Animal Legal Education & Scholarship Program Clerkship

Animal Legal Defense Fund

Summer clerkship for law students at Animal Legal Defense Fund, focusing on animal law research and teamwork. Engaging with professionals and contributing to projects supporting animal protection policies.

Posted 5/8/2026internshipRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $20 per hourWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

The Animal Legal Defense Fund summer clerkship program gives law students who demonstrate an interest in animal law the opportunity to work with and be trained by top experts in the field.
Clerks are integral members of a program team and work on projects that further the current work of the program and advance the mission and goals of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Clerks also participate in activities that will allow them to network across the organization with Animal Legal Defense Fund staff and other clerks, and engage them in the mission and goals of the organization.
Clerks will complete research for an upcoming Aquatic Animal Law & Policy Textbook.
Students will assist the Senior Student Programs Attorney with: Completing legal, factual, regulatory, and policy research relating to a wide variety of aquatic animal law issues, with a focus on animals used in entertainment and as companions; General editing and checking sources and citations; and Preparing written work products.
Clerks will also assist with student chapter outreach, animal law curriculum development, and project and event planning.
Students will help the Senior Law School Programs Attorney with: Researching self-study content for ALDF Student Chapters, including caselaw, recent legislation, law articles, and scholarship on animal law topics; Compiling materials, documents, and other content for animal law course packets; Assisting with fall project and event planning for Speak Out for Farmed Animals Month and the ALDF Student Convention; and Assisting with data compilation and transfer to a new ALDF Student Chapter and project database, with a primary focus on reviewing and organizing project grant data, summary, and photos, along with miscellaneous tasks as they come available.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience as a rising 3L (will have completed their 2L year or part-time equivalent prior to summer 2026) or LLM student at an ABA accredited law school.
Eligibility to work in the United States.
A sincere interest in animal protection.
Superior legal research and writing skills, including the ability to tailor voice and style to various audiences.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Positive attitude and ability to work cooperatively with others and function well in a mission-driven, team-oriented work environment.
Willingness to accept a variety of assignments within the expanding field of animal law.
Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time management skills.
Ability to work independently and remotely.
Ability to use discretion, keeping in mind the confidential and emotional aspects of our work.
Access to a computer with internet and Microsoft Suite.
Familiarity with animal law is preferred.

Benefits

Comp & perks

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Hard Skills & Tools

legal researchwriting skillseditingpolicy researchregulatory researchfactual researchdata compilationproject planningcurriculum developmentcaselaw research

Soft Skills

communication skillsinterpersonal skillsorganizational skillstime managementteamworkpositive attitudeindependencediscretionadaptabilitycooperation