Dave Kennedy Fellow - Summer 2027

Institute for Justice; United States; On-site; USD 36,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

The Institute for Justice's Dave Kennedy Fellowship offers a paid, 10-week summer program for selected law students to contribute to cutting-edge civil-rights litigation. Fellows conduct legal research, help develop litigation strategies, and draft discovery requests, motions, and briefs for state and federal court.

Fellows participate in IJ’s weekly programming, mentorship, and practical training, connecting with leading liberty advocates.

Qualifications

• Selected law students participate in research and strategy development for civil-rights cases.
• Draft discovery requests, motions, and briefs for state and federal court.
• Participate in mentorship, speaker series, and practical litigation training.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and help develop litigation strategies for active and potential cases.
• Draft and refine discovery requests, motions and briefs for court filings.
• Travel with IJ attorneys to assess facts and assist in litigation as needed.

Skills

Legal research

Litigation support

Policy analysis

Drafting briefs

Education

Law student / JD candidate

Job description

Applications are considered on a rolling basis. All applications are due byFriday, February 5th but we will begin interviews and will hire students on a rolling basis beginning in mid-December.

The Institute for Justice’s Dave Kennedy Fellowship summer program provides an unparalleled opportunity for select law students to substantively contribute to IJ’s cutting-edgecivil-rights litigation. Fellows conduct legal research; help develop litigation strategies for active and potential cases; and help draft discovery requests, motions, and briefs filed in both state and federal court.

Fellows have been involved in projects as diverse as:

• Developing and helping to launch a case against abusive zoning enforcement, including traveling to participate in a press conference for the case launch.
• Researching and drafting a section of a federal appellate brief on a First Amendment challenge to a vague statute restricting political campaigning.
• Presenting a proposal memo to IJ’s litigation team on a potential new area of litigation.
• Drafting portions of an appellate reply brief in an ongoing property rights case.
• Traveling with IJ attorneys to meet with potential clients and assess facts for a possible new lawsuit.
• Researching appellate court treatment of FTCA actions to support Supreme Court merits briefing in a police brutality case.
• Reviewing body camera footage from traffic stops and other law enforcement encounters to develop evidence for ongoing litigation.
• Participating in moots for dispositive-motion hearings and oral arguments.
• Developing litigation strategies for potential challenges to licensing requirements in several states across the country.

In addition to assisting with the demands of IJ’s fast-paced litigation docket, Fellows participate in weekly programming including IJ’s summer speaker series, mentorship by IJ litigators, and practical training through which Fellows connect with the leading minds and advocates of the liberty movement, receive career guidance, and improve their litigation, communication, and legal research skills.

IJ’s Dave Kennedy Fellowship positions are highly competitive. The fellowship is a paid opportunity, offering $8,500 for the 10-week program, and generally runs from the last week of May through early August. Fellowship opportunities are available at five of IJ’s offices:

• Arlington, VA (Headquarters)
• Miami, FL
• Austin, TX
• Seattle, WA

IJ is an equal opportunity employer.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At IJ we value a diverse workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

To learn more about our culture and benefits, visit our Working at IJ page. No phone calls please.

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