Fall 2026 Legal Fellow

The Fellow will spend most of their time working closely with colleagues on existing litigation and advocacy projects spanning the full range of ACLU-NJ’s priority issues. Over the one-year term, the Fellow will focus on developing core legal advocacy, legal research, and writing skills.  

The Fellow will also work in collaboration with other departments and may have projects that require analyzing state and local legislative proposals, researching legislative history, drafting internal memos and testimony, and drafting or reviewing advocacy or public education materials. In addition, the Fellow’s work may include community outreach and representing the ACLU-NJ in coalition meetings and conferences, and public speaking engagements. Fellows are expected to participate in meetings, activities, and tasks that advance the work of the legal team and the organization as a whole. 

We are a diverse workforce and take pride in our ability to attract and retain employees with a huge array of backgrounds and experiences. We work hard but also like to celebrate our successes. We strive to bring humility, empathy, kindness, and generosity to our work, internally within the organization and externally with our partners and those whom we are serving. We seek to build a work culture with a sense of respect and collegiality, and a willingness to be generous with our expertise and resources. 

Please complete the application by uploading a cover letter, resume, and a legal writing sample (6-10 pages) that is wholly your own unedited work. 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 job announcement will close on October 14th, 2025.     

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. The ACLU-NJ is committed to providing reasonable accommodations 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 accommodations for the interview process.