Programmatic Legal Intern

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 securing the digital rights of people and communities at risk through legal processes and interventions. The Intern’s activities will reach globally and speak to pressing issues at the intersection of human rights and technology, including through: advancing norms and their implementation via strategic litigation; sharing legal expertise and resources with the Digital Rights Litigators Network; preventing and mitigating threats to the Digital Security Helpline; and expanding civic space through legal research and advocacy, including against surveillance technology and internet shutdowns. The position will utilize the Intern’s legal education and support growth and progress toward a potential career in law and technology.

Responsibilities

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

• Gain specialized knowledge in human rights, data privacy, and technology.
• Conduct legal research on a wide range of human rights and technology issues.
• Assist with coordination of the Digital Rights Litigators Network, a global network of attorneys defending digital rights through litigation.
• Identify opportunities to support, lead, and maintain efforts toward legal accountability on digital rights topics.
• Assist with drafting and submitting interventions, amicus briefs, and expert opinions in state-level, regional, and international proceedings.
• Contribute to blog posts on emerging issues in telecommunications and human rights, such as the human rights responsibility of surveillance tech companies, and the fight against internet shutdowns.
• Track litigation relevant to our mission and work; update and maintain databases of international litigation involving internet shutdowns, spyware, digital ID, and other thematic areas.

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, as well as attention to detail, are essential, and fluency in a foreign language will certainly help your application.

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 Senior Tech-Legal Counsel, as well as our Director -Legal/UN Policy Manager.

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.