Position: U.S. Fall Legal Internship
Location: Remote in the U.S.
Reports to: U.S. Staff Attorneys
Pay: Unpaid
Starts: Fall 2025
Application Deadline: July 15, 2025
EarthRights International, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that combines the power of law and the power of people in defense of human rights and the environment, is seeking fall interns for our Washington, D.C., office.
EarthRight’s U.S. Fall Legal Interns are law students able to work full-time or part-time for at least 10-12 weeks during the fall semester. Legal interns provide legal research, writing, and program support for ERI activities all over the world. Law students may be J.D. or LL.M. students, but must have at least one year of U.S. legal training by the time of the internship.
Over the past 30 years, ERI has built a reputation as one of the leading legal organizations representing communities and individuals from around the world whose rights, livelihoods and homelands are harmed by corporations, financial institutions and governments. Our lawyers have worked closely with our clients, co-counsel, partner NGOs, campaigners and others to bring groundbreaking lawsuits and pursue legal advocacy to provide remedies and ensure legal accountability. Our cases have set legal precedents, brought millions of dollars of compensation to our clients, and changed the behavior of corporations and other institutions; one of our cases involving environmental harms to communities in India, Jam v. International Finance Corporation, was argued at the U.S. Supreme Court and set important precedent for future accountability of international financial institutions. Another, Doe v. Chiquita Brands International, resulted in the first U.S. jury finding of liability for human rights abuses abroad.
Legal interns participate in various projects associated with these and many other cases, including legal research and writing and assistance in all phases of litigation, as well as other legal work including development of new cases, monitoring and exploring developments in international human rights and environmental law, researching and utilizing other mechanisms of corporate accountability, and helping to coordinate with and assist other groups bringing domestic or international cases. Interns will also have the opportunity to support communities in the U.S. advocating for climate resilience and environmental justice. Interns are fully integrated into ERI’s U.S. legal team and may work with any of ERI’s attorneys and other staff in advocacy and communications programs.
Requirements:
Additional desired qualifications include:
Please note that this internship is unpaid. ERI is unable to provide a salary, stipend or housing assistance, we are, however, able to work with your law school if you wish to arrange course credit or stipends through your school.
Application Procedures:
The deadline for applications for Fall 2025 is July 15, 2025. Applications may be considered on a rolling basis but students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.
Please submit your application on our careers page: https://earthrights.org/careers/
Students interested in the position of U.S. Fall Legal Intern should submit a cover letter, resume, and a legal writing sample of ten pages or less.
Due to the volume of applications, ERI is unable to interview every applicant. We typically conduct phone interviews and/or virtual interviews.
EarthRights International is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and actively encourages people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQI people to apply.
For more information on the work of EarthRights International visit www.earthrights.org