Summer 2027 Litigation Intern

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative — to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system. LDF continues to make an impact in the area of public service and was recognized by Fast Company as one of its 2023 Brands That Matter under its public service category.

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (“LDF”) is currently accepting applications from law students for 2027 summer litigation internships for the New York, Washington D.C., and Atlanta offices. Summer interns will be in-person in their assigned office two days a week. Summer litigation interns will be responsible for legal research, memorandum writing, factual investigation, development of educational and outreach materials, discovery review, and a host of other needs that arise in LDF’s litigation and advocacy efforts in the areas of Education, Political Participation, Economic Justice, and Criminal Justice. Litigation interns at LDF will work primarily on litigation-related projects in LDF’s Litigation and Strategic Initiatives Departments. Summer interns will be exposed to a variety of activities within the broader national civil rights coalition, including joining a series of brown bag luncheons featuring prominent civil rights and public interest attorneys.

 

This is an unpaid internship. However, in its discretion, LDF may provide appropriate funding to those who demonstrate they are unable to secure funding from their law school’s public interest programs or other appropriate sources. We therefore encourage interested applicants to apply regardless of whether they are able to obtain such funding. Although LDF prefers to hire second-year law students, we will consider first-year law students. Interns are expected to work for at least ten (10) weeks during the summer, but other arrangements may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Applicants should include:

• Cover letter
• Résumé
• 5- to 10-page writing sample
• A list of three references 

Applications are due by Friday, October 2, 2026 and we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.  

 

Please note in your cover letter whether you would like to be based in New York, Washington D.C., or Atlanta.

 

As part of LDF’s long-standing commitment to training the next generation of civil rights attorneys, LDF, through our internship program, relies on assistance from law students to support our litigation and advocacy efforts.  If you plan to pursue a career in racial justice and civil rights law, we want to hear from you.