Legal Intern

About The Lawyering Project  

Founded in 2017, the Lawyering Project is a legal advocacy organization that blends traditional impact litigation with movement lawyering to promote reproductive health, rights, and justice throughout the United States. Laws that undermine reproductive health, rights, and justice deprive people of moral agency, rob us of control over our bodies, and compound other forms of oppression like racism, sexism, and poverty. Our mission is to eliminate these laws and the harmful impacts they have on people’s lives. We are especially focused on laws that limit the availability or affordability of abortion care; contribute to disparities in reproductive health outcomes; embody gender-based stereotypes; or discriminate against people based on their reproductive decisions.

We have three legal programs: Litigation, Access & Innovation, and Pro Bono Initiatives. Our Litigation Program leverages the courts to eliminate barriers to reproductive health services and promote equity in access to care. Our Access & Innovation Program provides legal advice and technical assistance to healthcare providers, researchers, abortion funds, and organizations that facilitate access to abortion care.

Our Pro Bono Initiatives Program operates the Abortion Defense Network, a collaborative effort by nonprofit organizations, private law firms, and government officials aimed at ensuring everyone threatened with liability for providing or supporting abortion care in post-Roe America has access to high-quality, values-aligned lawyers.  

For further information, visit https://lawyeringproject.org and https://abortiondefensenetwork.org.

About The Internship 

The Lawyering Project is seeking legal interns to support its legal programs during the summer of 2027. The legal internship is remote, and legal interns may choose to work from a minimum of ten weeks to a maximum of twelve weeks from May-August 2027.

We are looking for individuals who possess strong research, writing, and analytical skills. Ideal candidates will be able to effectively manage multiple tasks, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to a positive and supportive work environment. All interns will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in a variety of legal tasks.

The essential duties and responsibilities for this internship include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting legal and factual research, analysis, and writing; 
• Cite-checking and copy-editing legal documents; 
• Assisting with court filings; 
• Assisting with client advising;
• Providing additional support to the Lawyering Project’s legal programs, as needed; and
• Cultivating an organizational culture that aligns with the Lawyering Project’s core values  

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE  

The summer legal intern must be currently enrolled in a law school located in the United States.  Current 2Ls (students who will be rising 3Ls in the summer of 2027) are strongly encouraged to apply.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES  

The summer legal intern must have:

• A demonstrated commitment to social justice and an interest in reproductive health, rights, and justice
• Skill in legal research, writing, and analysis
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues, meet deadlines, work well under pressure, and contribute to a collaborative team environment and a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of October 1.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• As part of your application for the summer legal intern position, please include a cover letter that describes your experiences with legal research, writing, and analysis.
• If you have participated in any legal clinics, please provide details about your role and the skills you developed or if you have worked on a law journal, mention the responsibilities you had and how this experience has prepared you for a legal internship.
• Lastly, in a section of your cover letter, please describe (in no more than 150 words) why you are interested in supporting the Lawyering Project's work to improve access to reproductive healthcare.
• Writing Sample
• Please upload a writing sample (5-10 pages) demonstrating your legal writing and research skills.
• Three References
• Please provide three professional references, including the person’s name, organizational affiliation, title, and your relationship to the reference.

COMPENSATION

The Lawyering Project will provide legal interns with a stipend of $625 per week (up to a maximum of $7,500 for 12 weeks), minus any funding that an intern receives from their law school. We ask all interns to apply for summer internship funding if their law school offers it.  

EEO STATEMENT

The Lawyering Project is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer.  At the Lawyering Project, we believe that a team with varied perspectives and experiences will best enable our organization to thrive and achieve its mission.  We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive work environment that values individual differences.  We welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences, identities, and backgrounds to apply.

We will not discriminate against applicants and employees because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), pregnancy, color, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance. 

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation for pregnant people and qualified individuals with disabilities, including in the application process.  If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please send an email with the subject line “Reasonable Accommodation Request” to [email protected].