Fall 2026 Legal Intern, State Supreme Court Initiative

The ACLU seeks a Fall Legal Intern in the State Supreme Court Initiative of the ACLU’s National office in New York City or Washington Dc. This position can be remote or hybrid and is for course credit only.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

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.

The intern will be responsible for research and writing projects relating to litigation in state supreme courts.

• 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

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

• 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 conflicts

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote or hybrid based in our New York City or Washington DC office.
• Time Commitment: This internship can be part-time (10,15 or 20 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Fall internships span 12 consecutive weeks for part-time with a start date of September 8 or September 21.
• Stipend: This position is course credit only. This internship must be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

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.