Public Interest Legal Fellow

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) invites rising third-year law students and recent law graduates to apply for a sponsorship opportunity to work with us as a public interest legal fellow. As an integral part of the ACLU-NJ, our fellows gain practical experience through defending and expanding civil liberties and constitutional rights: they will have the opportunity to work on lawsuits, advocate for clients, and engage with our political advocacy and communications teams on advancing legislation and public education. Past fellows have even had the opportunity to argue cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court. 

We will work with a successful applicant to develop a project proposal focused on voting rights in New Jersey for specific funding organizations, including Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst, and the Skadden Fellowship Foundation, and for fellowship funding available through law schools. We are eager to develop proposed projects that combine legal advocacy and impact litigation, policy advocacy, community outreach, and public education.    

ACLU-NJ legal staff will collaborate with the selected fellowship candidate to further develop a proposal that builds on the candidate’s interests and skills, ensures appropriate supervision and mentorship, fits with the ACLU-NJ’s priorities, and employs strategies most likely to be effective in advancing the project’s goals. The ACLU-NJ will work closely with candidates to craft their pitch to external funders and prepare for interviews. 

Please note that the ACLU-NJ does not have independent internal funding for this fellowship position and will not be able to offer employment to fellowship candidates.  

Qualifications:

In addition to having passion for civil rights and civil liberties, the ideal candidate will be a self-starter and be able to work independently, manage projects, and collaborate and be part of a team. We are looking to sponsor candidates who are able to think critically, write clearly and accessibly, and have litigation (such as a clinic or clerkship) or policy advocacy experience. The ideal candidate will also have a strong commitment to racial equity, and an understanding of how power is manifested in matters of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances. 

The ACLU-NJ values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, child welfare, or immigration systems, and people who have personal experience with other issues we work on. 

To Apply: 

To apply, please upload one pdf with your résumé and one pdf with a writing sample, law school transcript and a cover letter that details specific interests and outlines a fellowship project proposal.  

At this stage, your project proposal can be broad so long as it is centered around voting rights and/or democratic participation in New Jersey. You might want to consider some of the following questions when outlining your project proposal: 

• What makes this issue ripe for work in New Jersey?  
• What unique skills or perspectives are you bringing to this particular issue?  
• What is your personal connection to the issue or group you wish to serve?  
• In what ways will your project advance racial justice in New Jersey? 

There is no need to answer any of these questions explicitly, but a good proposal should be thoughtful about what makes the project the right fit for you and, ideally, the ACLU-NJ. To that end, a project can be, but need not be, novel. What’s important is that it suits you and advances the mission of the ACLU-NJ. We invite applicants to include in their cover letter information about how their background and/or experiences could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work. 

The candidate will be expected to work closely with the ACLU-NJ through the funding process. In turn, we will be invested in helping you develop your project proposal to present it to potential funders. 

 About the position: 

Compensation: The ACLU-NJ pays law fellows on the same scale as staff attorneys, and starts at $77,000 for a new law graduate, even if the funding from the external fellowship does not match. 

Location: The position is based at the ACLU-NJ’s office located in Newark, NJ, where staff members work on a hybrid remote work schedule (two in-office days per week) and need to be available to participate in hearings, meetings, and other events within New Jersey.  

 We will begin to review applications on July 15, 2026, and will make decisions in August. Fellow applicants sponsored during this cycle will have a start date in September 2027. 

The ACLU-NJ is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture of belonging. It is our policy to employ qualified people without regard to race; color; gender, gender identity or expression; religion; sex; national origin or ancestry; age; disability; sexual orientation; veteran’s status; marital status; civil union status; arrest or court record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people, women, people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.  

The ACLU-NJ makes every effort to assure that its recruitment and employment provide all qualified persons, including persons with disabilities, with full opportunities for employment in all positions. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email careers@aclu-nj.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.