Fall 2026 Fellowship Sponsorship, LGBTQ & HIV Project

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU invites rising third-year law students and law graduates to apply for a sponsorship opportunity to work with us as a Legal Fellow for up to two years. The LGBTQ & HIV Project of the National office in New York City seeks applicants to consider for a sponsored fellowship such as Equal Justice Works or other public interest fellowships to begin in the fall of 2026. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.

The LGBTQ & HIV Project seeks to create a just society for all LGBTQ people and people living with HIV regardless of race or income.  Through litigation, lobbying, public education, and organizing, the ACLU works to build a country where our communities can live openly without discrimination and enjoy equal rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association. 

The LGBTQ & HIV Project was founded in 1986, but the ACLU has advocated for the rights of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people at least since 1936, and for the rights of transgender people at least since 1967.  

We will review applications on a rolling basis.

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Reporting to a Project Director and/or a Deputy Project Director, the Fellow will be focused on litigation and other advocacy to fight back against the attack on transgender and non-binary people being waged by the Trump administration and many state governments. 

Starting on inauguration day, the trans community has been hit with executive orders and agency actions attempting to strip away non-discrimination protections, prohibit gender-affirming medical care for minors and incarcerated people, exclude such medical care for people of any age from federal health insurance programs, deny federal funding to schools that have trans-inclusive policies, ban transgender people from the military, and prohibit any acknowledgment of the existence of transgender people such as by no longer issuing passports with accurate gender markers to transgender and non-binary people. States that have already been passing anti-trans legislation the past several years have been emboldened by the actions of the federal government and continue to come up with new legislation to hurt the trans community. The Fellow will help try to stop some of these harmful policies from taking effect. 

Our staff will work with candidates to develop their proposals for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address some of the most pressing needs. 

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Conduct legal research for new and ongoing litigation and other advocacy projects
• Draft legal memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs
• Participate in discovery and possibly trials
• Provide support and assistance to ACLU affiliates
• Engage in public speaking about our work

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

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• J.D. or expected to receive a J.D. by the spring of 2026
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, civil liberties, criminal justice, and racial justice
• Willingness to work closely with the LGBTQ & HIV Project through the funding application process
• Excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex legal analysis and fact-finding
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a proven ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative, manage a variety of tasks and see projects through to completion

COMPENSATION

The ACLU has a litigator scale that determines pay for attorneys in our Legal Department. The range of salaries are the following, based on year of law school graduation (please consult the hiring manager for specific salary details, based on individual circumstances).

• 0-2 years since law school graduation: $92,374-$115,393
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $129,244-$152,480
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $159,461- $179,891
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $183,255-$193,657
• 16-20 years since law school graduation