Technology & Civil Liberties Internship (Summer 2022, ACLU of Northern CA)
Location: San Francisco, Sacramento, or Fresno. Deadline: Open until filled.
The ACLU of Northern California’s Legal-Policy Department invites law and graduate students to apply for its Technology & Civil Liberties Internship. Students willing to work with intensity and focus will find an internship at ACLU NorCal a rewarding learning experience. Qualified applicants are enthusiastic, creative, and detail-oriented; have strong research, writing, and oral communication skills; and can articulate a commitment to work for social justice and the ideals of the ACLU.
About the Legal-Policy Department
The Legal-Policy Department promotes policy change and pursues cutting edge impact litigation to defend and expand the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The Department’s work focuses on six broad program areas: Criminal Justice; Democracy & Civic Engagement; Gender, Sexuality & Reproductive Justice; Immigrants’ Rights; Racial & Economic Justice; and Technology & Civil Liberties. The Department’s staff is based in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno, although staff is currently carrying out our work remotely due to Covid-19. Department staff work closely with other departments within ACLU NorCal, including Organizing, Communications, Development, Finance & Administration, as well as with ACLU California Action.
Technology & Civil Liberties Internship
The Technology and Civil Liberties Intern will participate in cutting edge legal and policy work to safeguard privacy and free speech in the modern digital world. Interns will conduct legal and factual research and help draft reports, analyses, articles, and testimony to the legislature and regulatory agencies and brief the ACLU of California and National ACLU staff on a variety of technology issues. At times, work may arise that gives interns the opportunity to work across the Department’s six broad program areas, including in the areas of Democracy & Civic Engagement, Racial & Economic Justice, and Immigrants’ Rights. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in strategy meetings with other ACLU staff, work with other interns in the program cohort, and likely attend (remotely) technology meetings and events throughout the region. Interns are encouraged to participate in monthly program meetings, where prospective litigation and policy strategies are discussed.
Applicants must currently be enrolled in law school or a graduate program in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Science, Public Policy, Political Science, Journalism, or a related field, and must demonstrate a strong interest in the intersection of civil liberties and new technology, particularly privacy and free speech. The Legal-Policy Department accepts 1-2 Technology & Civil Liberties Interns per term
Application Process
Summer internships are full-time for 10 -12 weeks and usually begin the day after Memorial Day. “Split” summers may be considered where the intern is available for a minimum of 10 weeks. Part-time internships are not available during the summer.
For summer internship funding, students should seek available funding through their schools. For students coming from schools that do not offer summer funding or who do not obtain adequate school funding, ACLU NorCal will consider providing funding to students, as available.
Applications from all interested law and graduate students are welcome. (Please note that ACLU NorCal does not consider applications from undergraduate students.) Applications must include the following in PDF format: (1) Cover Letter that includes (a) a brief statement about why you want to work on the particular Program Team you’ve applied for, (b) your preference and willingness to be based in each of our three office locations (San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno), and (c) how you encountered the internship opening; (2) Resume; (3) Writing Sample; and, (4) List of References with contact information. Please submit your application online here.