Public Policy Legal Fellowship

Department:  Public Policy

Position:  Public Policy  Legal Fellowship

Reporting to:  Senior Legislative Policy Counsel of Public Policy

The Public Policy Legal Fellow provides essential legal research and fact gathering concerning a wide range of sexual violence issues. The Public Policy Legal Fellow will also be expected to draft materials as needed, including memoranda and one-page summaries, and may be asked to review and analyze legislation, regulations, and other policy documents. The fields of law to which the Public Policy Legal Fellow will be most exposed include, but are not limited to, the following: constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedure, appellate law, family law, and state and federal policy.

General Responsibilities:

• Support and assist staff in legal and legislative research, with a specific focus on states' sexual violence laws.
• Provide the policy department with general legal research and relevant facts regarding sexual assault issues.
• Help drafting memoranda, policy statements, and letters to government officials as needed.
• Assist with administrative and data input tasks as needed.
• Assist in updating and establishing tools for disseminating policy resources, including database materials.
• Liaise with RAINN's pro bono law firm partners on assigned projects.
• Carry out any additional tasks and responsibilities relevant to the work being completed, as assigned. 

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required:

•  Current law student or recent graduate (required qualification). A “recent graduate” means the internship will be complete within 2 years from the date of graduation from law school.
•  Strong writing, research, analytical and organizational skills.
•  Strong interest in policy work.
•  Demonstrated interest in the issue of sexual violence.
•  Comfortable with legal research tools, including LexisNexis and Westlaw.
•  Proficient in Microsoft Office Programs (especially Excel and Word) and Google Workspace (especially Google Docs and Google Sheets).
•  Ability to use remote meeting platforms, such as Zoom, Google Meet, and WebEx.
•  Strong interpersonal skills, and a team player attitude.

Eligibility Criteria:

•  Available to dedicate 20 hours a week to the Fellowship’s work.
•  Applicant has passed the bar examination, or intends to take the exam within a year.
•  Can demonstrate a substantial commitment to or preparation for pursuing a career in public interest law or government service.
•  Will endeavor to obtain employment in the public interest or government sector before or immediately following the Fellowship's conclusion.

Other Information:

Candidate selected for the Public Policy Legal Fellowship will not be granted a nominal fee stipend as this is an unpaid opportunity.

To Apply:

Please attach the following materials:

•  Resume
•  Cover Letter
•  Two Writing Samples (each must be between 5-10 pages)

Only complete applications will be considered. Please, no phone calls.

RAINN headquarters are based in Washington, DC. This position may be based regionally for someone whose residence is within the continental USA. This is a remote role.

Remote Work Requirements

RAINN fellows are required to have a home office setup with a dependable high-speed internet connection. This must be sufficient to support all job-related tasks, including accessing systems, communicating with teams, and providing uninterrupted hotline services or administrative support.

When you work for RAINN, you're joining a team of experts and professionals who stand up for survivors of sexual violence every day. RAINN will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, individual identity, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. RAINN encourages all qualified candidates to apply.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the essential functions, responsibilities and/or requirements.