Fall 2026 Legal Intern, Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative

About the Role

The ACLU seeks a Legal Intern in the Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative of the ACLU’s National office in New York City or Washington D.C. This position may be remote or hybrid. This internship is for course credit only.

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

The Team:

The Abortion Criminal Defense Initiative (ACDI) was created in the wake of Dobbs to address the criminal defense needs of abortion providers, patients, and those helping people seek abortion care. We are a small and mighty team of criminal defense attorneys that manages and supports a network of experienced defenders nationwide who are ready to represent people facing abortion-related criminal investigations and prosecutions. ACDI attorneys also provide legal, strategic, and logistical assistance to support local counsel in providing a coordinated defense against the criminalization of reproductive healthcare. In addition, the ACDI collaborates closely with other projects in the ACLU’s national office, as well as ACLU affiliates and national partners, to drive advocacy that affirmatively fights the harms of laws and policies that restrict access to care.

What You’ll Do:

As an intern, you’ll be an integral part of the ACDI team and will have the opportunity to meaningfully support defensive and affirmative advocacy related to the criminalization of abortion care. In addition to legal research and writing to support advocacy, Interns will also participate in weekly team meetings, attend reproductive-rights specific orientation sessions, and engage with coalition partner organizations on litigation and policy advocacy related to the criminalization of abortion.

Your Day to Day:

• Conduct legal research and writing including drafting memoranda, portions of briefs, motions, and training resources
• Track cases and issues of interest to the ACDI
• Assist with performing intakes for those who contact the ACDI in need of criminal defense representation
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes

What You'll Bring:

The internship is open to law students who will have completed at least one year of law school before the internship commences. Interns should possess the following:

• Enrolled at an ABA accredited law school and has completed at least 1L year. 
• Excellent legal research skills, strong legal writing, and ability to conduct complex legal analysis. 
• Organization including good attention to detail, and the ability to balance multiple assignments. 
• Team player approach with good communication skills who responds well to feedback. 
• Initiative to see projects through to completion.
• A demonstrated commitment to criminal defense, public interest law, civil rights and liberties, and social justice. 

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 conflicts

Internship Logistics

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship can be remote or hybrid and based in our New York City or Washington D.C.
• Time Commitment: This internship may be part-time (10,15 or 20 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Spring internships span 12 consecutive weeks for part-time with a start date of September 8 or September 21.
• Stipend: This position is course credit only. This internship must be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

Priority Application Deadline: June 30, 2026

While there is a priority deadline, our project is committed to reviewing all applications on a rolling basis until the closing of posting.

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 & 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.  

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.

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.