Fall 2027 Marvin M. Karpatkin Fellowship, Racial Justice Program

About this role

<h2><strong>ABOUT THE JOB</strong></h2> <p>The ACLU seeks applicants for the <strong>Karpatkin Fellowship</strong>, a full-time, <strong>two-year fellowship</strong> in the <strong>Racial Justice Program (RJP)</strong> of the ACLU’s National office in <strong>New York, NY</strong>. This is a <strong>hybrid role</strong> that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <h2><strong>WHAT YOU'LL DO</strong> </h2> <p><span data-contrast="auto">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. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">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. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Reporting to the </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Deputy Project Director, </span></strong><span data-contrast="auto">the </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Karpatkin Fellow</span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> will be a core member of a collaborative, dedicated team working to advance the ACLU’s racial justice work. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until </span><strong><span data-contrast="auto">September 6, 2026. </span></strong><span data-contrast="auto"> </span></p> <h2><strong>YOUR DAY TO DAY</strong></h2> <p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">RESPONSIBILITIES</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <ul> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Conduct legal research and analysis and develop theories to support new litigation </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Conduct factual investigation to identify policies and practices that can be challenged through litigation </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Draft legal memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, and briefs </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Review and analyze documents to support litigation and advocacy</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Interview witnesses and potential clients</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Participate in discovery and trial practice</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Draft and edit public education and non-litigation advocacy materials</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></li> <li><span data-contrast="auto">Provide support and assistance to ACLU affiliates and cooperating attorneys</span><span…