Civil Rights Legal Internship

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs Civil Rights internships provides law students with hands-on experience in Civil Rights litigation and advocacy.

If you are interested in volunteering in another capacity, please check out our Workers’ Rights Clinic.

Law Student Internships

Each year, students from around the country spend a quarter, semester, or summer at the Committee completing a variety of assignments under the supervision of experienced staff. Law students assist staff attorneys in all aspects of our work. Depending on the needs of our cases and clients at a given time, law student interns should expect to do work in one or more of the following areas:

• Creating equal opportunity to economic stability for individuals and families.
• Challenging the conditions that force racial and economic segregation and that limit options for safe, decent and affordable housing based on race and national origin.
• Reducing barriers to public services and public accommodations.
• Creating equal opportunity for an education.
• Advocating on behalf of DC prisoners and reducing the impact of an unfair criminal system.

Work assignments will typically involve factual and legal research, drafting memos or pleadings, and other work supporting our litigation and advocacy agenda, as well as participating in case/issue area check-ins and strategy sessions. Full semester, part-time (15 hours/week minimum), and full-time summer internships are available. Our Legal Internships include a combination of in-person and remote work. Fully remote internships are not available currently.

General Information

Interns are an important part of our work and many remain connected to the Committee long after their internship is over. We expect our interns to be committed to social justice, to work hard, have fun, ask questions, and learn a great deal. During the summer, the Committee provides interns with a multi-day orientation and training program, and provides additional training through a ‘lunch and learn’ series of talks. Throughout the year, we look for opportunities for interns to participate in many learning and other activities in Washington DC’s vibrant public interest legal community.

APPLICATION DEADLINES AND HOW TO APPLY FOR INTERNSHIPS

Applicants must be able to receive school credit for participating in the Civil Rights Legal Internship. We accept and review applications on an ongoing basis until the positions are filled. We encourage you to apply as early as possible All applications are reviewed, and interns are selected, on a rolling basis..

Applications must include the following, combined in one PDF document:

• Cover letter explaining your interest in the internship, your experience with/commitment to social justice, and your anticipated dates of availability
• Current resume

Applications should be sent to: wlcjobs@washlaw.org.

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs is an equal opportunity employer. Diversity is an essential component of the Committee, and we encourage all qualified persons to apply. Applicants are accorded an equal opportunity for selection without regard to actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, matriculation, or political affiliation.