Policy Internships for Law Students

Application Deadlines (Applications accepted after deadline if positions still available)

Fall 2011:             June 30, 2011
Spring 2012:        November 30, 2011
Summer 2012:     January 31, 2012

The ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) Policy Department focuses on four areas: (1) Death Penalty; (2) Criminal Justice and Drug Policy; (3) Racial Justice; and (4) Technology and Civil Liberties. Each area is headed by a policy director, focusing exclusively on that subject.

The Position:
Under the supervision and guidance of the Death Penalty, Police Practices, Racial Justice and/or Technology and Civil Liberties Policy Director, interns assist in projects that aim to improve criminal justice, education policy, and technology policy in Northern California.

Interns will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge issues, conduct legal and policy research, and draft legal and policy memoranda, reports, and other advocacy documents. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in staff meetings and may also participate in strategy meetings with coalition partners and assist in fact gathering for local and state advocacy efforts through Public Records Act requests, field interviews, and other strategies.

Death Penalty:
The interns will assist with projects aimed at bringing community and media attention to flaws in the California death penalty system. Current projects focus on highlighting the high costs of the death penalty as compared with alternatives, problems with wrongful convictions, geographic and racial disparities, growing opposition from murder victim survivors, and building grassroots activist coalitions. See www.aclunc.org/deathpenalty for more information.
 
Criminal Justice and Drug Policy:
Interns will assist with projects to improve police accountability and reduce over-incarceration and over-reliance upon the criminal justice system as a mechanism for addressing social issues.  Work will focus upon areas including drug law enforcement; selective enforcement practices and other racial disparity problems; three-strikes and other sentencing reform; medical marijuana implementation issues and broader marijuana law reform; and creative alternatives to incarceration such as pre-arrest diversion programs. See www.aclunc.org/criminaljustice for more information.

Racial Justice:
A key priority for the Racial Justice Project is eliminating racial disparities in the criminal justice system and addressing the collateral consequences of incarceration. The Project also focuses on educational equity in California public schools.  Current topics include school bias and pushout, felony disenfranchisement, and disproportionate minority contact. See www.aclunc.org/racialjustice for more information.

Technology and Civil Liberties:
The interns will work to ensure that as technology advances, civil liberties keep pace. The intern will have the opportunity to work on our dynamic online privacy campaign, Demand your dotRights (www.dotrights.org), and address policy and legislative issues involving social networking, mobile services, cloud computing, search, and email privacy. Other topics may likely include online free speech, RFID technology, biometrics, datamining, and video surveillance. See our website and blog at www.aclunc.org/tech for more information about our work and the internship.

General Responsibilities:
-Conduct legal and policy research (Internet researching, consulting experts, etc.);
-Draft letters, memos, legal documents, reports, website copy and other public education materials;
-Assist with communications with outside entities such as local government, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations;
-E-mail and phone correspondence; and
-Provide general administrative support.

Time and Pay/Credit:
During the school year, most students work for credit only.  Fall and spring semester positions are part-time and full-time, unpaid internships (16-40 hours/week).
 
Summer positions are full-time (40 hours/week).  Students are encouraged to seek independent funding through their schools if available for the summer. Work-study funding may be available; grant matches are considered. If funding is not available, the ACLU-NC may provide  funding on a case-by-case basis

Several positions are available.
 
Qualifications:
-Currently enrolled in law school or graduate school with good academic standing. Advanced undergraduate and recent graduate positions also available.
-Enthusiasm, creativity, and attention to detail.
-Strong research, writing, and oral communication skills.
-Computer skills, familiar with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook)
-An interest in public interest/social justice issues and the commitment to work for civil rights and the ideals of the ACLU.

How to Apply:
Applicants should email their transcript, a cover letter, resume, writing sample and list of references to policyinternships@aclunc.org. Please include in the cover letter your preference of subject area and related course work, professional and/or academic experience.
 
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California is an affirmative action employer. All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex are particularly urged to apply.