. Law students from countries other than Pakistan are encouraged to apply and no language proficiency other than English is required. The program is unpaid and lasts for 8-12 weeks. Interns are based at the Court’s permanent seat in Islamabad, but are sometimes requested to travel to provincial headquarters to fulfill their responsibilities.
The Supreme Court is Pakistan’s court of ultimate jurisdiction, the final interpreter of its Constitution, and the upholder of its citizens’ fundamental rights, liberties, and freedoms. The Supreme Court exercises judicial review over other branches of the government, and its decisions are binding on other courts. The judgments of the Supreme Court of Pakistan often engage in comparative law analysis, and frequently draw on English, Indian, American, and Canadian law. For more information about the Court, please visit the official website or view a copy of the 2009-2010 Yearbook, which is available online: http://www.supremecourt.gov.pk/web/page.asp?id=382.
Interested applicants are requested to submit the following: (i) a cover letter, (ii) a curriculum vitae, (iii) an unofficial transcript, (iv) proposed start and finish dates, and (v) a 150-word statement of qualification to umer.gilani@gmail.com in the form of a single PDF file by December 5th, and cc the same to rehmanscp@yahoo.com. While the interns are primarily responsible for procuring a visa and living arrangements in Islamabad, some assistance can be provided in this regard upon request. Further inquiries may be forwarded to former clerks: tpantin@gmail.com and asher.qazi@gmail.com.
Contact Information:
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue
Islamabad
Pakistan
Phone: 0092-51-9215819
Fax: 0092-51-9213452
Email: umer.gilani@gmail.com, cc: rehmanscp@yahoo.com
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ACLU: Immigrant Rights Project – New York City and San Francisco Offices
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with more than 500,000 members and is dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Immigrants’ Rights Project of the ACLU’s National Office in New York City and San Francisco seeks legal interns for the Summer of 2012.
Overview
The Immigrants’ Rights Project (IRP) is a national project of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation with offices in New York and California. Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU’s historic commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of immigrants. In federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, the Project conducts the nation’s largest impact litigation program dedicated to defending and expanding the rights of immigrants, enforcing the guarantees of the Constitution, and achieving equal justice under the law.
The Project has focused on challenging laws that deny immigrants access to the judicial system, impose indefinite and mandatory detention, and constitute discrimination on the basis of “alienage” by governmental and private entities. In addition, the Project has been challenging constitutional abuses that arise from immigration enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels, including litigation against worksite and home raids, local anti-immigrant employment and housing laws, and improper enforcement of federal immigration laws by local sheriffs. IRP’s efforts in the enforcement arena seek to ensure the constitutional protections of the Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments, combat racial profiling arising from actual or pretextual immigration enforcement that subjects immigrant communities to racism and hostility, and challenge government policies and practices that undermine or deny immigrants’ ability to effectuate their existing legal rights.
Internship Overview
The Project is offering Summer Legal Interns the opportunity to work on a variety of litigation projects. Our Summer Legal Internship requires a 10 to 12 week commitment. This is an unpaid internship. Students are highly encouraged to seek Public Interest Fellowship funds for the internship. Legal interns who do not secure funding will be eligible for a stipend provided by the Project.
Roles and Responsibilites
The Summer Legal Interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the IRP team. Interns will assist in all aspects of litigation. Interns will gain experience by working on the following:
- Conducting legal and policy research.
- Drafting memoranda, affidavits and briefs.
- Assisting with researching prospects for new litigation, including both factual and legal claims.
- Assisting with researching and drafting materials for public education.
Desired Experience and Qualifications
The Legal Internship is open to all law students that have completed their first of law school.
- Excellent research, writing and communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including internet research.
- The initiative to see projects through to completion.
- Demonstrated interest in social justice and legal issues.
- A strong interest and commitment to civil rights and civil liberties issues.
How to Apply
Applicants should send a cover letter, a resume, the names and telephone numbers of three references, an official or unofficial transcript, and a legal writing sample, preferably 10 pages or fewer in length to the office in which you wish to intern by email to hrjobs@aclu.org and reference [IRP - NY Summer 2012 Legal Internship or IRP - CA Summer 2012 Legal Internship] in the subject line. Please apply separately to each and indicate that you have done so in your cover letter.
New York
Legal Internship Selection Committee
ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Or email: hrjobs@aclu.org (Subject line: IRP-NY Summer 2012 Legal Internship)
California
Legal Internship Selection Committee
ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
39 Drumm Street San Francisco, CA 94111
Or email: hrjobs@aclu.org (Subject line: IRP-CA Summer 2012 Legal Internship)
Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this internship opportunity.
Students are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible, as decisions are made on a rolling basis. Suggested application submission periods are as follows:
- 2Ls should apply between September 20, 2011, and January 21, 2012
- 1Ls should apply between December 1, 2011, and January 21, 2012.
National Resources Defense Council – 2012 Summer Legal Internships
The NRDC is a leading nonprofit membership organization that has been marshaling science and the law to protect the environment and public health since 1970. Our more than 1.3 million members and activists reside in each of the United States and in the District of Columbia. NRDC employs over 350 scientists, lawyers, economists, media specialists, policy analysts, and administrators in its six offices, including a new office in China. Within each of the organization’s program areas – air, water, coastal, oceans, public health, climate change, energy, public land, smart growth, international, urban, environmental justice, and nuclear non-proliferation – NRDC’s experts pursue cutting-edge litigation, sophisticated lobbying, hard-hitting scientific research, and broad-reaching public education. For over 40 years, NRDC has played a central role in crafting, implementing, enforcing, and defending virtually all of the nation’s environmental laws.
Summer Legal Intern Experience
NRDC’s summer legal interns write briefs, draft complaints, prepare legal analyses, obtain affidavits, investigate corporate and government malfeasance, participate in policy advocacy campaigns, and draft white papers and comments for submission to Congressional committees and administrative agencies. NRDC hires passionate students who possess the intelligence, skill, self- confidence, and maturity to take on enormous responsibility. In exchange for their hard work, our interns receive an active role on the frontlines of the environmental movement. Over the course of a summer, an NRDC intern will typically work on a variety of projects and amass experience that he/she could not obtain anywhere else.
How to Apply
All applications for 2012 Summer Legal Internships can now be submitted on-line at www.nrdc.org/jobs. You will need to electronically submit a cover letter, transcript, resume, references, and a legal writing sample that does not reflect edits by anyone other than you. In your cover letter, please indicate all of the NRDC offices to which you are applying, as well as any order of preference among the offices. Internships are available in the following offices: New York, NY; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco, CA; Santa Monica, CA; and Chicago, IL. Applications from 1Ls are due January 2, 2012. Offers will be made on a rolling basis; students are strongly encouraged to apply early.
