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Fall 2025 Legal Intern, State Supreme Court Initiative

Remote/Hybrid- Washington D.C. or New York

The ACLU seeks a Legal Intern in the State Supreme Court Initiative of the National ACLU Office. This is a Remote or Hybrid position and can be full-time or part-time based out of Washington D.C. or NY. The intern is required to be based in the U.S.

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
  • 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 regards 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 remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is Remote or Hybrid from our Washington D.C. or NY National office.
  • Time Commitment: Part-time (20 hours/week) or Full-time (35 hours/week).
  • Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks and part-time 12 weeks. This internship has a start date of: September 9th or September 23rd
  • This internship offers course credit only

Priority Application Deadline: June 30

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

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 accommodations for the interview process.

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