The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida (ACLU of Florida or ACLU-FL) invites first- and second-year law students to apply for a summer internship. The initial deadline for applications is December 5, 2025, and an offer to one student may be made after that time. The final deadline for applications is January 7, 2026, and one or more additional offers may be made after that deadline, as capacity permits. The internship requires a commitment for 10 weeks and is based in Florida.

OVERVIEW

The ACLU-FL, Florida’s largest legal and public advocacy organization, is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization employing litigation, public advocacy, public education, and communication to protect and promote a broad range of constitutional issues and individual rights. The ACLU-FL is an affiliate of the national ACLU, which implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU-FL. Operating out of two offices in Miami (main) and Tallahassee, with staff based throughout the state, the Florida affiliate is among the larger ACLU affiliates in the nation. Our work ranges from educating the public to representing individual and organizational clients in state and federal courts, including the Florida Supreme Court, all three of Florida’s U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

The ACLU-FL endeavors to attract diverse students who demonstrate a strong commitment to social justice and exceptional leadership potential to work on pressing civil-liberties issues.

The ACLU-FL litigates a broad range of complex constitutional cases in federal and state courts through direct representation, filing amicus briefs, and submitting administrative complaints to state and federal agencies. ACLU-FL legal interns work closely with staff attorneys and have the unique opportunity to research and apply constitutional legal theories to real-world problems and gain a practical understanding of constitutional issues.

The legal intern will be primarily responsible for:

• Conducting factual, legal, and policy research
• Researching prospects for new litigation, including factual and legal claims
• Drafting pleadings, briefs, and other litigation documents

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent legal-writing, research, and communication skills
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues
• Self-motivation and demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion
• Ability to handle multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Experience with policy advocacy and/or public education preferred
• A demonstrated commitment to civil rights and civil liberties issues
• Spanish-language skills are helpful but not required

COMPENSATION

Students are strongly encouraged to seek funding from their law schools or other foundations to sustain them financially during the summer. For students unable to secure external funding, the ACLU-FL expects to provide compensation at a rate of $800/week.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should send a cover letter, résumé, law school transcript, original legal writing sample, and contact information for two references to Maya Albold at [email protected]. Please indicate “Summer 2026 Legal Internship” in the subject line of your email and indicate the office in which you would like to work (Miami, Tallahassee, or remotely in Florida) and where you learned of this job posting.

The ACLU of Florida is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Florida encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status. We encourage formerly incarcerated individuals to apply.

The ACLU of Florida undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions.