Fall 2026 Democracy, Speech & Technology Externship

<p><em>Location: For Fall 2026, students located in proximity to one of our three office locations (Fresno, Sacramento, or San Francisco) may work with us in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid model.&nbsp; Students not located in proximity to one of our three office locations may work with us remotely.&nbsp; </em></p> <p><em>Deadline: Open until filled.</em></p> <p>The ACLU of Northern California’s Legal Advocacy Department invites law and graduate students to apply for its Democracy, Speech &amp; Technology Externship.&nbsp; Students willing to work with intensity and focus will find an externship at ACLU NorCal to be a rewarding learning experience.&nbsp; Qualified applicants are enthusiastic, creative, and detail-oriented; have strong research, writing, and oral communication skills; and can articulate a commitment to work for social justice and the ideals of the ACLU.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>About the Legal Advocacy Department</u></strong></p> <p>The Legal Advocacy Department promotes policy change and pursues cutting edge impact litigation to defend and expand the civil liberties and civil rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The department’s work focuses on three broad issue areas: &nbsp;Criminal Law &amp; Immigration; Democracy, Speech &amp; Technology; and Appeals &amp; Special Litigation.&nbsp; The department’s staff is based in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno.&nbsp; Legal staff work closely with other departments within ACLU NorCal, including Organizing, Communications, Development, as well as with ACLU National and California Action.</p> <p><strong><u>Democracy, Speech &amp; Technology Externship</u></strong></p> <p>Democracy, Speech &amp; Technology Externs work directly with one or more attorneys in support of the project’s litigation and policy work, which focuses on safeguarding free speech, privacy, and open government, in the digital world and beyond. &nbsp;</p> <p>Externs will be tasked with legal and policy research and analysis; helping to author reports, advocacy materials, portions of court documents, and pre-litigation demand letters; and/or assisting with legislative or other local campaigns. Externs may attend and participate in public hearings at the state and county level and participate in meetings with policy-makers and advocates as such opportunities arise.&nbsp; When possible, externs may also attend appellate arguments, trial court proceedings, and depositions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Externs are encouraged to attend and participate in departmental meetings, where prospective litigation and policy strategies are discussed.&nbsp; At times, assignments may arise that provide externs the opportunity to work across the department’s three broad issue areas, including Criminal Law &amp; I