[Hamp-law] Civil Liberties and National Security Internship, ACLU, Paid, NYC

[Carin Rank]

SUMMER 2015 UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
National Security Project, NY

For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of
liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and
preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and
the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
Whether it’s achieving full equality for the LGBT community,
establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, ending mass
incarceration, 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 from government abuse and overreach. With
more than a million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a
nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto
Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s
rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin.

The National Security Project in the ACLU’s National Office in New York
City seeks applicants for an undergraduate internship in the Summer of
2015. The number of interns accepted for the positions varies.

Stipends are available for those students who do not receive outside
funding and/or course credit. Arrangements can also be made with the
student’s educational institution for work/study stipends or course credit.

OVERVIEW

The National Security Project is part of the ACLU’s Center for
Democracy, which works to strengthen democratic institutions and values,
and advocates for government transparency and accountability, and to
reinforce the United States’ commitment to human rights and the rule of
law. The Center for Democracy includes, in addition to the National
Security Project, the Human Rights Program, and the Project on Speech,
Privacy, and Technology.

The National Security Project is dedicated to ensuring that U.S.
national security policies and practices are consistent with the
Constitution, civil liberties, and human rights. The Project believes
that our nation’s core democratic values are the foundation of its
strength and security, and that our government’s response to national
security concerns must comport with those values. Through its litigation
and advocacy strategies, the Project not only responds to specific
government measures, it also strives to educate the public and shape the
law so that the courts, Congress, and citizenry can serve as an enduring
check against abuse. The National Security Project’s litigation and
advocacy focuses on issues including: targeted killing, detention,
torture, discrimination, government surveillance, censorship and secrecy.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

The undergraduate internship is designed to provide interns with the
opportunity to learn about public interest work. The internship
typically requires a 10 week commitment, is full-time and has a
preferred start date of June 1, 2015.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Interns will work under the direct supervision of the Project’s
Paralegal, and will learn from and interact with other members of the
Project’s staff. Interns will gain experience by:

• Conducting factual research on issues relating to civil liberties and
national security.
• Supporting the production of litigation and advocacy materials.
• Supporting reviews of government documents obtained through Freedom of
Information Act litigation.
• Maintaining case files.
• Working on other projects as assigned.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The internship is open to students who are currently enrolled in an
undergraduate program and have completed their first year of college.
Applicants must possess:

• A commitment to civil liberties and a strong interest in social
justice and legal issues.
• Excellent research, writing, and communications skills.
• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research and
proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter, a resume and a non-fiction writing sample of
no more than 5 pages. The cover letter should also describe your
interest in public interest work, national security issues and civil
liberties, including any relevant life or work experience. Application
materials should be sent to hrjobsNSP at aclu.org. Please reference [2015
Summer Undergraduate Internship] in the subject line. Please note, this
is not the general ACLU applicant email address. This email address is
specific to the National Security Project Internship.

Applications may also be sent by mail to:

2015 Summer Undergraduate Internship – National Security Project
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004-2400

Please indicate in the cover letter where you learned of this internship
opportunity.

Students are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible, as
decisions will be made on a rolling basis.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of
the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not
represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to
change the job description and or posting at any time without advance
notice.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce
and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages 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, and veteran status.

The ACLU undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and
employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full
opportunities for employment in all positions.

We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in
the application process to contact: HRJobsINCLReq at aclu.org.
Correspondence sent to this address that is not related to requests for
accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the
instructions above regarding how to apply.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil
Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil
Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with
the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU
has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work
to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the
two organizations under the name “ACLU.”