About the Role

The ACLU seeks a full-time Summer Legal Intern in the SCOTUS Docket of the ACLU's National Office. This position may be remote or hybrid and can be based in our National Office in San Francisco, CA or New York, NY.

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

The Team

Our team supports the ACLU’s National Legal Director. In addition to overseeing the ACLU’s litigation department, the National Legal Director supervises all of the ACLU’s work before the United States Supreme Court, including merits cases, petitions for certiorari, and amicus work.

What You’ll Do

We are looking for a legal intern to support all facets of the ACLU’s work across at the Supreme Court. The intern’s case load will likely span a range of issue areas, including voting rights, LGBTQ rights, immigration, presidential power, and free speech. Specific tasks will include legal research, argument development, brief drafting, and assistance with long-term planning and strategy projects. Additionally, the intern will gain exposure to the ACLU’s advocacy strategy development and coalition management efforts for cases pending before or possibly headed toward the U.S. Supreme Court. You’ll report to the staff attorney who works across the ACLU’s Supreme Court docket.

Your Day to Day

Interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the team. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

Conduct legal research and analysis to support new and active litigation projects
Aid in drafting of legal memoranda, motions, and briefs
Provide support and assistance to ACLU affiliates and cooperating attorneys

What You'll Bring

This Internship is open to students who are in law school. Interns should possess the following:

Completion of 1L year of law school prior to the commencement of the internship; preference for candidates who will have already completed their 2L year
Excellent research skills, including conducting internet and legal database research
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and writing
Attention to detail, excellent organization and time-management skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
The initiative to see projects through to completion
Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, civil liberties, and racial justice
Demonstrated ability to conduct complex legal analysis
Kindness, generosity, and humility

Preferred Qualifications

Experience drafting briefs before the United States Supreme Court
Familiarity with or previous experience working on one or more of the following topics: Section 1983 litigation; immigration law; LGBTQ rights; free speech; administrative law; national security law; structural constitutional law.

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 conflicts

Internship Logistics

Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship may be remote and/or hybrid and can be based in our National Office in San Francisco, CA or New York, NY.
Time Commitment: Summer internships require a full-time commitment of 35 hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks.
Internship Duration: Internships begin on 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)

Priority Application Deadline: December 6, 2026

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