Legal Fellowship 2026

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The ACLU-PA invites third-year law students and recent law school graduates who are eligible to receive funding through a post-graduate fellowship funded by their law school to apply for a one-year fellowship at the ACLU-PA. This position would be for 12 months starting in fall 2026. 

This position will provide recent law school graduates with an exciting opportunity to develop their litigation skills while doing meaningful work to protect civil rights and civil liberties. Working with experienced attorneys, the fellow will conduct litigation, research, and/or policy advocacy on a wide range of civil rights and civil liberties issues. If the law school requires that the prospective fellow provide a proposal for the type of work to be done at ACLU-PA, we will work with the selected applicant to develop a fellowship proposal that aligns with our institutional priorities, particularly criminal law reform and voting rights.

The ACLU-PA can only accept applications from prospective fellows whose law school will provide at least $45,000 in funding for the year. ACLU-PA will work with the selected candidate as needed to fulfill their law school fellowship program's requirements for obtaining funding approval. In the event that the amount provided by the fellowship program is less than the ACLU-PA's salary scale for legal fellows (currently $68,055 for a one-year, full-time legal fellow), the ACLU-PA will make up the difference so long as the fellowship provides at least $45,000.  Please note that this position is hybrid, with a suggested two days a week in office. 

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Participate in and support major civil rights and civil liberties litigation.Investigate potential civil rights and civil liberties issues and help to identify an appropriate response.Engage in fact-gathering and other pre-litigation work, such as submitting public-records requests and attending court hearings or public meetings of agencies.Conduct legal research and analysis, draft pleadings and briefs, prepare memoranda, and write demand letters.Communicate with clients, potential clients and our organizational partners.Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials.Assist with the ACLU-PA's non-litigation efforts, such as recruiting private counsel to assist impacted individuals, responding to public questions, and working with coalition partners.Help manage the summer legal internship program and supervise student interns.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate should have a demonstrated commitment to public interest law and civil liberties, a commitment and ability to work with and support a wide range of communities and a diverse workplace, and a willingness to collaborate extensively with the ACLU-PA in our advocacy work. Once selected, the ACLU-PA will work with the candidate to craft a fellowship proposal and submit a joint application to the sponsoring law school, if needed.

The specific minimum qualifications are: 

A Juris Doctorate from an American Bar Association-accredited law school.Exceptional writing, research, and analytical skills, which can be demonstrated through clerkship, fellowship, clinical work, summer internship, or other experience.A strong understanding of civil liberties and civil rights.Excellent communication skills, including the ability to connect with both legal and non-legal audiences.Ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects with lawyers, other ACLU-PA staff, and community partners.Membership in the Pennsylvania Bar. If you are not currently a member, you must either be eligible to be admitted on a temporary or permanent basis to the Pennsylvania Bar or sit for the next available Pennsylvania Bar examination in summer 2026 and pass it.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ACLU-PA offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and competitive with public interest salaries. The annual salary for the position is $68,055. Benefits include 11 paid holidays along with generous vacation and sick leave; individual/family employer-provided health insurance; life insurance and long-term disability; and defined contribution plan with employer match. Relocation assistance may be available for out-of-state candidates. This position is full-time, salaried, and exempt.  In addition, for the duration of the fellowship, the fellow will be a member of the ACLU-PA collective bargaining unit.  

Please note that this is a term-limited, one-year position with no possibility of extension or renewal. 

ACLU-PA has a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and candidates receiving a job offer will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencing employment. Exemptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.

HOW TO APPLY 

To apply, please complete the application on the ACLU-PA career page No phone calls please.. Applicants will be asked to submit 1) your resume; 2) a cover letter indicating your interest and qualification for the fellowship, any requirements related to fellowship funding (e.g., deadlines, requirements the sponsoring employer must meet and anything else it would be helpful for us to know about the fellowship), and a confirmation that your law school has a fellowship program that would provide at least $45,000 in funding; and 3) a writing sample that accurately reflects your writing ability, has not been substantially edited or modified by another individual, and is an entire written product (e.g., brief, memorandum, etc.) rather than an excerpt from a larger document. All attachments should be in PDF format. 

We encourage applicants to apply by January 5, 2026, but the application will remain open until the position is filled. The ACLU-PA endeavors to accommodate the internal deadlines of applicants' law schools. To ensure that we have time to consider your application, please submit it at least four weeks prior to your school's deadline.

If your law school will not make a decision about whether to offer a post-graduate fellowship until later in the academic year, such as April or May, that is no barrier to applying for this opportunity. Applicants from law schools that have not yet publicized their post-graduate fellowships are still encouraged to apply, understanding that any offer made by the ACLU-PA for this fellowship is contingent upon that person receiving at least $45,000 in funding from their law school. 

Individuals contacted for an interview will also be required to participate in a brief writing exercise at the conclusion of the interview, to allow the ACLU-PA to better gauge your writing abilities.  

ABOUT THE ACLU 

For 100 years, the ACLU has worked in courts, legislatures, and communities to help ensure that all people have access to the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. As an affiliate of the ACLU, the ACLU of Pennsylvania focuses its work on issues that directly impact people who live, work, or travel to/from Pennsylvania. We also work with the National ACLU on litigation and advocacy. Our current work includes: seeking to protect the right to vote; improving conditions and seeking release for incarcerated people during this pandemic; challenging racial profiling in Black and brown communities; and working to reduce pretrial and probation related detention.  

Integrating litigation, legislative and policy advocacy, organizing, and communications, ACLU-PA's staff and volunteers work both independently and in coalition with those most affected by the issues we address to ensure that threats to liberty and the civil rights of all persons in Pennsylvania are met with stark resistance as we progress toward a more genuine multiracial, multicultural democracy.

The ACLU-PA advances equity and inclusion in the workplace by providing equal employment opportunity to support a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (over 40), sexual orientation, military and veteran status, and any other basis prohibited by law. The organization also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. This equal employment opportunity policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, advancement, training, problem resolution, and separation from employment. Through this policy, the ACLU-PA strives to establish and maintain an equitable and accessible work environment that is free from discrimination and supportive of a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our communities and the people we serve.

ACLU-PA's hiring process will comply with Philadelphia's Fair Criminal Records Screening Standards ("Ban the Box") ordinance.

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