Summer 2026 Legal Intern, Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief

The ACLU seeks a Summer Legal Intern in the Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, D.C. This internship is remote.

The Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief works to safeguard the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty by ensuring that laws and governmental practices neither promote religion nor interfere with its free exercise. Building on the ACLU’s century of work defending these constitutional principles, the Program employs an integrated strategy of litigation, public education, and advocacy. Summer interns will have the opportunity to gain meaningful legal experience by assisting PFRB's attorneys in various aspects of litigation, from developing new cases to researching and writing briefs at the district-court and appellate-court levels. Interns will gain exposure to a variety of prominent religious-freedom issues.

Interns will learn about all aspects of the Program’s work, including litigation, public education, and advocacy, and will gain experience through a variety of assignments.

• Drafting memoranda, affidavits, and briefs.
• Conducting legal and policy research.
• Researching prospects for new litigation, including factual and legal claims.
• Researching and drafting materials for public education.
• Tracking and analyzing legislative bills.

The summer internship is open to law students who will have completed at least one year of law school prior to the commencement of the internship. Interns should possess the following:

• Excellent research, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
• The initiative to see projects through to completion.
• The ability to work with a wide range of people.
• A strong interest in and commitment to civil rights and civil liberties and the ACLU’s mission.
• A dedication to diversity within the office, using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and socio-economic circumstance.
• The ability to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts and to center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work.

• 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 is remote from our Washington, DC office.
• Time Commitment: This internship is full-time (35 hrs/wk) for a duration of 10 consecutive weeks.
• Internship Duration: This internship has a start date of May 24 or June 7.
• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for the summer. Legal interns receive a stipend amount of $24/hour (stipends are taxed)

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.