Justice Action Center seeks a Legal Intern to join our all-remote team for a summer internship in shaping narratives around immigration and defending immigrants’ rights. [PDF of this description]
About JAC
Justice Action Center (JAC) is a social justice organization that combines the power of storytelling with impact litigation to bring justice to immigrant communities. JAC’s work includes Supreme Court campaigns, including the successful campaign to defend the Biden administration’s decision to end the cruel Remain in Mexico policy; authorship of a Litigation Tracker website and newsletter to keep abreast of anti-immigrant lawsuits filed by red states; and active impact litigation throughout the country on behalf of immigrant communities. These include a lawsuit challenging the human rights abuses perpetrated against thousands of Haitian migrants seeking asylum in Del Rio, Texas in September 2021; litigation efforts to ensure fair treatment for children seeking safety in the United States; and intervening in red-state suits to defend the rights of individuals to seek parole and apply for asylum. JAC currently consists of twelve staff, based in remote locations throughout the United States. JAC is looking for a Legal Intern who is comfortable working remotely in a start-up environment and who can expand JAC’s capacity to file innovative lawsuits to defend the rights of vulnerable immigrant populations.
Internship Overview
The internship is open to students enrolled at U.S. law schools who will have completed their second year of law school before the internship commences.
JAC’s Legal Intern will have the opportunity to directly contribute to JAC’s impact litigation and communications priorities. JAC is particularly interested in candidates who are committed to JAC’s efforts to fill gaps in impact litigation for immigrant communities, work nimbly in the face of new challenges affecting immigrant communities, and take creative approaches to combining storytelling and litigation.
What You’ll Do
JAC highly values collaboration between staff and departments; accordingly, the Legal Intern will gain valuable experience not only in impact litigation, but also in communications, media, and storytelling. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Performing research on novel legal issues
- Drafting research memos and contributing to drafting and reviewing complaints, motions, and other filings
- Interacting and developing rapport with clients and potential plaintiffs to build relationships that will enable our legal work product to reflect and amplify their stories
- Reviewing draft press releases and other social media materials to identify and correct any legal errors or ambiguities and to strengthen the intended messaging
- Drafting and otherwise contributing to content for e-mails and social media communications that “decode” important legal decisions or events for a lay audience by unpacking and translating legal terms, identifying key takeaways, and bringing into focus the practical impact on affected communities
- Presenting on a range of topics—including but not limited to case updates, important legal decisions or events, or internal project findings—for an array of different audiences.
- Contributing to JAC’s vision and strategy for combining litigation and storytelling and for filling unmet legal needs through impact litigation
- Committing to working collaboratively and respectfully, both with JAC colleagues in the legal and communications departments, and with co-counsel
- Engaging with movement partners to develop and support directly impacted leaders in efforts to build a more inclusive society
What You’ll Bring (Qualifications)
- Enrollment at a U.S. law school and completion of 2L year before the internship commences
- Demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and social justice
- Willingness to work and be mentored remotely
- Strong legal writing and research skills
- Exceptional communications and interpersonal skills, and the ability to build trusting, productive relationships with a wide range of clients, partners, and stakeholders
- A highly collaborative style and good listening skills
- Ability to think and work independently and within a team
- Ability to think creatively, take initiative, work in a start-up environment, and be flexible in the face of challenges
- Commitment to helping cultivate a high-performing organization that utilizes litigation and communications strategies creatively in the fight for systemic change
- Commitment to best practices for organizations on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
- Commitment to best practices for valuing work-life balance for oneself and one’s colleagues
- Willingness to provide thoughtful and timely feedback on improving the remote internship experience
- Prior experience working on behalf of immigrants is a plus
- Prior experience working on impact litigation in federal court is a plus
Internship Logistics
Location: Remote
Time Commitment: 35-40 hours per week
Internship Duration: 10-week period beginning in May or June, with flexible start and end dates. JAC also celebrates “Summer Fridays” – office closures every other Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Compensation: Hourly rate of $16 or the state minimum wage of intern’s residence if higher
Ready to Apply?
Great! We can’t wait to learn more about you. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, a legal writing sample (up to ten pages), and two professional or academic references as one PDF to careers@justiceactioncenter.org with the subject line “Legal Internship Application.” In your cover letter, please include your pronouns, your expected work city and state, and any languages you speak, including level of proficiency. We welcome you to share in your cover letter how your professional and personal experiences will advance JAC’s mission, including any relevant life or work experience gained before or during law school.
Application review will begin in January on a rolling basis and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
JAC is an equal opportunity employer. JAC recognizes the unique and valuable skills that immigrants, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, and all disproportionately under-represented individuals can bring to this work and strongly encourages such individuals to apply.
JAC is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please email careers@justiceactioncenter.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request a reasonable accommodation for the interview process.