Summer 2026 Liberty and National Security Legal Internship

Brennan Center for Justice•Washington D.C., DC

16d•Onsite

About The Position

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve the systems of democracy and justice in the United States. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Brennan Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving Constitutional protections in the fight against terrorism. Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them – in Congress and the states, in the courts, and in the court of public opinion. The Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security (LNS) Program fights to preserve constitutional values in the post-9/11 world. The LNS Program focuses on reining in the abuse of emergency powers by the executive branch and preventing excessive government secrecy. We work to protect fundamental freedoms while keeping Americans safe. That means protecting citizens’ privacy, updating privacy laws to account for new technologies, working to ensure that counterterrorism authorities are narrowly targeted to the terrorist threat, and securing adequate oversight and accountability mechanisms. Note: This internship is in-person at our Washington D.C. office. We seek law students to work alongside staff in our Washington DC office on the Brennan Center’s policy advocacy, research, and litigation initiatives. Activities may include legal and policy analysis; legislative drafting at federal, state, and local levels; administrative and legislative advocacy; public education and scholarship; and litigation in trial and appellate courts. The Brennan Center’s interns are integral to all aspects of our work, including programmatic and strategic planning. We strive to offer a fun and intellectually challenging legal intern experience that supports and supplements the vital advocacy offered by the Brennan Center. Interns may assist with a variety of activities, including conducting legal research and writing for amicus briefs, policy reports, and other advocacy documents; drafting communications to legislators; assisting with writing comments to federal agencies; attending coalition meetings; drafting posts for the Brennan Center blog; and more.