Spring 2025 Paid Graduate Intern, State Supreme Court Initiative

 

The ACLU seeks a Legal Intern in The State Supreme Court Initiative (SSCI) Program of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY or Washington, DC. The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by assisting with civil rights and civil liberties litigation and research in state supreme courts across the country.

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.
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
• 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
• Commitment to civil rights, civil liberties, and the mission of the ACLU
• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the ACLU
• 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
• Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts

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 conflict

Internship Logistics:

     •  Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of in-person, remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is remote or hybrid from our New York or DC National office.
     • Time Commitment: Term-time internships may be completed on a part-time basis (10, 15, or 20 hours/week) or full-time (35 hours/week)
     •  Internship Duration: Part-time internships span 12 consecutive weeks. Tentative start date is January 13 or January 27
     • Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work and do not receive compensation from other sources. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below are the stipend rates:
           • $20/hour for undergraduate students
           • $24/hour for graduate and law students

Priority Application Deadline: October 21st, 2024

While there is a priority deadline, our project is committed to review all applications on a rolling basis until the closing of posting.

 

ABOUT THE ACLU 

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. 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 from government abuse and overreach. 

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. 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. 

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 and 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 benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.