The American Civil Liberties (ACLU) seeks highly motivated law students for 2008 summer internship opportunities in the National Legal Department (NLD) for work involving a wide range of civil liberties and human rights issues.

OVERVIEW
The First Amendment working group, the National Security Project, and the Human Rights Program are separate entities within the National Legal Department but run a joint summer program. The National Legal Department litigates cases and engages in advocacy pertaining to a broad range of first amendment, national security and human rights issues.

• The NLD’s First Amendment working group litigates cases that raise novel and important issues involving free speech, association, assembly and the separation of church and state. The NLD also litigates cases concerning technology and liberty issues, including challenges to government
  surveillance, fair use rights, and internet censorship.
  
• The NLD’s National Security Project litigates national security cases relating to government surveillance, discrimination, dissent, detention and torture. Its current docket includes a challenge to the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program, litigation before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, challenges to the CIA’s “rendition” program, and Freedom of Information Act litigation concerning the abuse and torture of prisoners held by the U.S. in Afghanistan, Iraq, and at Guantanamo Bay.
  
• The NLD’s Human Rights Program works to ensure that the U.S. government complies with universal human rights principles in addition to the U.S. Constitution and conducts research, publishes reports and uses human rights strategies to complement existing ACLU advocacy in the areas of national security, immigrants' rights, women's rights and racial justice.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Summer internships last between 10-12 weeks. Interns assist in all aspects of litigation, including legal research, factual investigation, and drafting of memoranda, affidavits, and briefs.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants should have an interest in civil liberties and human rights, excellent writing and communication skills, and the initiative to see projects to completion. First and second year law students are encouraged to apply. Students who wish to split their summers with another organization will be considered at the Department's discretion.

COMPENSATION
Students are highly encouraged to seek Public Interest Fellowship funds for the internship. Arrangements can also be made with the student's law school for work/study stipends. The NLD will provide a modest stipend for any student for whom alternative sources of funding are not available.

HOW TO APPLY
An application should consist of a cover letter, resume, short writing sample (5-7 pages) and a list of three references, and should be sent to:

Anna Christensen
Law Student Intern Program
ACLU National Legal Department
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004-2400

Applications from second year law students must be postmarked no later than November 1st, 2007. Applications from first year law students must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2008.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from 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.”