Department

Legal
The ACLU of Massachusetts invites law students to apply for a legal internship. Our office works on issues such as freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, police misconduct, immigrant rights, racial justice, reproductive freedom, privacy, surveillance and technology, juvenile justice, student rights, women’s and LGBTQ rights, and due process.
 

Internship Description

Legal interns at the ACLU perform the wide range of tasks required by litigation and other legal advocacy, including complaint investigation, legal research, and memo writing, drafting of complaints, affidavits, and discovery requests; preparation of pretrial motions, trial preparation, drafting of appellate briefs, and preparation for oral argument. Students work closely with the ACLU of Massachusetts legal director and staff attorneys. Law students may also assist our legislative counsel with developing testimony for legislative hearings and other public policy materials.
 

For students applying for externship 

Please include your school's term start and end dates and how many hours you are available to work per week.
 

How to Apply

Those interested in applying should send a cover letter, resume, and a list of references (a writing sample is preferred also) to legalintern@aclum.org. Please use the subject line "[Term] [Year] Legal Internship – [Your Name]." 
 
 

Application acceptance periods are as follows

  • Summer Internships: Applications considered September 6 to December 15 (or until filled) of the year prior. For instance, for summer 2024:  Sept. 6 – Dec. 15 of 2023

  • Fall Internships: Applications considered June 1 to June 30 (or until filled) of the year of the internship. For instance, for fall 2023: June 1 – June 30 of 2023.

  • Spring Internships: Applications considered November 1 to December 15 (or until filled) of the prior year. For instance, for spring 2024: Nov. 1 – Dec. 15, 2023 

Note: ACLU of Massachusetts abides by the NALP guidelines; accordingly, we will not initiate contact with, interview, or make offers for summer internships to first year law students before December 1 and often our positions are filled by that time.

The ACLU of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and formerly incarcerated people to apply.