AALDEF FALL 2008 INTERNSHIPS

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans through litigation, legal advocacy, and community education.

Interns are supervised by attorneys in specific program areas. Legal interns will work on litigation, particularly legal research and writing, legal and policy advocacy, client intakes, and some community outreach and education. Legal internships are available in the following program areas:

Anti-Trafficking Project, legal research on the Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (TVPA), as well as outreach, community education, and advocacy on the rights of women and youth trafficking survivors.

Economic Justice for Workers, litigation, community education, and advocacy on behalf of garment, restaurant, construction and other low wage workers;

Educational Equity and Youth Rights, legal services, policy work, community education, research and litigation concerning educational equity, juvenile justice, affirmative action and post 9-11 hate violence and racial targeting;

Immigrant Access to Justice, litigation, legal services, and organizing/outreach focusing on communities impacted by 9-11; litigation, legal services, and advocacy regarding local and state enforcement of immigration laws; legal and policy advocacy and support for community mobilizing and education regarding comprehensive immigration reform;

Voting Rights, poll monitoring of elections to guard against anti-Asian voter discrimination; legal research and writing under the Voting Rights Act; advocacy on bilingual ballots and state and local election reform; produce reports and give trainings on voters’ rights.

Undergraduate internships are available in the following program areas:

Community Health Care Initiative, community education and outreach in the areas of immigration, government benefits, language rights, health care access and database entry of legal intakes.

Special Events – AALDEF 35^th Anniversary, provide administrative support in preparation for AALDEF’s 35^th annual gala, including: researching for prospective dinner sponsors and silent auction donors, securing and displaying items for the silent auction, and assembling dinner programs, gift bags, brochures and press kits.

Voting Rights, poll monitoring of elections to guard against anti-Asian voter discrimination; legal research and writing under the Voting Rights Act; advocacy on bilingual ballots and state and local election reform; produce reports and give trainings on voters’ rights.

Description of Internships.

Interns are supervised by attorneys and/or AALDEF staff in specific program areas. These internships are not paid positions, but academic credit can be arranged. Interns work anywhere between 8 to 25 hours per week. The internship usually commences with the start of classes and ends in early December.

To Apply:

Any bilingual ability should be stated in the resume. Bilingual ability is helpful but not required. Applications should also state the number of hours the intern is able to work per week and which program area(s) you are interested in. Send a resume and cover letter to:

AALDEF Summer Intern Search

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor, New York , New York 10013-2815
Fax: 212-966-4303 or Email: info@aaldef. org

For more information, contact Jennifer Weng at 212-966-5932, ext. 212 or jweng@aaldef. org.