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Clerkships and Internships

Defend liberty. Fight for freedom. Launch your career.

Are you looking for hands-on experience in the liberty movement? Look no further than the Goldwater Institute’s Ronald Reagan Fellowship. At Goldwater, you will get hands-on experience as we work daily in communities, courts and legislatures nationwide to defend and strengthen the freedoms guaranteed to Americans by the U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of the 50 states.
Our fellowship program offers intern and law clerk opportunities during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

We are now accepting applications! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Law Clerks

Our litigation team relies on its law clerks for cutting-edge legal research, case analysis, court preparation, drafting, and litigation strategy.

Law clerk applicants should possess a deep understanding of classical liberal principles, have a strong work ethic, demonstrate a capacity for creative thinking, and have exceptional legal research and writing skills. Applicants must be personable and have a good sense of humor. We prefer applicants with a strong academic record who have completed at least one year of law school and have completed at least one course in constitutional law.

Fall and Spring Semester

Law students are encouraged to take advantage of clerkships offered during the Fall and Spring semesters. Clerkship opportunities are available for both local and remote law clerks. Fall and Spring law clerks typically obtain academic credit for their clerkship. We encourage students to contact their career services department as each law school has varying requirements for earning academic credit. We encourage you to apply early because we have limited seats available during Fall and Spring and those seats are filled up months in advance.

Summer

Summer clerkships are highly competitive, paid positions. Summer clerks are required to work full time (40 hours/week) and commit to the entire summer. Clerkships for academic credit are also available during Summer. We do not currently offer remote clerkship opportunities during the Summer months. We strongly urge you to apply in late September or early October. We typically fill our Summer class before December.

Your Name
Your Email
Your Phone
Year in School

Semester Preference (please provide up to three semesters during which you would like to clerk with us, in decreasing order of preference)

First Preference (Required)
Second Preference
Third Preference
What do you think is the proper role of government in a free society, and how did you arrive at this view?
What book, speech, event or similar item has been most influential in your philosophical development?
What do you hope to gain from participating in the Goldwater Institute's clerkship/externship program?

Upload your files

Please upload your Cover Letter, Resume and Writing Sample.

Drop files here or
Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, Max. file size: 20 MB.

    Interns

    Interns are assigned to work in one or more of the following departments. When applying, intern candidates should list their preferred department preferences and every effort will be made to match them with their first choice.

    Communications

    Our communication team relies on interns to assist in development and implementation strategies, production of live videos, email communications and updating website and social media outlets with creative content. During the application process, submit a writing sample of a blog post regarding one of our current initiatives that interests you.

    Development

    Interns can expect to provide our team assistance with fundraising, conduct donor and foundation history and interest research, event planning, mailings, and donor outreach.

    Policy

    Interns assist with research, legislation tracking, and strategic outreach to policy organizations, community leaders and local officials. This role is writing intensive and administrative tasks will be expected including but not limited to attending and taking notes at various meetings.

    Successful intern applicants will demonstrate: an active interest in public policy; strong intellectual aptitude, eagerness to work cooperatively and supportively with others; exceptional judgment and integrity; an appreciation for the free enterprise system and constitutionally limited government; and an interest in learning how to advance free market principles

    Applicants should be able to work a minimum of 20 hours each week during the school year and 40 hours per week during the summer semester. The program offers a modest stipend.

    Fall and Spring Semester

    Interns are encouraged to apply no later than June 30 for Fall and November 30 for Spring. We encourage students to check with their career services department regarding earning academic credit. Each school is different, so please check what your school’s specific requires.

    Summer

    Summer internships are highly competitive positions. Interns are required to work full time (40 hours/week) and commit to the entire summer. We strongly urge you to apply no later than March 31.

    Your Name
    Your Email
    Your Phone
    Year in School

    Semester Preference (please provide up to three semesters during which you would like to clerk with us, in decreasing order of preference)

    First Preference (Required)
    Second Preference
    Third Preference
    What do you think is the proper role of government in a free society, and how did you arrive at this view?
    What book, speech, event or similar item has been most influential in your philosophical development?
    What do you hope to gain from participating in the Goldwater Institute's clerkship/externship program?

    Upload your files

    Please upload your Cover Letter, Resume and Writing Sample.

    Drop files here or
    Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, Max. file size: 20 MB.

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      We are grateful for your support of the Goldwater Institute’s efforts to advance and defend liberty throughout the United States. For over 36 years, we’ve been defending the rights of Americans to live their lives free from government interference.

      And Goldwater is unique in that we direct our efforts to the 50 states where we introduce and advance innovative ideas that expand freedom. And we fight in courtrooms and capitals nationwide to defend individual liberty.

      In 2024 alone, we scored over 50 policy and litigation victories defending liberty!

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      Our plans for 2025 include:

      • Stopping pernicious DEI and other woke programs in America’s universities.
      • Ensuring that patients suffering from rare and terminal diseases have access to cutting-edge, lifesaving medical treatments, without having to first seek permission from the government.
      • Defending parental rights across the United States so that parents can send their kids to the school that best fits their needs, free from leftist indoctrination.
      • Eliminating government interference in the fundamental right of individuals to own property and use it as they see fit.
      • And much, much more

      We seek to restore the presumption of liberty; that people are free to act without first asking permission from the government.

      But we cannot do this without you. Will you join us as we fight to preserve and advance liberty throughout the country? As we seek new and innovative ways to defend freedom in all 50 states?

      And there’s great news: Thanks to a generous Goldwater supporter, your donation today will be doubled!

      So please, join us in fighting to advance liberty and score real wins for freedom from coast to coast!