About the role#
The Southern Poverty Law Center offers a paid summer internship for law students. This role focuses on civil rights and public interest law. Interns work with our Advocacy and Litigation Impact Teams to support our mission of reducing bigotry and oppression through litigation and community outreach. This position is open to second-year law students only.
What you'll do#
- Work on legal issues within one of our six Advocacy and Litigation Impact Teams, including Economic Justice, Criminal Legal System Reform, Education and Youth, Voting Rights, Inclusion and Anti-Extremism, or Immigrant Justice.
- Assist attorneys with ongoing litigation.
- Implement community-focused strategies to influence positive change for children, workers, and people impacted by hate, extremism, or economic hardship.
- Participate in professional development and networking opportunities.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment as a second-year law student.
- A strong academic background.
- Excellent writing skills.
- A demonstrated passion for advancing civil rights and social justice.
Location & details#
- Locations: Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; Miami, FL; Montgomery, AL; New Orleans, LA; or Washington, DC.
- Term: Summer 2027 (June 7, 2027, to August 12, 2027).
- Commitment: 40 hours per week for ten consecutive weeks.
- Compensation: $18.40 per hour.
- Work Modality: Options include local remote, where you work remotely but attend office-based activities, or telework, which requires three days per week in the office.
About Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1971. It focuses on racial justice, voting rights, and criminal justice reform. The group maintains offices in seven locations including Montgomery, Atlanta, and Washington DC. It employs approximately 381 people to support its legal and advocacy efforts.
How to get in at Southern Poverty Law Center
Applying early to the Southern Poverty Law Center provides a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications before the volume of candidates becomes unmanageable. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first. This helps you get your materials in front of the team before the pile grows. You can also improve your chances by reaching out to the right people. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can contact them directly to ask about the position or a referral. This direct approach often leads to better response rates than submitting through a standard portal.
