<h2>About the Role</h2> The ACLU seeks a Spring Legal Intern in the Disability Rights Program of the ACLU’s National office. This position may be remote or hybrid and can be based in Washington, D.C. or San Francisco. This internship is for course credit only. Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students and must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship. The Team: The Disability Rights Program’s (DRP) mission is to achieve an America free of discrimination against people with disabilities; where people with disabilities are valued, integrated members of society who have full access to education, homes, health care, jobs, families, voting and civic engagement. We fight to ensure that people with disabilities are no longer segregated into, and over-represented in, civil and criminal institutions such as nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, jails, and prisons. The ACLU has fought for decades for the rights of people with disabilities—achieving key wins to stop coerced mental health treatment and unnecessary institutionalization, as well as playing a role in the drafting of the ADA. DRP litigates and advocates to use disability rights laws to stop discrimination against people with disabilities, including by ending the overrepresentation of people with disabilities in the criminal legal system and ensuring municipalities include the needs of the disabled community in their emergency disaster planning processes. We also litigate and advocate to promote alternatives to guardianship and to secure equal access to the ballot. We also provide support to affiliates and the National office on disability rights issues that intersect with core civil liberties. What You’ll Do: The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the team and assisting in legal research and writing, factual investigation, and strategic advocacy to advance our litigation and integrated advocacy. The intern will have the opportunity to participate in litigation, advocacy, and internal meetings and discussions. Your Day to Day Interns will support DRP litigation work and integrated advocacy across our priority areas. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following: <ul> <li>Legal research</li> <li>Legal writing, such as memos and portions of court submissions</li> <li>Fact investigation</li> <li>Support in preparation for and during court cases, such as depositions, oral argument, hearings, or trial</li> </ul> What You'll Bring: The internship is open only to students enrolled at U.S. law schools who will have completed at before the internship commences. Additionally, interns should possess the following: <ul> <li>Excellent research skills, including conducting internet and legal database research</li> <li>Excellent communication skills, both verbal and writing</li> <li>Attention to detail, excellent organizing and time-management skills</li> <li>Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite</li> <li>The initiative to see projects through to completion</li> </ul> <h2>Preferred Qualifications </h2> We invite applications from candidates who have personal, professional, and/or academic experience with disabi

Spring 2027 Legal Intern, Disability Rights Program

Job Description