The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is one of the country’s leading policy, advocacy and legal groups committed to democracy and justice. Recent successful studies include our definitive report on voting law changes in 2012, an empirical look at the lack of lawyers for families facing foreclosures, and our examination of how individuals become terrorists. We wrote the proposal to modernize the country’s voter registration system, which would expand the rolls by 65 million. A singular institution, the Brennan Center combines communications with scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
The Center is led by Michael Waldman, former chief speechwriter to President Bill Clinton and a nationally recognized author and thought leader on democracy and government reform. The Center’s experts produce research that influences policy and fuels advocacy in Washington and state capitols across the country. The Center’s work is constantly cited in major news sources across all media, including The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, NBC, NPR, PBS, CNN, The Associated Press, Reuters, and Bloomberg News.
We seek a Communications Coordinator to help with the organization’s media work, events, publications, website, and public advocacy.
The Communications Coordinator works with the Director and the Deputy Director of Communications and Brennan Center staff to maintain an energetic communications department that can speak strategically, as well as quickly and effectively, to mass audiences and members of the press.
Core responsibilities include:
- Proactive Media Relations – Cultivating press contacts, drafting and distributing/placing public communications such as press releases, op-eds, letters, short statements, and remarks
- Reactive Media Relations – Fielding and managing incoming media requests for the Center’s leaders and experts, responding to requests for information and arranging interviews and other media opportunities for Brennan Center experts
- Producing and Promoting Publications – End-to-end project management and promotion of Brennan Center reports and other work products, including development of release strategies, copy editing, and coordinating with graphic designers, printers, and other contractors as necessary
- Helping craft - and execute - communications strategies
- Events – Assisting with all aspects of event planning
- Web – Assist with online content generation and maintenance, including both drafting and editing web site content and assisting with management of the Brennan Center’s social media properties
- Assisting with administrative activities, including press list maintenance and organization and planning of public advocacy events, among other things
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have:
- A bachelors or advanced degree
- Substantial work experience in communications and media relations work;
- Strong writing skills and media savvy;
- Enthusiasm about democracy reform and social justice;
- Excellent inter-personal skills and tested ability to negotiate between people with different training and different approaches to problems and communication; and
- An openness to evolving responsibilities.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
Salary: Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.
How to Apply: Please compile a cover letter, resume, and writing sample into one document and upload where it says 'attach resume'. If you have difficulty uploading these items as one document, e-mail them to brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu, with “Communications Coordinator” in the subject line, after registering in the online system. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified. No calls, please.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector. The Democracy Program’s work advances and defends core democratic values and includes projects dedicated to expanding the right to vote, improving the administration of our election systems, reducing the corrupting influence of money in politics, maintaining the impartiality of the judiciary, and ensuring a fair redistricting cycle.
Position: The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is seeking an attorney to work in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program. The Program seeks to bring the ideal of representative self-government closer to reality, by eliminating barriers to full and equal political participation and by striving to ensure that public policy and institutions represent and reflect the diverse voices and interests that make for a rich and energetic democracy. Brennan Center attorneys achieve these goals through a rich combination of direct advocacy, public education, model legislation, litigation, and academic research and writing.
This position may focus on voting rights and election reform (including practices likely to suppress the vote and have a disproportionate impact on communities of color); money in politics, including managing current constitutional litigation defending state and federal campaign finance reforms; integrity of the judicial system; and/or redistricting. The substantive focus will be narrowed down during the course of the selection process.
Responsibilities may include:
- Assisting in impact litigation that advances the goals of the Democracy Program in state and federal trial and appellate courts, including work on case development, discovery, and motions and briefs.
- Conducting legal and academic research and writing reports that shed light on inequities in our systems of Democracy.
- Participating in Brennan Center legislative advocacy and policy work.
- Advancing Brennan Center goals through public speaking engagements, media appearances, blog posts, and conferences.
- Supervising student interns, legal fellows, and research associates and assisting in recruiting and hiring.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a J.D. and New York bar admission (pending is okay); at least one year of legal experience (including clerkships, if any) in the private sector, government, academia, or policy advocacy; a strong entrepreneurial spirit; and passion for the work of the Center. Excellent writing skills (for a variety of audiences, including legal, legislative, journalistic, and public), as well as excellent analytic, strategic, and research skills; creativity, versatility, and flexibility; organizational skills; and the ability to deal with diverse clients and allies and to coordinate work effectively with other entities will be required. Demonstrated commitment to the public interest field a real plus.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, and applicants who have been previously incarcerated.
