Legal Intern - Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives-Policy

The ACLU of Puerto Rico seeks a bilingual Legal & Policy Intern for their Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives Department (ASNI) in our San Juan, Puerto Rico office. This internship is hybrid and can be full-time or part-time.

Qualifying applicants must currently be matriculated legal students. Applicant must be based in the U.S. for the entire duration of the internship.

The Team:

The ASNI department builds state capacity and strengthens the connections between the ACLU and its network of 54 state affiliates and their 1,500 staff members across the country. The affiliates’ work constitutes an unparalleled bulwark defending and advancing our civil liberties and civil rights. ASNI staff lead efforts to build program, build organizations, and drive resources to key battles across the country, positioning the nationwide organization for future challenges.

The ACLU of Puerto Rico is a chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, dedicated to protecting the fundamental liberties and basic civil rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and our civil rights laws.

What You’ll Do:

Working collaboratively with the Legal and Public Policy Departments, the intern will be responsible for analyzing the constitutionality of pending legislation, creating and updating policy issue briefs and policy related legal memos, assisting in legislative reports, and researching as needed.  Legal policy interns with the ACLU of Puerto Rico have a unique opportunity to work on innovative civil liberties and civil rights policy. This includes efforts, among others, related to: Criminal Justice, First Amendment, LGBTQ+ Rights, Voting Rights, Privacy Rights, Reproductive Freedom and Women’s Rights.

Your Day to Day

• Litigation Support
  • Conduct legal research, draft memoranda, case summaries and briefs for legislative presentations and sessions
  • Attend legislative proceedings, assist the legal department in identifying and researching potential cases
  • Verification of legal citation
  • Support the preparation of legal filings, appeals, and other documents under attorney supervision
• Communications and Public Education
  • Assist in developing, guides, presentations, bilingual workshops and educational materials regarding legislative proposals or court cases
  • Collaborate with the Communications Department on website articles, social media content, press materials, and public awareness initiatives

What You’ll Bring:

• Currently enrolled in the third or fourth year of a Juris Doctor program or a recent graduate of an accredited law school
• Strong interest in civil rights, constitutional law, and legislative processes
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills
• Professional proficiency in both Spanish and English, written and spoken, is required
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage assignments independently and meet deadlines
• Commitment to the mission and values of the ACLU of Puerto Rico
• Interest in working collaboratively across legal, policy and communications teams

Future ACLU-ers Will:

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

Internship Logistics:

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be full-time or part-time and is hybrid from our San Juan, Puerto Rico office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35hrs/week) or Part-time (10, 15 or 20hrs/week)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks and Part-time internships span 12 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: Jan. 11th or Jan. 25th, 2027
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below are the stipend rates:
    
    • $24/hr for graduate and law students or equivalent experience
    • This internship must be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

Why the ACLU:

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Our Commitment to Accessibility, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

To maintain the integrity of our assessment process, please refrain from using AI-powered chatbots, search engines, or real-time assistance tools to generate your CV, cover letter or writing sample (if required). We want to better understand your individual skills and thought processes. If you require AI tools or other assistive technology as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Accommodation Request Form so that we can support an accessible and equitable experience.

In order to be considered for this position, all candidates must formally submit an application. The ACLU does not accept unsolicited calls or emails from candidates regarding their application status.