Jobs at Institute for Justice

Part-time legislative fellow supporting IJ attorneys with researching and drafting bills, developing legislative strategies, preparing testimony and advocacy materials, building grassroots support, and lobbying state policymakers across multiple states. The role runs from December 2026 through April 2027, requires 10–12 hours weekly, and is intended for a 2L or 3L law student.

Leads the Institute for Justice’s major giving program, managing donor relationships, prospecting, solicitations, stewardship, donor communications, events, research coordination, and fundraising staff. Oversees donors with annual giving potential of $25,000 or more, coordinates executive outreach, strengthens donor-facing content, and develops program strategy. The role requires extensive major gifts fundraising experience, strong communication and organizational skills, Salesforce familiarity, and up to 15% travel.

Processes and acknowledges donations, resolves incomplete or declined gifts, supports reconciliation between Finance and Development, responds to donor inquiries, manages donor mailings, routes incoming correspondence, and maintains accurate CRM data. The role requires strong attention to detail, effective communication, confidentiality, multitasking, and process improvement skills while supporting fundraising and donor engagement programs.

Supports winter fundraising operations through donor thank-you letters, online donor research, database maintenance, and in-house file organization. Works onsite at the Institute for Justice headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, from mid-November through mid-February, with flexible scheduling of 20–28 hours per week. Gains experience supporting a nonprofit fundraising operation focused on civil liberties.

Processes and acknowledges major donations, maintains accurate and confidential donor records, drafts personalized correspondence, and responds to donor inquiries by phone and email. Supports major gifts reporting, donor events, travel planning, webinars, and fundraising mailings. The role requires strong attention to detail, clear writing, organization, multitasking, troubleshooting, and proficiency with Microsoft Office. Salesforce or nonprofit development experience is preferred.

Litigate cutting-edge constitutional and public-interest cases involving economic liberty, free speech, property rights, educational choice, and individual rights. Attorneys develop cases, direct legal strategy, take depositions, present oral arguments through all litigation stages, and may handle U.S. Supreme Court matters. The role also includes media writing and appearances, public speaking, grassroots activism, and advocacy with policymakers and legislators.

Administer semi-monthly multi-state payroll and employee benefits for approximately 200 employees. Manage benefits enrollments, qualifying life events, open enrollment, leave programs, onboarding, offboarding, confidential records, HR reports, and policy updates. Serve as a resource for benefits questions and support payroll tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

The Bingham Fellowship offers lawyers in between clerkships the chance to gain experience in public interest litigation, working on constitutional cases while receiving mentorship and training.

Select law students conduct legal research, assist in developing litigation strategies, and draft discovery requests, motions, and briefs for state and federal cases. Clerks participate in moots, analyze discovery issues, support class certification work, and help prepare opposition and expert exclusion motions.