Fall 2027 Marvin M. Karpatkin Fellowship, Racial Justice Program

ABOUT THE JOB

The ACLU seeks applicants for the Karpatkin Fellowship, a full-time, two-year fellowship in the Racial Justice Program (RJP) of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.

The Racial Justice Program (RJP) is part of the ACLU’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality. The Trone Center works to combat racial discrimination; to ensure that our criminal justice system is fair, and free of racial bias; to advocate for humane and constitutional conditions of confinement; and to abolish the death penalty as a legitimate form of punishment. The Trone Center for Justice and Equality also includes the Criminal Law Reform Project, Capital Punishment Project, and the National Prison Project.

Often working with the ACLU’s 53 affiliates and chapters nationwide, RJP uses litigation, legislative advocacy and public education to challenge government and private sector attacks on educational, public health, housing, and employment equity initiatives. We also challenge a range of discriminatory criminal legal system practices that unfairly disadvantage communities of color, and work to ensure robust civil rights enforcement in the use of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

During the fellowship, fellows have opportunities to work with colleagues within RJP and across the ACLU’s 53 affiliates and chapters in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. They will receive mentorship from ACLU staff attorneys, attend specialized trainings focused on improving substantive legal skills and strategic decision-making for legal work, and collaborate with others across the legal department through internal community building convenings. Past fellows have gone on to play important roles in civil rights and civil liberties work at the ACLU, in other leading social justice organizations, in the judiciary, in academia and in government. 

The Karpatkin Fellowship was established by the ACLU Board of Directors in memory of Marvin M. Karpatkin, the late General Counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union, who died in January 1975, at the age of 48. Mr. Karpatkin was one of the ACLU's most active attorneys during the 1960s and early 1970s. He left his special mark in the areas of selective service and military law. His interest in those areas grew out of his own strong opposition to the Vietnam War and his desire to help those who, younger than himself, were faced with performing military service in a war they would not support. 

Reporting to the Deputy Project Director, the Karpatkin Fellow will be a core member of a collaborative, dedicated team working to advance the ACLU’s racial justice work. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 6, 2026.  

YOUR DAY TO DAY

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct legal research and analysis and develop theories to support new litigation 
• Conduct factual investigation to identify policies and practices that can be challenged through litigation 
• Draft legal memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs 
• Review and analyze documents to support litigation and advocacy
• Interview witnesses and potential clients
• Participate in discovery and trial practice
• Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials
• Provide support and assistance to ACLU affiliates and cooperating attorneys
• Help manage summer legal internship program and supervise student interns
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned

FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. degree at time of hire 
• If not currently admitted to the New York Bar, candidate must be agree to become admitted to the New York Bar within one year of hire.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest law, civil liberties, and racial justice
• Excellent research, writing and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex legal analysis and fact-finding
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a proven ability to work independently as well as within a team
• Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative, manage a variety of tasks and see projects through to completion
• Excellent computer skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

COMPENSATION

The ACLU has a litigator scale that determines pay for attorneys in our Legal Department. The range of salaries are the following, based on year of law school graduation (please consult the hiring manager for specific salary details, based on individual circumstances)

• 0-2 years since law school graduation: $96,069 - $120,009
• 3-5 years since law school graduation: $134,414 - $158,579
• 6-10 years since law school graduation: $165,839 - $187,087
• 11-15 years since law school graduation: $190,585 - $201,403
• 16-20 years since law school graduation: $203,304 - $208,540
• 21-25 years since law school graduation: $209,595 - $213,890
• 26-30+ years since law school graduation: $214,920 - $219,104

The ACLU is committed to equity, transparency, and clarity in pay. These salaries are reflective of positions based in New York, NY where are National Offices are headquartered. Salaries are subject to a regional pay adjustment if authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.

For details on our pay structure, please visit: https://www.aclu.org/careers/ACLU_Geographic_Pay_Structure-July_2024.pdf

WHY THE ACLU

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being.

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.