In-House Legal Intern

The Organization and Role

About Access Now

Access Now is an international human rights organization dedicated to defending and extending the digital rights of people and communities at risk around the world, advocating for privacy, security, freedom of expression, and transparency. By combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings such as RightsCon, we fight for human rights in the digital age. Our policy, advocacy, legal, technology, grants, and operations teams are present in Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), the Americas, and Asia, to provide global support to our mission.

Access Now’s Legal Arm works to serve and guide the organization’s decision-making processes and policies, provide operational advice, engage in international legal interventions, and to ensure global compliance with local and foreign laws. The Legal Arm exists alongside a highly talented and dynamic group of lawyers, security experts, finance professionals, policy advocates, and technology specialists across the world.

Internship Overview

Access Now is seeking a motivated law student who is committed to digital rights for a legal internship. This is a great opportunity for a law student looking to gain experience in the work of in-house counsel, including contracting, international business and sanctions law, employment law, legal risk management, data protection, compliance, and intellectual property. The Legal Intern will sit within the Legal Arm, while also being exposed to work on net neutrality, data rights, privacy, freedom of expression, digital security, cybersecurity, and human rights led by other arms of the organization.

Responsibilities

The Legal Intern can expect the following responsibilities, tasks, and experiences:

• Gain specialized knowledge in human rights, data privacy, and technology.
• Draft legal documents for use by our Grants, Operations, and RightsCon (the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age) teams.
• Research and evaluate different legal risk factors relating to the organization’s global operations and compliance.
• Assist in drafting and review of key contractual documents, including employment/labor, non-disclosure and confidentiality, and operational agreements.
• Research, write, and edit briefs, and publications.

Qualifications

Access Now seeks a motivated, organized and reliable law student with an interest in digital rights and data privacy law, and eager to work in a fast paced, global civil society organization. Demonstrated research and writing skills are essential, and fluency in a foreign language will certainly help your application. An affinity for contracts, compliance, and international legal work is also a plus.

Location

Interns will work remotely, but are welcome to our office in New York.

Supervision

The Legal Intern will work closely with and be supervised by Access Now’s Global Legal Risk and Compliance Counsel, as well as our General Counsel.

Time Commitment and Considerations

• Full-time commitment
• Ten (10) weeks during Summer 2025
• Student must have secured separate external funding
• Start date: from June 2 onwards (flexible)

Application Requirements

• Résumé/CV;
• Cover letter explaining your interest and qualifications for the internship;
• Two (2) references (only one (1) may be academic);
• One (1) writing sample (no more than ten (10) pages).

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We are a global human rights organization committed to inclusivity and equity, and seek the most talented team members who bring their true selves, with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences. We are interested in receiving applications from people who consider themselves as under-represented in their talent communities. As an equal opportunity employer, we value and encourage diversity and consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected status. Our commitment applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination.