Fall 2026 Criminal Law & Immigration Project Externship
About The Position
The ACLU of Northern California’s Legal Advocacy Department invites law and policy graduate students to apply for its Criminal Law & Immigration Project externship. Students willing to work with intensity and focus will find an externship at ACLU NorCal to be a rewarding learning experience. Qualified applicants are enthusiastic, creative, and detail-oriented; have strong research, writing, and oral communication skills; and can articulate a commitment to work for social justice and the ideals of the ACLU. About the Legal Advocacy Department The Legal Advocacy Department promotes policy change and pursues cutting edge impact litigation to defend and expand the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The department’s work focuses on three broad issue areas: Criminal Law & Immigration; Democracy, Speech & Technology; and Appeals & Special Litigation. The department’s staff is based in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno. Legal staff work closely with other departments within ACLU NorCal, including Organizing, Communications, Development, as well as with ACLU California Action. Criminal Law & Immigration Project Externship Criminal Law & Immigration Project externs will participate in one or more of the team’s core streams of work, which include: Prosecutorial Accountability; Police Accountability; Decarceration; and Immigrants’ Rights. The Prosecutorial Accountability project aims to increase engagement in prosecutorial elections, increase accountability, and draw attention to the immense power and discretion exercised by prosecutors. The Police Accountability project aims to reduce criminalization, police power and abuse of power, implementation of police reform at the state and local level, and effective oversight on police power. The Decarceration project aims to reduce incarceration and includes bail reform work and indigent defense advocacy. The Immigrants’ Rights work focuses on projects that ensure that the civil rights of immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers are protected under federal, state, and local law. Externs will be tasked with conducting legal and policy research and analysis; helping to author advocacy materials, portions of court documents, and pre-litigation demand letters; and/or assisting with legislative or other local campaigns. Externs may attend and participate in hearings at the state and county level and meetings with policy-makers and advocates as opportunities arise. Externs may also attend appellate arguments, trial court proceedings, and depositions. Externs are encouraged to attend and participate in departmental meetings, where prospective litigation and policy strategies are discussed. Assignments may arise that provide externs the opportunity to work across the department’s three broad issue areas, including Democracy, Speech & Technology and Appeals & Special Litigation. Applicants must currently be enrolled in law school or a graduate program in criminal justice, public policy, or a related field, and applicants must demonstrate a passion for criminal justice and immigrants’ rights and the overarching mission of the ACLU. The Legal Advocacy Department accepts two to three Criminal Law & Immigration externs per term.
Requirements
- currently be enrolled in law school or a graduate program in criminal justice, public policy, or a related field
- demonstrate a passion for criminal justice and immigrants’ rights and the overarching mission of the ACLU
Responsibilities
- conducting legal and policy research and analysis
- helping to author advocacy materials, portions of court documents, and pre-litigation demand letters
- assisting with legislative or other local campaigns
- attend and participate in hearings at the state and county level and meetings with policy-makers and advocates as opportunities arise
- attend appellate arguments, trial court proceedings, and depositions
- attend and participate in departmental meetings, where prospective litigation and policy strategies are discussed
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Intern
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
