ABOUT THE JOB
The ACLU of Idaho invites third-year law students and recent law graduates to apply to work with us as a Sponsored Legal Fellow for one to two years. The ACLU of Idaho, located in Boise, Idaho, seeks applicants to consider for a sponsored fellowship such as Equal Justice Works, Skadden or other public interest fellowships
to begin in the fall of 2026. This is a hybrid role with in-office requirements of two to three (2-3) days per week.
We will review applications on a rolling basis beginning July 15, 2025, with a closing application deadline of August 1, 2025. Interviews are expected to begin by August 15, 2025. The successful hire must reside in Idaho before employment can begin.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Reporting to the Legal Director, the Fellow will increase our capacity to push forward our litigation agenda and engage in fast-moving, defensive battles against challenges to state and local affronts to civil rights and civil liberties. Legal work will focus primarily on immigration issues, as well as our other strategic priorities: criminal legal reform, reproductive rights and transgender rights.
This is the time and the place to be a civil rights attorney! Idahoans’ lives are at stake, and Idaho has proven to be a testing ground for laws putting marginalized communities at risk. In recent years, our attorneys have built and litigated high-profile impact litigation challenging state immigration laws, a ban on access to gender affirming care in prison, the state’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, its ban on transgender women and girls and many intersex women and girls competing in sports, the state’s failure to provide constitutionally adequate public defense, and the state’s bans on accessing reproductive health care.
Over the next few years, we expect to bring more litigation with a focus on challenging attacks on immigrants’ rights and transgender youth and adults, and unconstitutional conditions of confinement in state prisons.
YOUR DAY TO DAY:
(1) Litigation (70%)
- Conduct factual and legal research; identify and recruit plaintiffs; interview clients and potential witnesses; prepare memoranda; draft pleadings, briefs, correspondence, and public records requests; conduct discovery, including depositions; and draft amicus briefs in cases of constitutional significance.
- Assess requests for legal assistance and identify appropriate cases for legal challenges.
- Investigate civil rights/civil liberties complaints that may lead to law reform litigation.
- Contribute to case selection, formulating legal strategy, and identifying litigation priorities.
(2) Public Advocacy (15%)
- Complete legal research projects on legislative proposals, draft and deliver legislative testimony, and draft public education materials as assigned.
- Collaborate with policy and advocacy teams as assigned.
- Engage with coalition partners, law and policy makers, and community representatives working on similar issues.
(3) Administration, Supervision, and Support (15%)
- Provide administrative and organizational support as needed and adhere to internal systems for recordkeeping and information sharing.
- Engage in special projects and duties as assigned.
FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL
- Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU of Idaho.
- Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives.
- Be committed to working collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts.
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- J.D. Degree. Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated experience in constitutional or public interest law. Please describe your litigation experience in your cover letter.
- Exceptional legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
- Ability to turn around high-quality work on tight deadlines.
- Strong oral advocacy skills.
- Demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize many concurrent tasks at once, manage a high-volume workload, pay extremely close attention to detail, and meet moving deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative, problem-solve, multi-task, work independently, and exercise good judgment under stressful situations, a self-starter and finisher.
- Ability to think creatively and use non-litigation strategies to promote objectives.
- An enthusiastic, patient, and collegial style that inspires collaboration.
ACLU of Idaho Fall 2026 Fellowship
- Excellence at working collaboratively and building strong relationships with lawyers, other staff members, and with community organizers, and coalitions.
- Willingness to receive and respond to constructive criticism.
- Ability to work long hours on rare occasions, including evenings and weekends, as necessary.
- Clear, strong, and proven commitment to racial justice, civil rights and civil liberties, public interest work, and the mission of the ACLU of Idaho.
- Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction through Bar examination on or before July 2026.
- Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish preferred.
COMPENSATION
- Applicants must have full or partial outside fellowship funding – the ACLU of Idaho may supplement funding to reach a minimum $65,000 salary.
- ACLU of Idaho will provide up to $3,000 to support relocation expenses.
TO APPLY
Submit:
- A resume.
- A one-page cover letter that identifies evidence of a clear, strong, and proven commitment to public interest work, describes your litigation experience, and explains how your experience and skills are applicable to the job responsibilities.
- A professional writing sample, no longer than 7 pages, demonstrating thorough legal analysis and legal writing skills.
- Law school transcript.
- Contact information for three references.
Send to: [email protected].
Please reference “Legal Fellowship” in the email subject line and indicate in your cover letter where you found this job listing. The interview process will likely consist of two interviews with the hiring committee and a skills test assigned as homework. If travel is required during the interview process, expenses will be reimbursed by the
ACLU of Idaho.
If you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying, please e-mail [email protected]. If we select you for an interview, you will receive more information about how to request accommodations for the interview process.
WHY THE ACLU OF IDAHO
The ACLU is the nation’s premier guardian of liberty. A nationwide, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, the ACLU is dedicated to defending and expanding civil rights and civil liberties across the country. The ACLU of Idaho is an affiliate of the National ACLU. The ACLU of Idaho and its foundation operate jointly as private
nonprofit organizations devoted to furthering the ACLU’s mission in Idaho. The ACLU of Idaho combines legal, policy, organizing, and other strategies to maximize impact.
Our staff of 15 full and part-time employees and interns work in-person at least two days per week in a fast-paced, friendly office in the heart of downtown Boise, Idaho. We are a majority minority staff from all over the country and world and have chosen to make Idaho our home. We work closely with ACLU National staff and
collaborate frequently with staff at other ACLU state affiliates. We strive to ensure that our work is deeply informed by the communities we serve. Our supportive, inclusive, and empowering work culture has created opportunities for staff to grow with and within the organization, and we have historically benefited from low
turnover and long-term job tenure. We enjoy autonomy and collaboration.
Our current organizational priorities are in immigrants' rights, transgender justice, the rights of indigent criminal defendants and prisoner rights, and reproductive freedom.
OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrants, women, people with disabilities, bi- or multi-lingual (including Indigenous languages) speakers, bicultural individuals, members of the LGBTQ+ and two-spirit community, those who have been formerly incarcerated or are currently
under supervision, and other people from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. As a minority-majority organization, the ACLU of Idaho seeks to build a team that reflects that diversity. All qualified applicants who share our vision and who have a desire to contribute to our mission are encouraged to apply.
The ACLU of Idaho advances equity and inclusion in the workplace by providing equal employment opportunity to support a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (over 40), sexual orientation, military and veteran status, arrest or conviction record, and any other basis prohibited by law. The ACLU of Idaho embraces Fair Chance policies.
The organization also provides reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. Our equity and inclusion commitment applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, advancement, training, problem resolution, and separation from employment. Through this commitment, the ACLU of Idaho strives to establish and maintain an equitable and accessible work environment that is supportive and free from discrimination.