Summer 2027 Legal Intern

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth its people its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates lawyers scientists and communication experts to confront the climate crisis protect nature ensure the rights of all people to clean air clean water and healthy communities. As an international nonprofit environmental organization NRDC is working to address the worlds most urgent environmental challenges and advance innovative science-based and enforceable solutions.

Since our founding in 1970 NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of Americas foundational environmental laws including the Clean Air Act Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local state federal and international levels as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world from offices in Chicago Los Angeles New York City San Francisco and Washington D.C. as well as in Beijing and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).

Supported by our members and online activists NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis defend nature and safeguard public health acrossAsia Africa and the Americas. At NRDC we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent passion and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner healthier and more resilient world. Learn more at .

POSITION SUMMARY

NRDC is seeking to hire a cohort of Summer Legal Interns to work on cases and projects with attorneys on core issue areas (Human Health Equity & Justice Climate & Energy and Nature) with the lawyers associated to our San Francisco Santa Monica New York Chicago and Washington D.C. office(s).

This posting is specifically for:

• full-time law students in their 2L year and
• Part-time or dual-degree law students who have completed at least one year of coursework and who will not graduate before summer 2027.

There will be a separate posting for 1L positions later this fall details below.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:

NRDCs Summer Legal Interns gain exposure to and support the broad range of our legal and policy advocacy that we use to protect the environment and public health. Our interns play an active role on the frontlines to protect our planet and the communities that depend upon past summers intern projects have included:

• Researching and preparing legal memos in support of rulemaking proceedings
• litigation case development and active litigation
• Interviewing NRDC members and preparing standing declarations
• Helping draft and review portions of pleadings and review briefs
• Helping prepare comments to submit to administrative agencies or legislative bodies
• Helping craft proposed legislation to address environmental and public health problems

The above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this positions responsibility. Other duties may be assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

This internship is designed for current law school experience in environmentallaw or with environmental issues is not required. When assessing candidates for the summer internship we look for:

• Strong legal writing analytical and oral communicationskills
• Experience effectively working on ateam
• Creativity andresourcefulness
• Commitment to public service equity orjustice
• Growth mindset and openness to feedback
• Demonstrated ability to work with people across different social identities andbackgrounds
• Record of academic and/or professional accomplishment
• Commitment to NRDCs values and mission

A successful candidate need not satisfy all of these criteria. Because a key purpose of our summer legal intern program is to help our interns learn and develop new legal skills we welcome applicants who have room to grow as legal writers researchers and communicators.

Our offices are open and we operate in a hybrid model. We ask that all summer interns commit to being in office 3 days/week Tuesdays - Thursdays.

This position is a paid internship with a stipend of $10000 paid bi-weekly over the course of 10 weeks (35 hours a week at $28.57 an hour for 10 weeks).

Applications for2027 Summer Legal Internships can be submitted online at The deadline to apply as a 2L student is Monday September 7th 2026.

You will need to electronically submit a cover letter transcript resume contact information for two references and a legal writing sample (samples from a legal research & writing class are fine). In your cover letterplease:

• Let us know how you learned about theposition
• Indicateallthe NRDC offices to which you are applying and any order of preference among the offices
• Describe why you are interested in learning more about environmental law and advocacy.

You may address your cover letterto Hiring Manager.

We will have a separate application and review process for 1L candidates later this fall that allows 1Ls to complete their first semester and gather all application materials before applying. We will post our separate 1L application announcement on NRDCs careers webpage by December. We ask that all 1L students hold their applications until our 1L posting is open.

If you have questions about the application process or requirements email us at . Please specify that you are applying for the Summer Legal Internship (SLI) program.

The incumbent will not qualify as an employee fellow volunteer or independent contractor of NRDC nor will the incumbent be guaranteed employment at the end of the internship term.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity equity and inclusion both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planets most pressing environmental problems and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race color religion gender gender identity or expression marital status sexual orientation national origin citizenship age disability veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

As a science-based organization NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health safety and equity we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved accordance with state or local law new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination. Those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodation or other exemptions. NRDC treats all vaccination-related data confidentially in keeping with local state and federal laws.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position within the described work environment.

Frequently: Perform desk-based computer tasks

Frequently: Ability to interact and communicate with employees and others as necessary

Frequently: Attend planned meetings and collaborate with management and coworkers

Frequently: Hand draw illustrations for advocacy materials

Occasionally: Ability to attend events and activities in the office or offsite

Work is sometimes performed primarily in office. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in office settings and moderate in other situations. Hours of employment may sometimes require working flexible and/or longer hours including nights and weekends when necessitated by projects. The job includes work-related situations such as those involving challenging important urgent time-sensitive or multiple matters.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-.

For more about NRDC visit .