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| Job Title: | CFD Summer 2013 Legal Internship - Center for Democracy |
| Organization: | American Civil Liberties Union |
| Region: | East Coast |
| Description: | SUMMER 2013 LEGAL INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY NOTICE TO FIRST AND SECOND YEAR LAW STUDENTS American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Center for Democracy, NY The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with more than 500,000 members and is dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Center for Democracy (CFD) of the ACLU?S National Office in New York City seeks legal interns in the areas of national security, human rights, and speech, privacy and technology for the summer of 2013. OVERVIEW The ACLU?s Center for Democracy works to strengthen democratic values, promote human rights, and ensure government accountability. The Center for Democracy includes the National Security Project, the Human Rights Program, and the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. The National Security Project advocates for national security policies that are consistent with the U.S. Constitution, the rule of law, and fundamental human rights. The Project litigates cases relating to detention, torture, discrimination, government surveillance, censorship, and secrecy. Its docket includes: a suit seeking accountability for drone killings far from any conflict zone; a suit on behalf of a number of U.S. citizens and residents who are on the government?s ?No Fly List?; a challenge to the indefinite detention without charge or trial of a prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay; a suit challenging the constitutionality of dragnet wiretapping conducted under the amended Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; and numerous suits under the Freedom of Information Act for information about a variety of related issues including the government?s targeted killing program and use of drones, the treatment of prisoners held by the United States in detention centers overseas, the government?s use of new surveillance laws, and discriminatory law enforcement surveillance of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. The Human Rights Program (HRP) is dedicated to holding the U.S. government accountable to its international human rights obligations and commitments. HRP uses a human rights framework to complement existing ACLU legal and legislative advocacy and to advance social justice primarily in the areas of national security, racial justice, immigrants? rights, women?s rights, criminal and juvenile justice. HRP conducts human rights public education and engages in advocacy and litigation before U.S. courts and international bodies, including the United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms. The Project?s docket includes both domestic lawsuits and petitions before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of individuals sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for crimes committed when they were children, victims and survivors of torture, forced disappearance, trafficking and domestic violence, disenfranchised felons, domestic workers and low-wage undocumented immigrants. The Project also has challenged an Oklahoma constitutional amendment banning courts from considering Sharia and international law. The Speech, Privacy and Technology Project litigates cases that raise novel and important issues involving free speech, association, assembly, and privacy. The project also litigates cases concerning technology and liberty issues, including challenges to government surveillance, fair use rights, and Internet censorship. Its docket includes: a challenge to patents on human genes related to breast and ovarian cancer; representation of Twitter users whose account information has been subpoenaed in connection with government investigations into Wikileaks and the Occupy movement; cases challenging the suspicion less search and detention of laptops and other electronic devices at the border; representation of a Library of Congress employee fired for expressing his opinion on Guantanamo military commissions; and various suits under the Freedom of Information Act for information regarding government surveillance activities. INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW The Summer 2013 Legal Internship offers Legal Interns the opportunity to work on all aspects of litigation. The Internship requires a 10-12 week commitment and is full-time. Because this is an unpaid internship, students are highly encouraged to seek support for Public Interest Fellowship stipends. Arrangements can also be made with the student's law school for work/study stipends or course credit. Interns who do not secure funding may be eligible for a stipend provided by the Center. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Interns will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working alongside the Center?s attorneys. Interns will gain experience by: Conducting legal research and factual investigation. Drafting memoranda, affidavits, and briefs. Working on other projects as assigned. DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS This Legal Internship is open to first and second year law students who possess the following: Excellent research, writing, and communication skills. A strong commitment to human rights and civil liberties issues. The initiative to see projects through to completion. HOW TO APPLY Applicants should send a cover letter explaining their interest in the internship, a resume, three references, an official or unofficial transcript, and a legal writing sample, no more than 10 pages in length, by email to hrjobsCFD@aclu.org- reference [CFD Summer 2013 Legal Internship/FEM] in the subject line. Please note that this is not the general ACLU applicant email address. This email address is specific to Center for Democracy postings.In order to ensure your application is received please make certain it is sent to the correct e-mail address. You can expect to receive an automatic response that acknowledges the submission of application materials. Alternatively, applications can be mailed Law Student Intern Program American Civil Liberties Union Foundation RE: CFD Summer 2013 Legal Internship/FEM 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, NY 10004 Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this internship opportunity. Students are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible, as decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applications from second year law students must be postmarked no later than December 1, 2012. Applications from first year law students may be submitted beginning December 1, 2012 and must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2013. This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice. The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name ?ACLU?. |
| Contact: | Human Resources |
| Phone: | |
| E-Mail: | hrjobsCFD@aclu.org |
| Website: | http://www.aclu.org/node/36838 |
| Closing Date: | December-01-12 |
