Course-Credit Education Law Internship

IDRA is an independent, national, non-profit organization led by Celina Moreno, J.D. For over 50 years, IDRA has advocated educational justice through legal and policy advocacy, research, community engagement, and student and educator leadership development. Our mission is to achieve equal educational opportunity for every child through strong public schools that prepare all students to access and succeed in college.

About the Education Law Internship

IDRA’s Education Law Internship is designed for law students passionate about educational equity, civil rights and movement lawyering. Interns will gain hands-on experience working within an interdisciplinary team committed to protecting and advancing the rights of students and families in public schools across the U.S. South.

This internship is open to law students pursuing a J.D. (or equivalent) capable of performing staff-level work under minimal supervision. The internship is intended for students seeking academic course credit, and all credit arrangements must be handled directly between the student and their university. IDRA will provide supervision, engage in mentorship, and complete all required institutional documentation to support the student throughout the internship.

Intern Responsibilities

Education law clerks support the work of IDRA’s legal and policy, advocacy and community engagement teams. Under the supervision of the Chief Legal Analyst, interns may:

Research and draft analyses of developments in education law
Assist with preparing amicus briefs, legal advocacy letters and other legal communications

Participate in internal and external strategy sessions for civil rights litigation

Support the drafting of legal complaints related to education justice

Contribute to investigations of civil rights concerns in K-12 and higher education

Conduct research related to school discipline, censorship, immigrant student rights, harassment and bullying and other civil rights issues

Assist with advocacy projects, policy review and community engagement efforts

Participate in team meetings, strategy discussions and project planning

Complete administrative or project coordination tasks as needed

Project assignments are matched to the intern’s strengths, interests and academic goals, as well as IDRA’s ongoing legal needs.

Areas of Special Interest

IDRA is particularly interested in applicants with experience or interest in:

Movement and community lawyering
School funding and legal issues relating to school privatization

School discipline and school safety

Identity-based bullying and harassment

Immigrant student rights

Censorship in K-12 and higher education

Civil rights and education justice advocacy

Ideal Candidate Traits

Authentic connection to and compassion for marginalized students and their communities

A demonstrated commitment to equal educational opportunity and civil rights

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Strong time management and ability to multitask

High attention to detail and commitment to quality

Ability to work independently and in a team setting

Curiosity and passion about education law and policy issues

Self-motivation, reliability and strong ethical judgment

Ability to present oneself professionally

Program Structure

Format: Fully remote

Duration: Approximately 8-10 weeks (varies by semester and university requirements)

Start Date: Flexible, based on academic term

Weekly Hours: 15-30 hours per week, depending on internship course requirements

Compensation: Unpaid. This internship is intended for course credit. Students are encouraged to seek school-based or external public interest funding if available.

Academic Credit: All credit arrangements must be coordinated directly between the student and their university.

IDRA is an equal opportunity employer. Please email Paige Duggins-Clay, J.D., (paige.duggins-clay@idra.org) or Claribel Tirú (claribel.tiru@idra.org) if you have any further questions concerning IDRA’s education law internship program.

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