Externally Funded Legal Fellowship (starting Fall 2025)

The ACLU of Virginia is currently accepting applications from qualified third-year law students and recent law graduates with a commitment to civil rights and civil liberties, who seek a host organization for an externally funded fellowship (Justice Catalyst, Soros, law school sponsored fellowships, etc.).

The ACLU of Virginia’s current legal docket includes a wide range of active matters, including several class action cases, in the areas of prison conditions, criminal legal reform, First Amendment, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants’ rights, and other issues. The ACLU of Virginia also employs an integrated advocacy model, where the organization’s legal, policy, organizing, and communications departments work hand-in-hand to advance the affiliate’s priorities.

Who We Are

The ACLU-VA strives to be Virginia's premier guardian of civil liberties and a recognized champion of civil rights for all Virginians. For nearly a hundred years (50 in Virginia), the ACLU has made a profound difference in the lives of clients and community members, as well as historic contributions to our country and state. Now, more people than ever before have turned to the ACLU to fight back against unprecedented new attacks on civil rights and liberties. We are also committed to pursuing impactful policy changes at the local and statewide levels to achieve racial equity and advance civil liberties and civil rights for everyone. The ACLU-VA is committed to ending racist policing, cutting the number of people incarcerated in Virginia, increasing access to quality mental and medical care, ending sex and gender-based discrimination at work and in schools, and securing a constitutional right to vote for everyone.

What You'll Do

Under the supervision of ACLU-VA legal team managers, you'll help us protect and advance the ACLU's mission by supporting new and ongoing impact litigation and non-litigation advocacy done in collaboration with other teams.

Previous fellows have had the opportunity to:

• Develop facts and research for new litigation;
• Work with current and potential ACLU-VA clients;
• Participate in discovery matters in pending litigation;
• Conduct legal and policy research on a variety of issues;
• Participate in settlement negotiations;
• Draft sections of legal briefs and complaints; and
• Collaborate with grassroots and community-based organizations.

This opportunity is not funded by the ACLU of Virginia. The ACLU of Virginia will cooperate with successful applicants to seek external fellowship support, and the salary will be based on the terms of the fellowship awarded. For fellowship funding opportunities with lower salaries, the ACLU of Virginia may be able to contribute to ensure that the fellow is paid within the range of $60,000 - $71,200.

ACLU-VA office hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday - Friday. Law fellows must reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia or within 150 miles of our downtown Richmond headquarters and must be able to work in person in Richmond in accordance with ACLU-VA’s remote work policy and must be able to attend other in-person events in various locations in Virginia as needed.

The ACLU of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, bi- or multi-lingual (including Indigenous languages) speakers, multi-cultural individuals, members of the LGBTQ community, those who have been formerly incarcerated or are currently under supervision, and other people from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We seek to build a diverse team and an inclusive organizational culture. All qualified applicants who share our vision and who have a desire to contribute to our mission are encouraged to apply.