Job Description

Who We Are:

American Oversight is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. We use multiple tools, backed by aggressive litigation, to fight attacks on democratic institutions, threats to civil rights and liberties, abuses of power, and erosion of government transparency. We expose and disrupt these attacks – and the officials and networks behind them – by forcing the government to turn over records officials would rather keep secret.  

Since our founding in 2017, American Oversight has worked on issues that touch nearly every aspect of American life. Our team has:  

• Secured a court order to preserve the records in the 2025 “Signalgate” scandal, and spurred a related investigation by the DOD inspector general that found Secretary Hegseth had put troops’ lives in danger and violated federal recordkeeping laws
• Forced DOGE to implement a records preservation policy to ensure long-term accountability in the wake of its chaotic actions
• Revealed the Trump-sanctioned pressure campaign on the Ukrainian government by forcing the Trump administration to turn over records initially withheld from Congress
• Unmasked sham “audits” of the 2020 election in Wisconsin and Arizona of the 2020 election, which used taxpayer money to undermine state elections  
• Exposed the Trump administration’s unprecedented uses of personal data to target immigrant communities and remove people from state voter rolls 

We are committed to fighting threats to democracy at the federal, state, and local levels, using time-tested and innovative tools to expose misconduct, defend against attacks on marginalized communities, and demand accountability.

About the Role: 

AO is seeking a full-time Summer Legal Intern to join its team. 

Reporting to one of our experienced lawyers, the Summer Legal Intern supports the legal team in all respects, primarily through legal research and writing, including on valuable projects that impact AO’s mission. AO’s legal internship program provides law school students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and AO with a pipeline of talent for future legal team recruitment.

Summer Legal Interns are expected to work full-time hours (max. 35 hours per week) and will coordinate with their supervisor to determine a schedule aligned with the intern’s availability and AO’s business hours.

What You Will Do:

• Review and research current events to spot potential legal issues and to identify opportunities to uncover state and federal government malfeasance or unethical conduct.
• Collaborate with our research team to craft, review, and revise draft federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state open records requests.
• Draft FOIA and state open records act administrative appeals.
• Draft court pleadings, including complaints, motions, and briefs or brief sections.
• Conduct legal research to support litigation strategy.
• Observe litigation proceedings or meetings, such as court hearings, depositions, or conferences with opposing counsel.
• Contribute to reports and other editorial content for AO’s website based on the findings of investigations.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled legal team and all staff meetings. 
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

What You Will Bring:

• At least one year at an ABA-accredited law school completed before the internship commences. 
• Strong writing, research, and oral communications skills.
• An ability to analyze situations and information to apply sound decision making skills and sound judgment.
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.

Desired Qualifications:

• Commitment to public-interest advocacy and an interest in litigation.
• An interest in government ethics and accountability, legal investigations, and/or government oversight.
• Experience working independently in a remote environment and self-managing deadlines. 
• Prior experience working collaboratively within a team and cross-departmentally.

We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.  

Location:
American Oversight is a remote-first organization, however our interns must work from one of the following locations: CA, DC, DE, FL, KY, MA, MD, NC, NY, PA, VA, or WI. 

Our office in Washington, DC is an optional workspace.

Compensation :

$22.00 per hour. This rate is subject to adjustment based on the needs or restrictions of other external funding received by the intern, if any. If you would prefer to structure this as a clinical externship for academic credit, we will be happy to assist in any necessary paperwork from your school.

Application Deadline: 

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter with your application. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply by Monday, March 16 to ensure consideration of your application. Following this deadline, we will continue to review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace:

At American Oversight, we value and strive to hire, develop, and grow a diverse and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage individuals to apply for opportunities at American Oversight even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.

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