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Undergraduate and Recent Graduate Internships with the Lawyers' Committee

We are currently recruiting for:  

  • WINTER/SPRING 2013: Interns for Communications & Development, Educational Opportunities/Parental Readiness and Empowerment Program, Legal Mobilization/Election Protection, Public Policy, Voting Rights Project
    • APPLICATION PERIOD: SEPTEMBER 1, 2012 to NOVEMBER 30, 2012
    • Interviews with qualified candidates will be conducted beginning in November
    • Decisions will be made on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.
       
  • SUMMER 2013: Interns for all projects listed under Job Description.
    • APPLICATION PERIOD: JANUARY 1, 2013 to MARCH 1, 2013
    • Interviews with qualified candidates will be conducted beginning in March
    • Decisions will be made on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.
       
  •  FALL 2013: Interns for all projects listed under Job Description.
    • APPLICATION PERIOD: MAY 1, 2013 to JULY 15, 2013
    • Interviews with qualified candidates will be conducted beginning in June
    • Decisions will be made on a rolling basis, so early applications are encouraged.
  • OTHER INFORMATION:
    • Quarterly Internships: The Lawyers’ Committee does accept students interning on a quarterly schedule, though internship application deadlines may vary from those listed above.  Students should inquire about such deadlines by emailing internship@lawyerscommittee.org. 
    • Application Periods: Applications for fall, winter/spring, and summer terms are only accepted during the application periods outlined above.  Applicants wishing to be considered for more than one term must resubmit their materials for review during subsequent application periods.
    • Externships: The Lawyers' Committee does not offer externships for undergraduate students.

About Us

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, manages a selective, unpaid internship program for undergraduate students who are both highly talented and committed to social justice.  Intern coordinators and individual supervisors take great care to see that each student receives high-level assignments, supervision, and regular feedback.

The Lawyers' Committee was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers' Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice under law.

The Committee uses the skills and resources of the bar to obtain equal opportunity for minority and underserved communities by addressing factors that contribute to racial justice and economic opportunity.  Given our nation's history of racial discrimination, de jure segregation, and the de facto inequities that persist, the Lawyers' Committee's primary focus is to represent the interest of African Americans in particular, other racial and ethnic minorities, and other victims of discrimination, where doing so can help to secure justice for all racial and ethnic minorities.

Lawyers’ Committee is an equal opportunity employer with a standing policy of nondiscrimination. This means that all qualified persons 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, genetic information, matriculation, or political affiliation.

Job Description

Each undergraduate student intern is assigned to work primarily, but not exclusively, in one of the following areas: Communications/Development Department, Community Development, Educational Opportunities (+ PREP), Employment Discrimination, General/Historian, Legal Mobilization (+ Special Projects, Election Protection), Online Communications and Social Media, Public Policy, or Voting Rights.

  • The Communications and Development Departments' internship offers a unique opportunity to engage in all of the Lawyers' Committee's civil rights project areas. Interns will work with staff on press releases, op-eds, speeches, scripts and testimony. They will learn how to build media lists and track news coverage using a highly in-demand public relations and marketing software. Interns will gain valuable experience in creating and posting web content and desktop publishing. Interns will also assist with management of donor files, foundation research and the planning of our upcoming 50th Anniversary.
  • The Community Development Project provides pro bono legal assistance to community organizations engaged in innovative strategies that connect minority and low-income communities with economic opportunities, affordable housing, and healthier living.
     
  • The Educational Opportunities Project strives to guarantee that all students receive equal educational opportunities in public schools and institutions of higher learning by promoting school integration; supporting the mission of the No Child Left Behind Act; and challenging discriminatory discipline and classroom assignment practices as well as school finance inadequacy. 
     
  • The Education Project's Parental Readiness and Empowerment Program seeks to improve K-12 student performance, retention, and access to equal educational opportunities.  PREP serves low-income and minority children in targeted communities (currently San Diego, CA and Arlington, VA) by increasing parental engagement in education and ensuring that parents become successful advocates for their children.  PREP is particularly interested in candidates with near or complete Spanish fluency.
     
  • The Employment Discrimination Project works to dismantle systemic barriers faced by women and minorities in hiring and promotion and challenges many forms of discrimination in both private and government workplaces through high-impact class action litigation and public policy advocacy.  The Employment Project also works to dismantle access to employment for those with poor credit histories and criminal records through its Access Campaign.
     
