Legal Intern

Global Energy Alliance • Columbia, WA

37d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (Global Energy Alliance) works for a world where everyone has access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity and the means to use it to improve their lives. Our Alliance builds transformative public, private, philanthropic partnerships to end energy poverty and accelerate green economic opportunity. Founded in 2021 by The Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and Bezos Earth Fund, we design innovative projects/programs, unlock finance, strengthen institutions and transform markets, delivering progress anchored in deep community engagement. By uniting actors across the value chain, from households to heads of state, we go beyond individual projects to drive lasting systems change. With work in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, our Alliance aims to reach 1 billion people with clean electricity, prevent 4 billion tons of carbon emissions and create or improve 150 million jobs. Key accountabilities Working across the Global Energy Alliance’s global operations, the Legal team supports the organization’s governance, compliance, and partnership frameworks, ensuring that programs and fundraising activities operate within applicable legal and regulatory requirements across jurisdictions. As part of the Legal team, you will support research, policy development, and legal operations that enable the organization to effectively manage its nonprofit and charitable obligations while advancing clean energy initiatives globally.

Requirements

• You are a motivated and detail-oriented recent graduate with a demonstrated interest in nonprofit law, charitable organizations, and corporate governance.
• You are curious about how legal and regulatory frameworks support mission-driven organizations working across multiple countries and sectors.
• You bring strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills, along with the ability to synthesize complex legal information into clear and concise insights.
• You are highly organized, attentive to detail, and able to manage multiple tasks while meeting deadlines in a collaborative environment.
• You have recently completed a degree in law, political science, international relations, public policy, or a related field.
• You are proficient with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and presentation tools, and are comfortable working both independently and as part of a team while maintaining strict confidentiality and professional standards.
• As we will be operating a hybrid structure, we ask that you are or can be based in DC or NY and are able to join us in office twice a week.
• Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Responsibilities

• Conduct supervised legal research on U.S. nonprofit and charitable law, including 501(c)(3) compliance, governance requirements, tax-exempt status, and regulatory obligations, as well as comparative research on international governance frameworks.
• Research U.S. and U.K. fundraising and charitable solicitation regulations, including federal, state, and Charity Commission requirements, donor disclosures, registration obligations, and cross-border fundraising considerations.
• Assist with drafting, reviewing, and updating internal policies, guidance, and reference materials related to fundraising compliance, donor acceptance, gift restrictions, conflicts of interest, and ethical fundraising practices.
• Support grant and contract development and administration with global partners in the sustainable energy sector.
• Research emerging legal and regulatory issues affecting global nonprofit operations, including data privacy and data protection, energy justice considerations, and related compliance matters.
• Prepare legal research summaries, memoranda, briefing notes, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders, translating complex legal concepts into accessible insights for non-legal audiences.
• Support the organization and maintenance of legal, governance, and compliance documentation, ensuring records remain accurate and accessible for ongoing projects and regulatory requirements.
• Assist with special projects and ad hoc legal research assignments as needed.
• In addition, the intern will be designated ownership of a discrete project aligned with team priorities, the scope of which will be determined closer to the start of the internship.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed