ACLU of Illinois · 3 months ago
Summer 2026 Legal Fellowship
Chicago,IL,US
Full-time
Hybrid
New GradThe ACLU of Illinois is seeking graduating 3L law students for full-time Summer 2026 Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) graduate fellowships. The role involves conducting legal research, drafting legal documents, and participating in advocacy projects to advance civil rights and civil liberties.
Legal Services
Responsibilities
Conducting legal, policy, and factual research for current and potential cases and non- litigation advocacy projects
Drafting memoranda, affidavits, and sections of briefs
Cite-checking legal documents
Interviewing potential clients and class members; and
Investigating the facts of specific cases
Qualification
Required
You are a current 3L who will be starting as an associate at a Chicago law firm and your firm participates in the PILI program
You will be located in Illinois and able to come into our Chicago office during your fellowship
You are self-motivated and have the ability to take initiative, manage a variety of tasks, and see projects through to completion in a fast-paced and collaborative environment
You are receptive to feedback, enthusiastic about learning and self-improvement, and eager to incorporate feedback into future work
You have an excellent foundation in legal research, including judgment in discerning which cases are relevant to a particular research question and thoroughness in covering the question asked
You are well along in developing the capacity to engage in thoughtful and perceptive legal analysis, including the ability to build a logical and persuasive argument, to read and understand legal decisions and statutes, and to grasp whether and how legal authorities apply to a new set of facts
You are well along in developing excellent legal writing skills, including the ability to present ideas in a clear and organized manner and to write a memorandum that teaches the reader what you have learned through legal research (whether the meaning of a specific case or the state of a body of law in general)
You can work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts
You are committed to recognizing and valuing all individuals in the workplace and respecting differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstances, and other factors
You have the empathy and interpersonal skills necessary to connect with, listen to, learn from, and ask questions of clients and other community members
You are committed to civil rights, civil liberties, social justice, and the mission of the ACLU of Illinois
Company
ACLU of Illinois
The ACLU of Illinois has been the principal protector of constitutional rights in the state since its founding in 1929.
Founded in 1929
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase