Human Rights Internship/Externship Programs

SCHR’s Human Rights Internship/Externship Program provides undergraduate, graduate, and law students with hands-on training in all areas of capital defense, civil rights litigation, and public policy advocacy.

SCHR has three programs available to students:

Summer Internship (Full-Time): a 10-week summer program open to undergraduate, graduate, and law students who are able to work full-time (40 hours per week), on-site, at our office in Atlanta. We do not allow “splitting” summers, although exceptions may be made for students whose school schedules conflict with our program.
Fall or Spring Externship (Part-Time): a semester-long program open to undergraduate, graduate, and law students who are able to work part-time (10-20 hours per week), on-site, at our office in Atlanta.
Fall or Spring Externship (Full-Time): a semester-long program open to 2L and 3L law students only who are able to work full-time (40 hours per week) for one semester, on-site, at our office in Atlanta. The student must receive school credit for this full-time externship.

About the Human Rights Internship/Externship Programs

Our interns and externs are given a great deal of responsibility and have been instrumental in many of our successes. Past student contributions include:

Supreme Court Advocacy: Researching and drafting portions of a brief for Snyder v. Louisiana.
Civil Rights Litigation: Investigating prison conditions, leading to court orders and settlements that improved the lives of thousands in Georgia and Alabama.
Public Policy: Influencing state lawmaking by tracking legislation, drafting factsheets, and participating in advocacy campaigns at the Georgia State Capitol.

We expect our students to be committed and work hard, but also to have fun and grow professionally. Interns can expect to gain substantive knowledge in:

Capital post-conviction and appellate processes.
Legal grounds for prisoners’ rights litigation.
Legislative tracking and public policy execution.

Because of our small staff size, you will receive regular supervision and support, reviewing findings directly with attorneys to develop follow-up action plans.

SCHR prioritizes hands-on experience in the community alongside traditional research and writing.

Responsibilities: Students often travel throughout Georgia and Alabama to visit clients in jails and prisons, interview witnesses, and observe court proceedings.
Transportation: Interns with vehicles use their own cars (reimbursed for mileage); those without can use office or rental cars. Students without a license will focus on in-office research and writing projects.
Expenses: SCHR covers all business-related travel expenses, including rentals, mileage, lodging, and food.

Summer Program: Includes a multi-day intensive orientation, brown-bag lunchtime talks, film screenings, and joint activities with partner organizations.
Academic Year: A streamlined orientation program designed to accommodate part-time student schedules.

Summer Funding

We ask that students seek summer funding from their law school’s public interest programs and other appropriate sources. At its discretion, SCHR may provide limited funding on the basis of need to those who are unable to secure funding from other sources.

Elisabeth Ruyter Undergraduate Summer Fellowship

Undergraduates may apply for summer funding through the Elisabeth Ruyter Fellowship. Elisabeth Ruyter believed strongly in social justice, and with this fellowship, the Ruyter family supports the pipeline of social justice advocates by reducing financial barriers that would prevent passionate students from being able to experience the rewards and possibilities of social justice legal careers.

The successful applicant will receive a $5,000 stipend to cover their summer expenses. To qualify, the undergraduate applicant must currently receive need-based financial aid (e.g. Federal Pell Grant; Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant; Direct Subsidized Loans; Federal Perkins Loan; Federal Work-Study). To apply, please select the “Summer 2022 – Elisabeth Ruyter Fellowship” option on the online application form. By selecting this option, you are confirming that you qualify for this scholarship.

How to Apply

Please strictly adhere to the following application windows.

Spring Externship (Part-Time and Full-Time): apply between September 15th – October 15th for all students.
Summer Internship (Full-Time)
- 2L Law Students: apply between September 15th – October 15th.
  1L Law Students: apply between December 1st – December 31st.
  Graduates and Undergraduates: apply between December 1st – December 31st.
For Spring Externships applications, interviews will be scheduled after the application window closes.
For Summer Internship applications, interviews will begin scheduling on a rolling basis beginning October 1^st, 2024.
Fall 2025 Externship (Part-Time and Full-Time): apply between February 1 – February 28 for all students.

Please visit the following link to apply: Internship/Externship Application

The Southern Center for Human Rights is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. SCHR does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, disability, or sexual orientation. SCHR encourages applications from minorities, women, and other groups that are underrepresented in the legal profession.

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