Animal Legal Defense Fund Legislative Affairs Program Summer 2027 Clerkships

ALDF; United States; Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Job summary

Animal Legal Defense Fund seeks a Summer Clerk in its Legislative Affairs Program for Summer 2027. This remote, paid clerkship requires current law students (2L/LLM) with a demonstrated interest in animal protection.

Clerks will conduct research, draft memos, analyze legislation, and assist with outreach, coalition-building, and advocacy activities. Clerks will participate in virtual hearings, stakeholder meetings, and training sessions, supporting the program's legislative goals.

Qualifications

• Experience as a current 2L or LLM student at an ABA accredited law school.
• Eligibility to work in the United States.
• Sincere interest in animal protection.
• Superior legal research and writing skills with ability to tailor voice to various audiences.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Positive attitude and ability to work cooperatively in a mission-driven team.
• Willingness to take on diverse assignments within animal law.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Legislative Affairs Program with researching policy issues and developing memos or briefs.
• Analyze state and federal legislation or regulation and prepare outreach to supporters and officials.
• Coordinate with Communications and other departments to draft and update content for priority campaigns.
• Prepare and deliver virtual presentations for advocacy trainings and conferences.
• Engage with program staff, staff from other programs, and external stakeholders remotely.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Communication skills

Time management

Remote work capability

Teamwork

Education

ABA accredited law school

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

All Jobs > Animal Legal Defense Fund Legislative Affairs Program Summer 2027 Clerkships

Animal Legal Defense Fund Legislative Affairs Program Summer 2027 Clerkships
Fully Remote Remote Worker - N/A

Full-time, Temporary, Internship

Who We Are:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. The Animal Legal Defense Fund accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, gathering data about and advocating for effective regulation of animal exploitative industries and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.

Position Term:

35 hours/week for 10 weeks in summer 2027, with a start date at the beginning of June.

Reports to:

Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager

Location:

Remote position

Role Description:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund summer clerkship program gives law students who demonstrate an interest in animal law the opportunity to work with and be trained by top experts in the field. Clerks are integral members of a program team and work on projects that further the current work of the program and advance the mission and goals of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Clerks also participate in activities that will allow them to network across the organization with Animal Legal Defense Fund staff and other clerks, and engage them in the mission and goals of the organization.

How You Will Make a Difference:

Clerks will gain experience with and knowledge of animal protection issues, campaigns, and advocacy, while improving skills in research, writing, legislative analysis, coalition-building, and lobbying strategies. They will be responsible for assisting the Legislative Affairs Program in developing and implementing resources and strategies to further legislative goals.

Specific duties may include researching policy issues, developing memos or issue briefs, analyzing state and federal legislation or regulation, and assisting with administrative work; preparing correspondence and assisting with outreach to supporters, coalition partners, and public officials, including elected and appointed officials; attending virtual public hearings, coalition calls, stakeholder meetings, lobby day(s), lobby 101(s), conferences, and other events; as assigned; collaborating with Communications and other departments to propose, draft, proofread, edit, and update content on priority campaigns for the website, including project pages and online action centers, email action alerts, phonebanking scripts, etc.; coordinating with other programs, including with the Criminal Justice Program and Litigation Program staff on cases related to legislative campaigns; and preparing and delivering virtual presentations for lobby 101(s) or other advocacy trainings for advocates, professional conferences, fundraising events, etc. This position also requires the ability to communicate effectively with members, supporters, co-workers, coalition partners, and public officials and to tactfully manage challenging questions or opposing viewpoints from the public or public officials. Experience with legislative advocacy is preferred. All clerks and externs will participate in scheduled networking and engagement activities. Externs may have additional requirements depending on their school’s externship program.

Compensation:

• $20/ hour
• Paid holidays

Additional Information:

This is a U.S. based position. Clerks will be required to provide a personal United States address and to work primarily from that address.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is committed to providing an employment environment which is welcoming of persons from diverse backgrounds and free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and in which all legal rights of our employees are recognized and protected. ALDF conducts all internal and external operations, programs, and employment-related decision making (including hiring decisions) without regard to actual or perceived race, ancestry, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, political affiliation, disability or medical condition (including physical, intellectual, or psychiatric), sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, age, or other protected category, and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws.

Consistent with the organization’s mission, Animal Legal Defense Fund offices and events are free of animal products and byproducts.

Students may apply for more than one clerkship at a time (clerkships may be available with the Litigation Program, Criminal Justice Program, Legislative Affairs Program, Pro Bono Program, Transparency & Regulatory Affairs Program, and/or Animal Law Education & Scholarship Program).

Although applications for paid summer clerkships will receive priority, we will accept applications from students who would like to structure the position as an unpaid externship or student volunteer position instead of a paid clerkship. (Note: Externships are uncompensated. Students may receive academic credit from their law schools for completing externships, but award of externship credits is determined solely by the school. Applicants who would like to structure summer positions as externships should check their law school’s externship requirements before they apply to ensure Animal Legal Defense Fund externships meet their school’s requirements and the Animal Legal Defense Fund is an approved externship placement. Student volunteer positions include students who can receive pro bono credits for their law schools, and students whose schools provide a public interest stipend.)

Requirements

We are Looking for Candidates with:

• Experience as a current 2L(or part-time program equivalent) or LLM student at an ABA accredited law school.
• Eligibility to work in the United States.
• A sincere interest in animal protection.
• Superior legal research and writing skills, including the ability to tailor voice and style to various audiences.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Positive attitude and ability to work cooperatively with others and function well in a mission-driven, team-oriented work environment.
• Willingness to accept a variety of assignments within the expanding field of animal law.
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and remotely.
• Ability to use discretion, keeping in mind the confidential and emotional aspects of our work.
• Access to a computer with internet and Microsoft Suite.
• Familiarity with animal law and legislation is preferred.

We strongly encourage persons from diverse backgrounds to apply.