2021 Summer Legal Internship

~ The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) is the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. We develop and lead successful strategic environmental advocacy campaigns to improve environmental quality and protect our natural heritage. ~

We are public interest environmental entrepreneurs who engage in creative business deal making with diverse interests to put into practice our belief that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together. ELPC’s multidisciplinary staff of talented and experienced public interest attorneys, environmental business specialists, public policy advocates, and communications specialists brings a strong and effective combination of skills to solve environmental problems and improve the quality of life in our Midwestern communities.

Internship Overview

ELPC seeks to hire 1L and 2L law student interns for Summer 2021. Legal interns support ELPC’s state and federal litigation and policy work throughout the Midwest. ELPC plans to hire 3 to 4 law students to work in the Chicago, IL office, and a “Great Plains” intern from or in law school in Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, or South Dakota. A summer at ELPC will give students a broad-based experience working in the Midwest on energy and transportation policy, air and water quality, and protection of special places.

Responsibilities

Our summer law student interns work with ELPC attorneys and other professional staff on ELPC policy, legislative and general advocacy issues, and federal and state court litigation.

Job activities may include:

• Legal and legislative research;
• Litigation and pre-litigation support;
• Developing case strategies;
• Legislative drafting;
• Clean energy business development;
• Grassroots advocacy work; and
• Special projects.

Note: Interns also may attend meetings with state and federal agencies, legislators and concerned citizens, and participate in depositions and other litigation activities. Our interns assume a significant level of responsibility commensurate with their interests and abilities.

Qualifications

• Applicants should have a strong academic record;
• Excellent writing and analytical skills; and
• A demonstrated interest in and commitment to public interest and environmental advocacy.

Note: Although stipends are available, ELPC encourages interns to obtain alternate funding from law school public interest fellowships and other outside sources.

To Apply

• Interested law students should click "Apply" below to email a cover letter and resume.
• Applications from 1Ls and 2Ls are accepted on an ongoing basis, however, applications from 1Ls will not be reviewed until December 1, 2020.
• ELPC also accepts internship and fellowship applications through the Chicago-based Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI).
• Please review PILI's application requirements at www.pili-law.org.

ELPC is an equal opportunity employer and is continually seeking to diversify its staff.