Public Interest Legal Fellow Sponsorship Opportunity

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) invites rising third-year law students and recent law graduates to apply for a sponsorship opportunity to work with us as a public interest legal fellow. As an integral part of the ACLU-NJ, our fellows gain practical experience through defending and expanding civil liberties and constitutional rights : they will have the opportunity to work on lawsuits, advocate for clients, and engage with our political advocacy and communications teams on advancing legislation and public education. Past fellows have even had the opportunity to argue cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court.

We will work with a successful applicant to develop a project proposal focused on voting rights in New Jersey for specific funding organizations, including Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst, and the Skadden Fellowship Foundation, and for fellowship funding available through law schools. We are eager to develop proposed projects that combine legal advocacy and impact litigation, policy advocacy, community outreach, and public education.

ACLU-NJ legal staff will collaborate with the selected fellowship candidate to further develop a proposal that builds on the candidate’s interests and skills, ensures appropriate supervision and mentorship, fits with the ACLU-NJ’s priorities, and employs strategies most likely to be effective in advancing the project’s goals. The ACLU-NJ will work closely with candidates to craft their pitch to external funders and prepare for interviews.

Please note that the ACLU-NJ does not have in dependent internal funding for this fellowship position and will not be able to offer employment to fellowship candidates .

Qualifications:

In addition to having passion for civil rights and civil liberties , the ideal candidate will be a self-starter and be able to work independently, manage projects, and collaborate and be part of a team. We are looking &lt