The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is currently accepting applications from law students for 2025 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.
While we ask that students first seek summer funding from their law school’s public interest programs and other appropriate sources, we encourage interested applicants to apply regardless of whether they are able to obtain such funding. In its discretion, LDF may provide appropriate funding to those who are unable to secure funding from other sources. 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 send a cover letter, résumé, 5 to 10-page writing sample and a list of three references to the address below. LDF will fill summer legal intern positions on a rolling basis; however, we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible. Please email your completed application to:
Please indicate in the subject line that you are applying for a Litigation Internship and note 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.
