Internships
We offer semester-term and summer-term internships and externships for undergraduate, graduate and law students, as well as particular opportunities, such as the Public Policy Advocacy Clinic, for NYU School of Law students. Law students are sometimes able to earn credit for their work, may be able to develop law review pieces and other papers on subjects growing out of the Center's activities, and are encouraged to apply for post-graduate fellowships at the Center.
All of our current opportunities are listed here and updated regularly. Please check this site frequently for updates.
Current Opportunities
Externships and Internships for Law Students
Undergraduate Internship 2008-2009
Public Policy and Advocacy Clinic at NYU School of Law
Externships and Internships for Law Students
The Brennan Center for Justice brings impact litigation, advises lawmakers on the constitutionality of bills, drafts legislation and regulations, and produces public education materials on a number of topics. We have two programs: Democracy and Justice. Under the Democracy Program, we work on election administration, voting technology, voter registration, expanding the franchise, redistricting, campaign finance reform and judicial selection, among other topics. Under the Justice Program, we work on habeas corpus, abuse of executive power, access to counsel, and the rights of prisoners and ex-prisoners, among other topics.
Position: Each Fall and Spring semester, the Brennan Center hosts 2-3 legal externs to work full time (40 hours a week), and 2-3 legal interns to work part time (15 hours a week), on cutting edge legal issues, including national security issues raised by the Patriot Act, expanding voter registration, strengthening state campaign finance laws, and improving access to the courts. We encourage law students to apply to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law's Externship and Internship Programs.
Students are not compensated by the Brennan Center for their externships and internships. They do receive one-on-one supervision of their legal work by lawyers on our staff. If students need to complete a particular type of writing assignment for their coursework requirements, we can and have accommodated such requests by allowing students to write law review style articles about legal questions that arise in our work.
How to Apply: Interested students should send (1) a cover letter explaining which particular program or programs they are interested in joining, (2) a current law school transcript, (3) a legal writing sample, (4) a current resume, and (5) contact information for three references. These items should be sent by e-mail to with Externship Program or Legal Internship Program in the subject line. The deadline for the Fall Semester applications is July 31, 2008. The deadline for the Spring Semester applications is November 1, 2008, however, we accept applications on a rolling basis. We encourage students with a strong interest in joining us to apply early.
Undergraduate Internship 2008-2009
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to redistricting reform, from access to the courts to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We are seeking 3-5 part-time interns to provide administrative and clerical support to staff in our Development, Communications, Finance & Operations, Democracy, and Justice Departments.
Responsibilities: Assist with general administrative and clerical work for the Brennan Center, including inputting and processing job applications; assisting with filing, photocopying, answering phones, shipping, and mailings; coordinating meetings, drafting routine correspondence and covering the reception desk. The job is great experience for undergraduates interested in the general workings of a not-for-profit organization.
Qualifications: The ideal candidates are independent, detail-oriented, self-starters, energetic, and highly organized. Experience with Windows 98/2000/XP, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word, a must. Database experience very helpful. Must be open to evolving responsibilities.
Hours: Up to 25 hours per week.
Duration: We will only consider students who can commit to the entire school year – September through May.
Pay: $11.00 per hour.
To Apply: Send resume and cover letter to via e-mail to: with “Undergraduate Internship” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.
Deadline: August 15, 2008. Decisions will be not be made until August.
The Brennan Center for Justice is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, which welcomes qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, physical and mental abilities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
The Brennan Center Public Policy Advocacy Clinic
The Public Policy Advocacy Clinic "PPAC" is a year-long fieldwork clinic designed to teach public policy reform strategies in the context of the real world campaigns that form the core of the Brennan Center's work. During 2008-09 the Clinic will be co-taught by NYU Professor Sarah Burns and two lawyers from the Brennan Center, Erika Wood and Laura MacCleery. Recognizing that multi-strategy lawyering is increasingly necessary for dealing with societal inequities, including unjust laws and policies, the Brennan Center for Justice and the Clinical Law Program of New York University School of Law are combining efforts to promote the rigorous study of public policy advocacy. The aim is to understand and master the broad range of strategies and skills relied upon by activists seeking to affect decision-making on matters of public policy.
2007–2008 Public Policy Advocacy Clinic
Front row, left to right: Sara Conrath, Roy Herrera, Keren Wheeler, Michael Margulies.
Center row: Michael Young, Alice Mei Ho, Wendy Weiser, Erika Wood, Tracy Chin, Naseem Kourosh.
Back row: Prof. Sarah E. Burns, Louis Lipner, Mimi Franke, Elizabeth Cate, Alex Guerrero.