  • The General Intern (with a focus on history) will be involved in the drafting of historical materials in preparation for the Lawyers' Committee's 50th anniversary.  The intern who fills this position should have good research skills, some knowledge of legal/civil rights issues and history, and excellent writing and multi-media abilities. 

    •
  • The Legal Mobilization Project provides expertise and support across the Lawyers' Committee's work on how to approach a civil rights issue multi-dimensionally, including the utilization of pro bono resources, technology, organizing skills, and other legal avenues (beyond impact litigation), while working hand-in-hand with the substantive staff.  Legal Mobilization provides support to all of the Committee's other projects, and is active in the Election Protection and Prevent Loan Scams programs. 
     
  • The Legal Mobilization and Voting Rights Projects lead the Election Protection Coalition, which administers the 1-866-OUR-VOTE voter assistance hotline, analyzes data on existing electoral problems, and supports positive election reforms and advocacy efforts to ensure that all eligible citizens have the right to vote.   
     

  • The Online Communications/Social Media Team is responsible for assisting with the creation and posting of website and social media content, as well as for creating and managing blast email content such as action alerts, newsletters, online petitions, and organizational updates.  The successful internship candidate will be a talented writer with a true passion for social media, technology, trends and innovation in the digital and social space.  

  • The Public Policy Department seeks to lead and coordinate the organizational policy agenda through the development, analysis and support of all Committee projects by providing policy leadership, advocacy, visibility and materials for the Hill and in coalitions on substantive priorities as they arise on the legislative calendar.  Candidates with previous Hill or state legislative experience are encouraged to apply. 
     
  • The Voting Rights Project strives to achieve equality and protect advances in voting rights for racial and ethnic minorities and other traditionally disenfranchised groups through an integrated program of litigation, voter protection, research, advocacy, and education.  The project is currently active in battles to defend the Voting Rights Act, combat voter ID laws and voter suppression activities, and ensure that eligible voters are able to cast a meaningful ballot on Election Day.
     
  • The Human Resources Department is seeking an intern for three distinct projects, including creating a comprehensive comparative study of compensation, updating a spreadsheet tracking contracts, and developing a calendar of events celebrating cultural diversity.  The full details for this position are available here.

Although assignments for each intern vary, most students are asked to draft documents, track news and policy changes, write legal research memoranda, conduct factual investigations, participate in conference calls, and complete some administrative work. 

    Hours

  • Fall and Spring Interns: Fall and spring semester interns must work a minimum of 10 to 15 hours a week (with a full course load) and 20 hours without a full course load.  For that reason, students should be able to commute to the Committee's downtown office for at least two days a week during the academic year.  Fall and spring interns typically attend colleges and universities in or around the metropolitan District of Columbia region, although the Lawyers' Committee is also happy to host students who are participating in externship or academic exchange programs.  
     
  • Summer Interns: Summer interns must work a minimum of 30 hours per week. 

    • Qualifications

The Lawyers' Committee welcomes applications from rising juniors, seniors, and recent graduates interested in civil rights, community development, communications and development to work as interns during the fall semester, spring semester, or over their summer breaks.  At a minimum, all applicants must possess: 

  • Strong research, writing, and communications abilities, 
     
  • Demonstrated commitment to civil rights and/or social justice, and
     
  • Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word).
     
  • Skill with social media and web-based multimedia is appreciated, but not required. 

    • Benefits

The Lawyers' Committee is unable to pay any portion of the applicant's salary or provide assistance with securing housing during the internship period.  However, we are happy to work with students so that they may receive academic credit or outside funding for their work.  Students who complete this internship will gain invaluable experience in the field of civil rights and exposure to the exciting work of a non-profit legal organization.

    Application Instructions

Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, and short writing sample (all in .pdf format) to the Internship Coordinators at internship@lawyerscommittee.org.  

  • An applicant's resume should include detailed work experience with a particular emphasis on activities relevant to the work of the Lawyers' Committee, his or her current GPA, and any related extra-curricular activities in which he or she may be involved. 
     
  • In the cover letter, applicants should indicate in which project(s) (no more than two) they are interested in working as well as their relevant qualifications.  The cover letter may also include specific interests and issues of concern, what the applicant hopes to gain from the experience, and ways they think they could be an asset to the organization.
     
  • The writing sample should be between two-three pages, double spaced, and on a subject of the applicant's choosing.  

Applications that do not include these items may not be considered.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of the Undergraduate and Recent Graduate Internship Program Description.

Click here for a downloadable PDF of the Undergraduate and Recent Graduate Internship Program Brochure. 

Practical Progressive - Official Selection 2008