The Institute for Justice (IJ) - Internships

IJ offers an unparalleled opportunity for law students to engage in cutting-edge constitutional litigation. Through IJ’s student programs, law students have the opportunity to substantively contribute to active litigation, work closely with leading constitutional litigators and help IJ prepare for future ground-breaking litigation.

Dave Kennedy Fellowship

The Institute for Justice’s summer program participants are called Dave Kennedy Fellows, named after Dave Kennedy, who was the longtime Chairman of IJ’s Board of Directors and Chairman Emeritus. We are honored to bestow his name on the next generation of litigators for liberty.

The Institute for Justice recruits only the most talented law students from across the country for its summer fellowship program. The program offers an unparalleled professional opportunity to substantively contribute to active and future strategic litigation in both state and federal courts. During their summers, law students work closely with IJ attorneys to develop litigation strategies and assist in the nuts and bolts of cutting-edge civil rights litigation, including propounding and responding to discovery requests, drafting motions and briefs, and preparing for hearings.

Past assignments have included:

• Researching and preparing a United States Supreme Court cert. petition regarding just compensation in an eminent domain action;
• Participating in moots for dispositive-motion hearings in a challenge to protectionist mobile vending regulations;
• Analyzing discovery objections in a civil forfeiture class action lawsuit;
• Assessing how to certify a new class and add new plaintiffs to an existing class action;
• Developing litigation strategies for potential challenges to licensing requirements in several states across the country.

IJ is committed to ensuring that law students get the most out of their summers and leave IJ better prepared for their legal careers. Attorneys will work closely with law students to set and achieve goals for the summer, including working on specific projects and cases. Through IJ’s mentorship program, law students will receive both feedback and guidance on their work.

In addition to participating in IJ’s cutting-edge constitutional litigation, IJ fellows benefit from a summer packed with valuable opportunities to network with and learn from the country’s leading liberty advocates, policymakers and practitioners through IJ’s summer speakers series and annual Law Student Conference, the latter of which is an all-expenses paid weekend dedicated to training future liberty litigators.

IJ also hosts a number of social events throughout the summer that give fellows the opportunity to bond with one another and IJ attorneys and staff. Activities vary from office to office but have included monthly in-house happy hours, bowling nights, local Major League Baseball games, visits to local breweries and distilleries, and a tour of the United States Supreme Court.

How to Apply

To apply, please click on the “Apply Now” link below or go to the employment opportunities page. We require a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Questions may be directed to IJ’s Student Programs Coordinator, Lainey Carlton, at training@ij.org. Applications for the summer of 2020 are now open and we hire on a rolling basis.

IJ accepts summer fellows at each of its office locations. To learn more about each office, click on the different office locations below.

Semester Clerkships

Students in law schools near our offices are encouraged to take advantage of our semester clerkships. We accept applications on a rolling basis and conduct interviews in August for the fall semester and throughout November and December for the following spring semester.