Spring 2027 Legal Internship

Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU Inc • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Legal Department of the ACLU of Illinois seeks second- and third-year law students for part-time Spring 2027 legal internships. Applicants must obtain funding through the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) or receive course credit from their law school. Interns must be located in Illinois and able to work remotely and attend the Chicago office at least once a week. The internship is not available to undergraduate students.

The ACLU of Illinois is an affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, a nonprofit organization that advances civil rights and civil liberties through litigation, legislation, and public education. Its work addresses mass incarceration and racism in the criminal and juvenile legal systems, LGBTQ equality, immigration detention, policing, gender justice and reproductive rights, foster care, disability rights, and government abuse and overreach.

Legal interns participate in developing and pursuing impact cases and non-litigation advocacy. Attorneys in the Legal Department provide supervision, mentorship, and timely feedback on interns’ work.

Requirements

• Be a law student who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship begins.
• Be located in Illinois and able to attend the Chicago office at least once a week.
• Obtain PILI funding or course credit from the law school for the internship.
• Be self-motivated, take initiative, manage varied tasks, and follow projects through to completion in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Be receptive to feedback, enthusiastic about learning and self-improvement, and able to incorporate feedback into future work.
• Have an excellent foundation in legal research, including sound judgment in identifying relevant cases and thoroughness in addressing research questions.
• Demonstrate developing legal analysis skills, including constructing logical and persuasive arguments, understanding legal decisions and statutes, and applying legal authorities to new facts.
• Demonstrate developing legal writing skills, including clear and organized writing and the ability to explain legal research in a memorandum.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully to resolve obstacles and conflicts.
• Recognize and value individuals in the workplace and respect differences across identity, background, and circumstances.
• Have the empathy and interpersonal skills to connect with, listen to, learn from, and ask questions of clients and community members.
• Be committed to civil rights, civil liberties, social justice, and the ACLU of Illinois’ mission.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal, policy, and factual research for current and potential cases and non-litigation advocacy projects.
• Draft memoranda, affidavits, and sections of briefs.
• Cite-check legal documents.
• Interview potential clients and class members.
• Investigate facts of specific cases.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed