Legal Internship - Fall 2026

Description

The Legal Department of the ACLU of Illinois seeks two (2) second- and third-year law students for part-time Fall 2026 legal internships for course credit. Our internship program for this term will be a hybrid of remote and in-office work each week. Interns must be located in Illinois and able to work from our Chicago office at least one day per week during their internships.

The ACLU of Illinois is an affiliate office of the American Civil Liberties Union, a national nonprofit organization devoted to the protection of civil rights and civil liberties through litigation, legislation, and public education. We work to fight mass incarceration and racism in the criminal and juvenile legal systems, to promote full equality for LGBTQ people, to challenge dangerous immigration detention conditions, to battle racially biased and abusive policing, to advance gender justice and reproductive rights, to advocate for children in the foster system and people with disabilities, and to defend people from government abuse and overreach. We are a passionate and highly motivated group of lawyers, public policy experts, lobbyists, fundraisers, engagement and communication professionals, and administrative staff. To learn more about our work, visit aclu-il.org.

The Legal Department of the ACLU of Illinois advances civil rights and civil liberties through an active docket of cases in federal and state courts and administrative entities, as well as advocacy and public education in partnership with colleagues throughout the organization. Attorneys in the Legal Department provide supervision and mentorship to legal interns. 

Job Description

This unpaid position is available for law students who are eligible to receive course credit for this position. Please ensure your law school can provide credit for a legal internship with the ACLU. 

Legal interns will be exposed to, and participate in, the process of developing and pursuing impact cases and non-litigation advocacy to advance civil rights and civil liberties. The legal intern’s duties may include:

• Conducting legal, policy, and factual research for current and potential cases and non-litigation advocacy projects;
• Drafting memoranda, affidavits, and sections of briefs;
• Cite-checking legal documents;
• Interviewing potential clients and class members; and
• Investigating the facts of specific cases.

Supervising attorneys are committed to providing mentorship and thorough and timely feedback on all work product. 

Requirements

• You are a law student who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship commences. 
• You will be located in the state of Illinois and able to work from our Chicago office at least one day per week during your internship.
• You are self-motivated and have the ability to take initiative, manage a variety of tasks, and see projects through to completion in a fast-paced and collaborative environment. 
• You are receptive to feedback, enthusiastic about learning and self-improvement, and eager to incorporate feedback into future work.
• You have an excellent foundation in legal research, including judgment in discerning which cases are relevant to a particular research question and thoroughness in covering the question asked.
• You are well along in developing the capacity to engage in thoughtful and perceptive legal analysis, including the ability to build a logical and persuasive argument, to read and understand legal decisions and statutes, and to grasp whether and how legal authorities apply to a new set of facts.
• You are well along in developing excellent legal writing skills, including the ability to present ideas in a clear and organized manner and to write a memorandum that teaches the reader what you have learned through legal research (whether the meaning of a specific case or the state of a body of law in general).
• You can work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.
• You are committed to recognizing and valuing all individuals in the workplace and respecting differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstances, and other factors.
• You have the empathy and people skills necessary to connect with, listen to, learn from, and ask questions of clients and other community members.
• You are committed to civil rights, civil liberties, social justice, and the mission of the ACLU of Illinois.

How to Apply

You should submit the following materials: 

1. A copy of your resume that lists relevant experience.

2. A cover letter of no more than 600 words addressing the following topics:

• What civil rights and civil liberties issue do you feel is most pressing right now and why?
• How do your skills and experiences make you a good fit for this position?
• Describe a specific example of when you took ownership (or responsibility) over a project or assignment. What did it mean to you to take ownership? What was the result?
• Confirm that course credit is available to you. 

3. A list of two references, including phone number, email address, and a sentence about each one identifying your relationship to them and what information they can provide. 

4. A legal writing sample (e.g., a legal memorandum or section of a legal brief) that has not been edited by another individual and is no longer than 10 pages double-spaced.

Please apply as early as possible. We will make offers as we receive qualified applicants.

Hiring Statement

The ACLU of Illinois is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The ACLU of Illinois is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance with the online application process, please email our Human Resources Manager at [email protected], including the position you are applying for in the subject line. You will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodation for the interview process.