Fall 2026 Legal Clerkship

FIRE•Philadelphia, PA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

FIRE offers a 15-week, course-credited, in-semester Legal Clerkship for law students looking for hands-on experience working for a dynamic, nonpartisan, civil liberties organization. Clerks work with FIRE attorneys part-time during the academic year conducting legal research in emerging areas of law; developing arguments for active cases; preparing various litigation documents for active cases; reviewing university policies and legislative proposals; and much more. Our Legal Clerks will be assigned to work with the following teams: Litigation, Campus Rights Advocacy, Public Advocacy, Policy Reform, and Legislative & Policy. Legal Clerks have the opportunity to work in FIRE’s Philadelphia office, D.C. office, or remotely. The 2026 fall-semester clerkship application will be open from April 20 to July 2. Applicants will be received and awarded clerkships on a rolling basis. Litigation law clerks will assist our litigators working up new cases and litigating existing lawsuits defending the freedom of speech, primarily through legal research, writing, and strategy discussions. Law clerks will gain practical knowledge of federal litigation, learn more about public-interest litigation specifically, and deepen their understanding of substantive First Amendment law. The Campus Rights Advocacy Legal Clerk will assist the department’s non-litigation advocacy efforts in defending free speech and due process on college and university campuses. Responsibilities will include investigating potential violations of expressive rights and due process, conducting legal research, reviewing advocacy letters, and drafting public-facing commentary on topical free speech issues. Legal Clerks should expect to have some administrative responsibilities as well. Legal Clerks will also have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of substantive First Amendment law by attending voluntary learning sessions. The Public Advocacy Legal Clerk will support the department’s non-litigation advocacy defending free speech off campus. Responsibilities will include investigating potential violations of expressive rights, conducting legal research, reviewing advocacy letters, and drafting public-facing commentary on topical free speech issues. The Policy Reform Clerk would aid the Policy Reform team in its work to improve the written regulations on student and faculty expression at our nation’s colleges. Their duties would include drafting and editing policy analysis and recommendations for college administrators, researching emerging issues affecting regulations on expression, and providing input on best practices for building a better foundation for campus speech through a college’s policies and programs. The Legislative & Policy department lobbies lawmakers to advance FIRE’s positions on policy issues related to free speech. Their duties will include legal research on public policy issues affecting expressive rights, drafting internal bill analyses and public commentary, and monitoring legislative developments.

Requirements

Be rising 2Ls and 3Ls with excellent academic credentials
Have a passion for civil liberties and public interest litigation

Responsibilities

Conducting legal research in emerging areas of law
Developing arguments for active cases
Preparing various litigation documents for active cases
Reviewing university policies and legislative proposals
Assisting litigators working up new cases and litigating existing lawsuits defending the freedom of speech
Writing for litigation
Participating in strategy discussions for litigation
Investigating potential violations of expressive rights and due process
Reviewing advocacy letters
Drafting public-facing commentary on topical free speech issues
Performing administrative responsibilities
Drafting and editing policy analysis and recommendations for college administrators
Researching emerging issues affecting regulations on expression
Providing input on best practices for building a better foundation for campus speech through a college’s policies and programs
Conducting legal research on public policy issues affecting expressive rights
Drafting internal bill analyses
Monitoring legislative developments