Legal Internship

Overview:

Nonprofit political organization State Democracy Defenders Fund (c3) is hiring select summer legal interns who can focus on either litigation or policy. Current JD candidates with an interest in pro-democracy initiatives and the fight against autocracy are invited to apply. Legal interns will have the opportunity to work on a variety of bipartisan initiatives including: defeating election sabotage and denial, fighting autocracy, and building a resilient democracy. SDDF was founded in 2023 by Ambassador Norm Eisen (ret.), alongside other leading figures in democracy defense, elections, and law.

Responsibilities:

Legal intern work includes but is not limited to:

• Producing high quality legal research and writing
• Producing high quality written content, including policy reports, op-eds, summary documents, and more, in both long-term and rapid-response scenarios
• Contributing to legal memoranda, court filings, and amicus briefs
• Working quickly and effectively in support of SDDF’s clients, which include state and local governments, major civil rights organizations, and anti-autocracy coalitions
• Monitoring legislative and policy developments at federal, state, and local levels, identifying potential engagement opportunities to advance SDDF’s mission
• Delivering strategic advice and solutions to address challenges in real-time, particularly in response to breaking events
• Working closely with organizations and principals across the political spectrum, including coordination of working groups
• Other tasks as needed

Interns are expected to balance their work on multiple projects, connect with other members of the legal team, and proactively adapt projects and work to fit a rapidly changing legal landscape.

Logistics:

Proximity to Washington, D.C. is preferred, although the position is remote and may be performed from any state in the U.S. Optional in-person meetings take place semi-regularly in D.C.

Qualifications:

• Currently enrolled in an ABA accredited law school.
• Strong interest and experience in defending democratic principles, election litigation, and civil liberties
• Exemplary legal research, writing, and communication skills

State Democracy Defenders Fund is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are pleased to offer a stipend of $1500 (paid bi-weekly) to support our legal interns during their time with us. This stipend may be adjusted based on any external funding you receive through your school’s summer public interest funding program. We encourage applicants to explore and apply for such funding opportunities, as eligibility and requirements vary by institution.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to applications@statedemocracydefenders.org with your last name followed by “Legal Summer Intern” in the subject line by March 19th.