U.S. Spring Legal Internship

Position: U.S. Spring Legal Internship

Location: Based in Washington D.C., with remote work available anywhere in the U.S

Reports to: U.S. Staff Attorneys

Pay: Unpaid. ERI is unable to provide a salary, stipend, or housing assistance, but will work with you to arrange course credit or a stipend through your school

Prerequisite: This internship is only available to law students who can receive course credit for their internship from their law school.

Starts: Spring 2027

Application Deadline: Rolling until December 1, 2026

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 spring interns for our Washington, D.C. office.

ERI's U.S. Spring Legal Interns are law students able to work full-time or part-time for at least 10-12 weeks during the spring 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 many of our cases, including legal research, writing and assistance in all phases of litigation. Interns also contribute to other legal work including development of new cases, monitoring and exploring developments in 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 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:

• A demonstrated commitment to using the U.S. legal system to serve vulnerable communities and/or protect human rights and the environment
• Independent and creative thinking skills
• Excellent legal research and writing skills
• Ability to responsibly handle client, partner, and colleague relationships and protect the confidentiality of our work and our communications

Additional desired qualifications include:

• Proficiency in languages other than English; Spanish fluency is highly desired
• Experience in fields related to issues of human rights, environmental protection and indigenous peoples, including regional studies, development, environmental sciences, or others
• Strong interpersonal skills, cultural competency skills, and ability to work in teams
• Experience or interest in working with people from diverse cultures
• A positive attitude

Application Procedures:

The deadline for applications for Spring 2027 is December 1, 2026. Applications may be considered on a rolling basis but students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.

Students interested in the position of U.S. Spring 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