Position Overview:

The Legal Intern for the Advocacy Team gives law students who have completed at least their first year of law school and one semester of Constitutional law the opportunity to work with the organization’s Advocacy Team.

The Advocacy Team protects and advances civil liberties and civil rights across the Commonwealth through legislative, organizing, administrative, executive, and non-litigation legal advocacy tools. Our team collaborates with grassroots to grasstops, diverse coalitions, and stakeholders/system actors to drive systemic changes.

Our work spans various issues areas related to: criminal legal reform, reproductive freedom, disability rights, death penalty abolition, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, voting rights, juvenile justice, immigration, surveillance/privacy, free speech, and more. The Legal Intern will be fully integrated into the Advocacy Team and will have opportunities to attend team calls, meetings, including meetings with policymakers, and support any work on our priority issue areas.

Primary Responsibilities/Essential Duties:

• Legal research and memo writing.

• Analyze, summarize, or otherwise research/track pending legislation or other policy proposals.

• Draft copy for materials, including issue briefs, letters, or talking points designed to influence state lawmakers.

• Submit requests, analyze, summarize, and track files received from government agencies via Open Records Requests.

• Educate state legislators and other public officials for policy change.

• Conduct research on priority ACLU of Kentucky issues.

• Other projects or administrative tasks assigned.

Qualifications:

• Current law student who has completed at least their first year of law school and one semester of constitutional law.

• Strong research and writing skills.

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint & Teams.

• A history of working collaboratively and successfully with people and organizations from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and a broad range of ideological positions and religious views.

• Commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU. Strong passion for criminal justice issues, commitment to criminal justice reform, and an understanding of the racialized nature of the criminal justice system are essential.

• Interns are expected to work an average of 40 hours each week for 10 weeks. The tentative start date is Monday, June 15th, with a tentative end date of Friday, August 14, but start and end dates are flexible.

• This position is based in Louisville. Candidates must either reside in the Louisville metropolitan area or be willing to work at least 2 days per week in the office, but are welcome to work every day in the office.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

• May travel throughout Kentucky.

• Individuals directly impacted by the policy changes we have prioritized, and that they, in their professional capacity, would be working to change, preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

The position pays $10,000.00 over the course of 10 weeks. Individuals will be paid via a stipend and will receive a 1099 from the organization.

How to Apply, Accommodations, and Contact

Applicants must submit a resume and writing sample (in PDF form) to [email protected] with the subject line: Advocacy Legal Internship. The deadline for applications is Thursday, May 28th.