• How to Apply
• Section Background
• Undergraduate Interns
• Legal Intern - Immediate Start (Inactive)

Internships

Civil Rights and Social Justice

At this time, our application period for Summer undergraduate internships has closed. We are accepting applications for Fall 2025, Winter/Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.  

How to Apply

Internships are available during the Fall (August/September-December) Spring (January-April/May), and Summer (May/June-August/September). Candidates should submit their materials (in PDF format: a resume, a brief  writing sample 10 pages or less, and a cover letter detailing the candidate’s interest) via this application form.

The cover letter should include which position the candidate is applying to, the days and hours during the week that the candidate is available to work, and the proposed start and end date. At this time, all Section internships will be conducted remotely, but may be subject to change. Please contact the Section with any questions at crsj@americanbar.org.

At this time, our application period for Summer undergraduate internships has closed. 

Undergraduate Interns

Duties | Undergraduate interns will work directly with the Section’s staff members on policy and project development and implementation. Specifically, the interns will research and assist in monitoring legal and legislative developments on various human rights, civil liberties, and social justice issues. Interns' duties may include attending congressional hearings, Supreme Court arguments, meetings of civil rights and civil liberties organizations and coalitions, and other events involving individual rights issues. The interns will write brief reports on events they have attended and may write articles for the Section newsletter. The interns will also work directly with Section staff to maintain a strong social media presence across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube platforms, as well as weekly marketing on these platforms for Section programming. Depending on an intern’s interests and/or time, they may also develop a project independent of the intern’s day-to-day duties, but related to Section priorities and issues. The Section also will work with students seeking academic credit for their work through an internship, “semester in Washington,” or other similar program. Please note that the Section asks for a minimum commitment of 15 hours/week during the Fall and Spring terms, and 20 hours/week during the Summer.

Requirements | The Section strongly prefers internship candidates to be in their junior or senior years, but applications from all students will be accepted. A candidate must be hard-working, mature, and professional, and must possess superior writing and research skills. A candidate also must have a demonstrated commitment to working on Section issues. Women, persons of color, LGBT individuals, persons with disabilities, and students from other minority groups are encouraged to apply. Internships are unpaid, although the Section welcomes candidates who have their own funding.