Fall 2025 Fellowship Sponsorship, Trone Center for Justice & Equality

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 Trone Center for Justice and Equality of the National office in San Francisco, CA or New York, NY seeks applicants to consider for a sponsored fellowship such as Skadden, Equal Justice Works, or other public interest fellowships to begin in the fall of 2025. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.

The ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality leads cutting edge litigation focused on combatting inequity, oppression and dehumanization in the criminal legal system and systemic inequalities faced by communities of color across the country. The Center is comprised of five Projects/Programs working on these issues: the Capital Punishment Project, the National Prison Project, the Racial Justice Program, Criminal Law Reform Project, and the John Adams Project.

WHAT YOU'LL DO 

Reporting to the Trone Center Director, the Fellow will be a core member of the Trone Center team and will be an integral part of the Center’s unhoused justice work. The fellow will also work collaboratively with various ACLU projects and affiliates on litigation and advocacy related to racial justice and criminal legal system change.

The Trone Center welcomes applications from prospective fellows who are interested in protecting and furthering the rights of unhoused people. The Trone Center is particularly interested in candidates for a potential fellowship project focused on litigation and integrated advocacy strategies geared towards achieving affirmative solutions to homelessness. The fellow would develop novel legal claims under state and federal law and a policy platform and advocacy materials to safeguard the rights of unhoused people and promote effective solutions to homelessness. The fellow would also support ongoing unhoused justice litigation and amicus efforts in the Trone Center and may also assist with other litigation and advocacy related to criminal legal system change and racial justice.

We will review applications on a rolling basis, but priority consideration will be given to those who submit applications by July 19, 2024.

The Fellow must secure external funding, please email hiring@aclu.org for funding requirements. Our staff will work with candidates to develop their proposals for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address an important civil liberties issue.

YOUR DAY TO DAY

• Conduct legal research and analysis and develop theories to support new litigation projects
• Draft legal memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs
• Interview witnesses and potential clients
• Participate in discovery and trial practice
• Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials
• Provide support and assistance to ACLU affiliates and cooperating attorneys
• Help manage summer legal internship program and supervise student interns

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 2025
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, civil liberties, criminal justice, and racial justice
• Willingness to work closely with The Trone Center for Justice and Equality 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

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: $92,820-$115,951
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $129,868-$153,217
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $160,232- $180,760
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $184,140-$194,592
• 16-20 years since law school graduation