Salary: Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.
Applications: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made as soon as appropriate candidates are identified. To apply, upload (where it says “attach resume”) one document containing the following application materials: cover letter, resume, two writing samples (up to 10 pages each), and contact information for three references. If you have difficulty with the online system, you may send your application by e-mail to: brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu with “Democracy Attorney” in the subject line, after registering in the online system.
If you previously applied for another Democracy attorney position and you want to resubmit your application, e-mail us at brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu or upload another application.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to redistricting reform, from access to the courts to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We are seeking a graduate student to assist our Chief Counsel, Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., in completing his new book on government secrecy. Since graduation from law school in 1960, Mr. Schwarz has had an uncommon career, mixing the highest level of private practice with a series of critically important public service assignments. From 1975-76, Mr. Schwarz was Chief Counsel to the Church Committee (or as it was formally known, the Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Activities with Respect to Intelligence Activities). He was New York City Corporation Counsel under Mayor Edward I. Koch (1982-86). Then in 1989, he chaired the Commission that rewrote New York City’s Charter. Mr. Schwarz has written two books and numerous articles. The most recent book, written at the Brennan Center (with Aziz Huq), is Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in a Time of Terror.
Mr. Schwarz’s forthcoming book is both a historical examination of the use of secrecy by those in power and a contemporaneous exposition on government secrecy in modern America. It covers topics as wide ranging as Greek and Roman history, similarities between the reign of J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI and the Vice Presidency of Dick Cheney, secrecy and scandals caused by secrets and leaks in the Founding era, and the effects of secrecy and the stifling of debate on the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Responsibilities
- Work in coordination with R. Kyle Alagood, a Research Associate, to compile research for the book
- Research and edit sections of the book. Some topics include:
- Why secrecy has proven hard to change despite consensus that there is too much secrecy
- How to draw the lines between legitimate and illegitimate secrets
- How secrecy affected deliberations on where to drop the first atomic bomb, how to end the Cuban Missile Crisis, and how to respond to terrorist threats emerging at the end of the Twentieth Century until the terrorist attacks on 9/11
- The use of secrecy to mask wrongdoing and embarrassment by leaders
- Secrecy exposés , including historical leaks, the Pentagon Papers and their effect on American policy, whistle-blowing, and the WikiLeaks phenomenon
- Technological improvements ranging from the written word to Gutenberg’s press to photography and the Internet in expanding knowledge, exposing secrets, and bringing about social change
- and Why the courts and Congress have sometimes been either effective watchdogs and other times have turned a blind eye to excessive government secrecy.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate is:
- A thorough and meticulous researcher with excellent writing skills
- Attentive to detail and able to meet deadlines
- Sincerely interested in the subject matter of the book
- A current graduate student in history, politics, public policy, international affairs, or a similar discipline (Master’s student preferred)
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
Hours: 25 hours per week during the school year with the option of 40 hours per week during the summer. At least one day per week in the office. This position begins immediately and requires a six-month commitment.
Pay: $20/hour
How to apply: Please upload, as one document, (where it says “attach resume”) a cover letter, resume, and writing sample. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made as soon as an appropriate candidate is identified. No calls, please.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
Position: Each semester, the Brennan Center hosts 4-5 law students to work on current and cutting edge legal issues, including national security issues raised by the Patriot Act, expanding voter registration, strengthening campaign finance laws, and improving access to a fair and impartial justice system. Our research, policy development, and advocacy focus on systemic reform that combats discrimination and inequality and promotes civic participation. Interns assist attorneys with litigation, scholarship, public education, legislative counseling, and advocacy, with an emphasis on legal research and writing. The Brennan Center’s interns are integral to all aspects of our work, including programmatic and strategic planning.
Students receive one-on-one supervision of their legal work by lawyers on our staff. Legal interns are not compensated by the Brennan Center for their internships, but we can help accommodate coursework requirements upon request. We strive to offer a fun and intellectually-challenging legal intern experience that supports and supplements the vital advocacy offered by the Brennan Center.
For more information about the Brennan Center, visit http://www.brennancenter.org.
Qualifications: Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing skills; initiative, imagination, and versatility; and a passion for our issues. This position is only open to current law school students.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
How to Apply: Interested students should upload, as a single document (1) a cover letter explaining which particular program or programs they are interested in joining, (2) a current law school transcript, (3) a legal writing sample of up to 10 pages, (4) a current resume, and (5) contact information for three references. You may compile your documents and upload them here, or upload just your cover letter and resume and e-mail the rest to brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu with “Spring Legal Internship” in the subject line.
