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Hello, I was curious about how prestigious an internship/clinical work is with an affiliate with the ACLU (specifically, the NY branch: NYCLU). I understand that the ACLU is pretty good for PI, but I wasn't sure if the same applied to its state affiliates.

I have an opportunity to work with them during the school year and wanted to see what people's thoughts were.

I do not understand the relevance of your question. What is "prestigious" and why does it matter in this context?

Anonymous User wrote:Hello, I was curious about how prestigious an internship/clinical work is with an affiliate with the ACLU (specifically, the NY branch: NYCLU). I understand that the ACLU is pretty good for PI, but I wasn't sure if the same applied to its state affiliates.

I have an opportunity to work with them during the school year and wanted to see what people's thoughts were.

The overwhelming majority of ACLU work is done by affiliates. There are a few national programs, many of which are located in NYC, but mostly things are done by the state affiliates. But I don't think prestige is real consideration for an internship, so I don't think it matters either way.

I think you should ask this question to some of the staff attorneys on your first day, you know as an ice breaker. NYCLU does some cool stuff, and they have good people there, if you want to do pi, I hope that's what you were really asking about.

I did a clinic at the NYCLU through NYU. The NYCLU is the state affiliate and as others have mentioned, it's just an arm of the ACLU through which ACLU does a bunch of its work. It's federal civil rights litigation in federal court. The ACLU office is actually across the hall and the work is divided between the offices partially based on topic, but really no qualitative difference in the work you'd notice as a law student.

The work I got to do in the clinic was actually pretty cool. Someone in my clinic even took a deposition in a first amendment case. It was a good experience to discuss in interviews, and I'd recommend it.

I've heard it's considered not very prestigious.

Anonymous User wrote:Hello, I was curious about how prestigious an internship/clinical work is with an affiliate with the ACLU (specifically, the NY branch: NYCLU). I understand that the ACLU is pretty good for PI, but I wasn't sure if the same applied to its state affiliates.

I have an opportunity to work with them during the school year and wanted to see what people's thoughts were.

I'd shoot for the SBD tier if I were you. Why settle for N if you've got a shot at something better?

Anonymous User wrote:I did a clinic at the NYCLU through NYU. The NYCLU is the state affiliate and as others have mentioned, it's just an arm of the ACLU through which ACLU does a bunch of its work. It's federal civil rights litigation in federal court. The ACLU office is actually across the hall and the work is divided between the offices partially based on topic, but really no qualitative difference in the work you'd notice as a law student.

The work I got to do in the clinic was actually pretty cool. Someone in my clinic even took a deposition in a first amendment case. It was a good experience to discuss in interviews, and I'd recommend it.

(brags about unprestigious deposition then wonders why zero callbacks)

ACLU (affiliate) on your resume would be a great conversation topic during the interviews, that I guarantee. Your interviewers would genuinely be interested in what you did. Prestige? Meh.

How about you just go work there if it's something you're interested in and if not, let someone else do it. I genuinely don't understand what would make you think prestige has anything to do with this decision.

Anonymous User wrote:Hello, I was curious about how prestigious an internship/clinical work is with an affiliate with the ACLU (specifically, the NY branch: NYCLU). I understand that the ACLU is pretty good for PI, but I wasn't sure if the same applied to its state affiliates.

I have an opportunity to work with them during the school year and wanted to see what people's thoughts were.

The cream doesn't go to NYCLU.

Nebby wrote:I do not understand the relevance of your question. What is "prestigious" and why does it matter in this context?

As most lawyers would say, it depends. What are you trying to do? Are you a rising 2L or 3L? What is your dream job? What is your dream market? Which NYCLU branch is the internship? etc...

I interned in a NYCLU office. feel free to PM me.