The ACLU of North Carolina’s Legal Department offers externship opportunities for law students to gain valuable experience in legal advocacy work and litigation.

Legal Department externs support the department’s litigation and advocacy work through legal research, writing, and case support. Because this position serves the Legal Department as a whole, externs will gain exposure to a broad range of issues and projects rather than work limited to a single area.

Externs work closely with the Legal Department on a variety of matters. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Cite-checking
• Conducting legal research and analysis
• Drafting legal memoranda, briefs, or other legal documents
• Participating in discovery and record review
• Conducting client and witness interviews
• Attending department, staff, cross-departmental, case meetings
• Assisting with other projects as assigned

The fall and spring externship is part-time and intended for students seeking work-study or academic credit. At this time, the ACLU of North Carolina is unable to provide stipends for externship positions.
Externships for 15-20 hours per week are strongly preferred. Externship scheduling is flexible dependent upon the student's class schedule. We are a hybrid workplace, and 1 in-office day per week is encouraged but not required for externs.
The Legal Department typically onboards two externs each season.

The externship program is open to current law students who have completed at least one year of law school. Applicants should possess:

• Strong research skills, including internet and legal database research
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• The ability to analyze complex legal issues
• Initiative and the ability to see projects through to completion
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and time-management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• A demonstrated commitment to civil liberties, civil rights, and social justice

Please submit the following materials:

• A cover letter describing your interest in the externship
• A current resume
• A writing sample of no more than 10 pages
• An academic Transcript
• Contact information for three references

Application materials should be emailed to [email protected]. with “Legal Externship Applicant” in the subject line.

• Fall externship applicants are due by April 1 each year.
• Spring externship applicants are due by November 15 each year.

ACLU-NC offers a full-time, 10-week paid internship program each year.

• Please look for the summer internship posting, which is typically released around August.
• We also accept applications from the National Black Law Student Association (NBLSA) through the ACLU–NBLSA Southern Legal Internship Program (SLIP). The SLIP application is also typically posted around August.
• Note: Internship applications will not be accepted at the email address above.