We accept applications and will fill positions on a rolling basis through January 15, 2012, but priority is given to applications received by November 30, 2011. We encourage students with a strong interest in joining us to apply early.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution - part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group - the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We are seeking an intern to provide administrative and clerical support to staff in our New York office in our Finance and Operations department.
Responsibilities: All interns will assist with general administrative and clerical work for the Brennan Center, including filing, photocopying, answering phones, shipping and mailing, coordinating meetings, drafting routine correspondence and covering the reception desk.
In addition to general clerical tasks, specific responsibilities for the Finance & Operations intern include:
- Finance – assisting with preparation of audit paperwork; working closely with Controller on account analysis, reconciliation, and presentation preparation for the annual Audit; assisting in processing payables and receivables; and backing up Accounts Payable staff, after learning software and systems.
- Operations – processing job applications; responding to prisoner correspondence; and assisting human resources staff.
The job is great experience for undergraduates interested in the general workings of a not-for-profit organization.
Qualifications: The ideal candidates are independent self-starters; detail-oriented; energetic; punctual; and highly organized. Candidates must have taken at least one undergraduate accounting course and have a strong facility with Excel. Sage accounting software experience very helpful. Must be open to evolving responsibilities. This job is only open to current undergraduate students.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
Hours: 40 hours per week from May-August 2012.
Pay: $11.00 per hour.
How to Apply: Upload here, as one document, a resume and cover letter. No phone calls, please.
Deadline: February 15, 2012. Candidates will not be contacted before February 15. Decisions will be made by March 31.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We seek law students to work alongside staff in our New York and Washington offices on the Brennan Center’s policy advocacy, research, and litigation initiatives. Activities may include legal and policy analysis; legislative drafting at federal, state, and local levels; administrative and legislative advocacy; public education and scholarship; and litigation in trial and appellate courts. The Brennan Center’s interns are integral to all aspects of our work, including programmatic and strategic planning. We strive to offer a fun and intellectually-challenging legal intern experience that supports and supplements the vital advocacy offered by the Brennan Center. The internship starts on May 29, 2012 and lasts for 10 weeks. We may accommodate a limited number of split summers.
The Brennan Center is pleased to offer grants of up to $5,000 to students accepted to the internship program in need of summer funding through the James E Johnson Legal Intern Fund. All students who are unable to secure adequate funding from outside sources will be eligible to apply for Johnson fellowships.
Qualifications: Excellent legal research, analysis, and writing skills; initiative, imagination, and versatility; and a passion for our issues.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
The Center’s Program Areas
Democracy Program
The Democracy Program seeks to perfect the ideal of representative self-government by advocating for public policies and institutions that reflect a diverse, engaged, and energetic democracy. The Program collaborates with grassroots groups, advocacy organizations, and reform-minded government officials to promote policies that eliminate barriers to full and equal political participation.
Assignments will be drawn from work on voting rights (including the rights of students and people with felony convictions); reform of election administration (including voter registration modernization, ballot design, and defensive work against photo ID and other practices likely to suppress the vote or have a disproportionate impact on communities of color); campaign finance reform at the federal, state, and local level; and protecting the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the courts.
Justice Program
The Justice Program seeks to bring the ideal of a just society closer to reality. The Program collaborates with grassroots groups, advocacy organizations, and reform-minded government officials to promote equal treatment in our courts.
The Justice Program is working to close the “justice gap” by expanding the types of civil cases in which low-income people have a right to counsel, increasing funding for the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC), removing onerous restrictions on LSC-funded organizations, and improving language access in the courts. In addition to the expansion of civil legal aid, we are leading a national indigent defense reform movement that is dedicated to strengthening defender services and to securing the promise of Gideon. Additionally, we are working to ensure that a new generation of “fees and fines” does not unfairly shift the costs of criminal justice systems onto those least able to shoulder them. Among its activities, the Brennan Center partners with defender programs to research racial disparities in police and prosecution practices, works with defender programs to achieve racial justice reform, and promotes best practices that constitute the Community Oriented Defense model.
Liberty and National Security Program
The Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security (LNS) Program fights to preserve constitutional values in the post-9/11 world. Our work centers on innovative policy recommendations, litigation, and public advocacy to ensure that our nation’s commitment to national security comports with the rule of law and our fundamental freedoms.
