SUMMER 2018 LEGAL INTERNSHIP
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
VOTING RIGHTS PROJECT, WASHINGTON, DC
For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities 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 LGBT community, advancing racial justice, 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 and civil rights cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. With more than one million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, record of arrest or conviction.
The Voting Rights Project of the ACLU has been an established and recognized national leader in the field of voting rights for more than 50 years. The Project employs an integrated advocacy approach, combating voter suppression measures through a combination of legislative advocacy and litigation, and has active cases in over a dozen states. A commitment to racial justice is the core of the Project’s work, and is the lens through which the Voting Rights Project views voting rights controversies.
INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW
The ACLU’s Voting Rights Project seeks a legal intern in its Washington, DC office for the Summer of 2018 to work on active litigation and other research projects. The internship is full-time and typically requires a summer long commitment. The intern will primarily be working with a team of VRP attorneys to enforce the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) (also known as the federal “Motor-Voter Law”), which requires states to provide voter registration services at DMVs and public assistance offices. Arrangements can be made with the student’s law school for work/study or course credit.
A modest stipend may be available if the student does not receive outside funding and/or course credit.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the Voting Rights Project team on:
- All aspects of litigation, including legal research, factual investigation, drafting of memoranda complaints, discovery materials, briefs, pleadings and other litigation documents.
- Drafting freedom of information/public records requests.
- Preparing informational updates on voting rights issues for the ACLU National and Affiliate staff.
- Handling special projects as assigned.
DESIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
The internship is open to rising second and third year law students who possess:
- Excellent research, writing, analytical and communication skills.
- The initiative to see projects through to completion.
- A demonstrated interest in civil rights and civil liberties issues.
- The ability to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts.
- Commitment to the mission of the ACLU.
- 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, ability and socio-economic circumstance.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send a cover letter and resume to hrjobsvrp@aclu.org. Reference [VRP DC Summer 2018 Legal Internship] in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Students are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible as decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Please indicate where you learned of this internship posting.