You: An inquisitive, creative, and self-motivated college junior, senior, grad student, or recent graduate who knows the principles of liberty and seeks to advance them. You have strong written and oral communication skills and enjoy problem solving.

Them: Bureaucrats, city councils, mayors, governors, and federal agencies stripping Americans of their rights every day. There’s a lot of government overreach out there, and it’s backed by seemingly endless resources.

Us: We fight back. Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is the nation’s first and most successful public interest law firm dedicated to vindicating individual liberty. PLF has an unmatched record in the US Supreme Court, with 18 victories out of 20 cases heard by the Court. PLF also has nearly 200 active cases across the nation. At PLF, we aren’t interested in doing the same thing as everyone else. We aspire to be the best player in a constantly changing game.

The Strategic Research intern will be a member of the Strategic Research team. This team produces high-quality social science research to support PLF’s mission-driven goals. The team coordinates with PLF’s Litigation, Legal Policy, Constitutional Scholarship, and Communications teams. This internship is an opportunity for a wide variety of experiences, including the following:

• Communicating with public officials to obtain public records.
• Collecting, organizing, and analyzing data using Microsoft Excel, R, Python, GIS, or Stata.
• Conducting literature reviews on such topics as regulatory reform, housing supply, property rights, coastal land rights, and more.
• Developing internal data for litigation, communications, or legal policy campaigns.
• Writing blog posts, op-eds, or one-pagers on topics relevant to PLF’s work.

General Information

PLF identifies and litigates important legal issues to set landmark precedents that benefit Americans nationwide. Using strategic and principled litigation, communications, and research, PLF battles for freedom in the nation’s courts and the court of public opinion.

As a national nonprofit organization, PLF has brick-and-mortar offices in Sacramento, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, although approximately half of the staff work from home offices across the country. Interns can work physically in any of PLF’s offices or request to work virtually. To maximize the internship experience, PLF prefers candidates who can work in the Arlington office. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please submit your application by November 22, 2024.

Interns are expected to be available 25–30 hours per week.

How to Apply

If you think you might be a good fit, submit the following application materials:

• A résumé that includes relevant experience in the liberty movement and professional skills.
• A cover letter explaining why PLF is the place for you, why you want to fight for liberty, and what distinguishes you from typical applicants.
• A writing sample.
• A semester schedule (if taking classes during the internship period).

This position awards an educational stipend of $5,000 in two installments throughout the duration of the internship.