We are currently focusing on the government's intelligence collection practices (e.g., how intelligence agents are controlled, what dangers they pose to privacy and the 1st amendment, profiling concerns) and on combating excessive government secrecy (e.g., over classification of documents). There are positions available in NY and DC.
Washington, DC Office
Interns working in the DC office will have to opportunity to work on all of our policy issues. They can expect their work to have a greater emphasis on advocacy and policy research than on litigation, though they will gain exposure to all facets of our work. We will be hiring one legal intern to work with our Liberty and National Security Program and one intern to work with the Director of our DC office on a variety of Brennan Center issues.
How to Apply: Interested students should upload a single PDF or WORD document containing the following:
(1) a cover letter explaining which particular programs or projects they are interested in joining: Democracy Program (NY), Justice Program (NY), Liberty & National Security (NY or DC), or DC Office;
(2) a current law school transcript (1Ls may send the transcript separately, as soon as it is available);
(3) a legal writing sample;
(4) a current resume; and
(5) contact information for three references.
We will only accept applications submitted through this website. If you have any difficulties with the online system, upload just your cover letter and resume and email the remaining documents to brennancenterjobs@nyu.edu with "Summer Legal Internship" in the subject line.
The deadline for applications is February 15, 2012, but we encourage students with a strong interest in joining us to apply early.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to Constitutional protection in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution – part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group – the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We are seeking one intern to provide research and administrative support to staff in our Washington, DC office.
Responsibilities: Interns assist with general administrative and clerical work for the Brennan Center, including filing, photocopying, answering phones, shipping and mailing, coordinating meetings, and drafting routine correspondence. In addition to administrative work, interns may conduct research on a wide range of Brennan Center issues; write blog posts for our website; accompany staff to meetings on the Hill; and assist in outreach to the press.
Qualifications: Interns must have a passion for social justice and excellent written and verbal communication skills. The ideal candidates are independent, detail-oriented self-starters that are energetic and highly organized. Experience with Windows XP, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word is a must. Interns must be open to evolving responsibilities. Only current undergraduate students may apply for this internship.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
Hours: 40 hours per week
Duration: May-August 2012
Pay: $11.00 per hour
To Apply: Compile and upload a resume and cover letter as one document where it says "upload resume". No phone calls, please.
Deadline: February 15, 2012.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on the fundamental issues of democracy and justice. Our work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from racial justice in criminal law to presidential power in the fight against terrorism. A singular institution - part think tank, part public interest law firm, part advocacy group - the Brennan Center combines scholarship, legislative and legal advocacy, and communications to win meaningful, measurable change in the public sector.
We are seeking interns to provide administrative and clerical support to staff in our New York office in our Communications, Democracy, Development, and Justice and Liberty & National Security departments.
Responsibilities: All interns will assist with general administrative and clerical work for the Brennan Center, including filing, photocopying, answering phones, shipping and mailing, coordinating meetings, drafting routine correspondence and covering the reception desk. There will be opportunities to attend and observe substantive meetings and conversations on program work. Additionally, interns may be called upon to assist with substantive research projects. This internship provides substantial experience for undergraduates interested in the general workings of a public interest law firm and think tank. The summer before a presidential election is a particularly exciting time to work at the Brennan Center.
In addition to general clerical tasks, specific responsibilities for each department include:
- Development - assisting in event organization; updating the fundraising database; researching funding opportunities; and assisting in donor correspondence.
- Communications - filing press clips and tracking media appearances; updating press lists; helping to research and edit opinion pieces and blog entries; drafting press releases, cover letters and other external communications; tracking BC issues and initiatives on the web; assisting in outreach; and updating web site.
- Democracy - providing administrative support for litigation; conducting research; and preparing employee expense reports.
- Justice and Liberty & National Security - updating the website; preliminary research (e.g., finding relevant material on radicalization policies in different countries) and editing papers.
Qualifications: The ideal candidates are independent self-starters; detail-oriented; energetic; punctual; and highly organized. Interns must also have excellent, research, writing, and analytical skills, as well as a passion for our issues. Experience with Windows XP, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word a must. Database experience is very helpful. Must be open to evolving responsibilities.
The Brennan Center, an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applicants of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations, including people who have been previously incarcerated.
Hours: 40 hours per week, from May-August 2012.
Pay: $11.00 per hour.
To Apply: Using the upload button on this form, upload, as one document, a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please specify the department that most interests you. No phone calls, please.
Deadline: February 15, 2012. Candidates will not be contacted before February 15. Decisions will be made by March 31.
