American Civil Liberties Union

2009 Fall Legal Internship Opportunity
IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS PROJECT
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
New York and California Offices

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Immigrants’ Rights Project seeks legal interns for the Fall 2009 semester.

OVERVIEW:
The Immigrants’ Rights Project is a national project of the American Civil Liberties Union with offices in New York and California. Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU’s historic commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of immigrants. In federal district and appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, the Project conducts the nation’s largest impact litigation program dedicated to defending and expanding the rights of immigrants, enforcing the guarantees of the Constitution and achieving equal justice under the law.

The Project has focused on challenging laws that deny immigrants access to the judicial system, impose indefinite and mandatory detention, deprive immigrants of due process or discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived immigration status. The Project is also involved in combating unconstitutional law enforcement practices and state and local anti-immigrant enactments. In addition, the Project has been engaged in litigation aimed at exposing and opposing post-9/11 practices such as the use of “enemy combatant” and “material witness” designations to impose detention without trial and the torture and abuse of military detainees.

The Educational component of the Project provides information about immigrants’ rights to immigrant communities nationwide. The Project works with the English and non-English language media, immigrant advocacy organizations and ACLU affiliates around the country to empower immigrant communities through presentations about their rights as well as current and proposed immigration laws.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW:
Fall semester Legal internships are full-time or part-time. Part-time internship positions require a minimum commitment of twelve (12) hours per week. These Internships are unpaid. Interns may work for school credit only, if applicable. Interns will work with one or more of our staff attorneys.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Legal Interns will assist in all aspects of litigation including:

• Legal research, factual investigation, drafting of memoranda, affidavits, and briefs.
• Assist IRP staff in providing assistance.
• Under the supervision of the IRP team, provide advice to ACLU affiliates, private attorneys, and others who seek our help, with screening potential cases.
• Research and/or draft materials for public education.
• Interns will also attend regular staff meetings.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• One year of law school must be completed before beginning the internship.
• Commitment to civil liberties, immigrants’ rights and an interest in working toward racial and social justice.
• Strong writing and research skills.

HOW TO APPLY:
Applications for the Fall 2009 semester internship positions may be submitted until July 31, 2009. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Send a cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, list of references, and transcript to the office in which you wish to work. If you are interested in both offices, please apply separately to each and indicate that you have done so in your cover letter. The preferred method of submission is e-mail with the subject line specifying the office to which you are applying. Submissions via postal mail is acceptable, however please do not send application materials through both medians

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”