Glynn D. Key 1L Summer Fellowship

The Southern Environmental Law Center is now accepting applications for the Glynn D. Key 1L Summer Fellowship, a paid legal internship opportunity for first-year law students for the summer of 2025. Applications are due by January 31, 2025.

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. This fellowship honors the legacy of Glynn D. Key, a trailblazing lawyer and environmental justice advocate who broke racial and gender barriers throughout her career, serving in many prominent roles, including as a respected member of SELC’s Board of Trustees. Learn more about her remarkable career below.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Glynn D. Key 1L Summer Fellowship provides first-year law students with a unique opportunity to join a highly successful, nationally recognized organization that is effectively addressing some of the most pressing and challenging environmental issues throughout the South and the nation. Fellows will address critical environmental challenges such as climate change, environmental justice, clean energy, healthy air, transportation and land use, clean water, wetlands and coasts, and forest protection.

Fellows will engage in a variety of projects, such as:

• Completing a project with a distinct environmental justice component.
• Conducting legal research and analysis on federal and state environmental statutes and regulations.
• Participating in hearings, strategy sessions, client meetings, site visits, and depositions.
• Engaging in environmental policy discussions with government officials and community groups.

Fellows also attend internal legal team meetings, specialized training sessions, and group outings such as hikes or canoe trips. For more information on SELC’s docket and priorities, visit our website.

Mentorship:

In addition to the guidance and support provided by SELC attorneys throughout the summer, each Fellow will be paired with an SELC attorney for a year-long mentorship that begins following the conclusion of the internship. Through check-ins, personalized advice, and meaningful engagement, the mentorship program is designed to help Fellows maximize their potential by fostering academic, professional, and leadership growth throughout law school and into their early careers.

Logistics:

• Locations: Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chapel Hill, NC; Charleston, SC; or Charlottesville, VA.
• Work Model: SELC offers a hybrid work model, requiring a minimum of three days per week in the office, with additional days as needed to support program needs.
• Duration: 10 weeks (40 hours per week), beginning May 27, 2025.
• Compensation: $9,000 for the summer ($900 per week for 10 weeks). SELC does not reduce this amount for additional funding received by interns.

Qualifications:

We value the diverse paths and backgrounds that lead applicants to pursue this position, and we expect candidates to offer a variety of the following attributes and experiences:

• First-year law student in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school.
• Strong academic record, demonstrated through undergraduate, law school, or other postgraduate coursework.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Interest in environmental justice or the intersection of environmental law and racial justice. Commitment to a career in public interest is a plus.
• Experience or commitment to working with communities of color and other vulnerable communities.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, communicate effectively with colleagues, and incorporate feedback.
• Demonstrated commitment to promoting equity and inclusion within their communities and/or the legal profession. We are particularly interested in candidates whose life experiences have shaped their commitment to alleviating and preventing disproportionate burdens on communities of color and lower-wealth communities.
• A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC create and foster a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. You engage in ongoing learning and are eager to contribute to our organizational efforts in this area.

To Apply:

Applicants must submit the following materials via the online application portal by January 31, 2025:

• Cover letter (Please indicate the office locations you are interested in applying to, ranked in order of preference)
• Resume
• Writing sample
• Undergraduate transcript
• Law school transcript (You are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and email a PDF copy of your first-semester grades to hiring@selcva.org once they become available)
• Names and contact information for three academic or professional references
• A one-page statement of interest describing your experience or interest in working with historically marginalized communities or addressing environmental injustices. If you have relevant experience, highlight how you engaged with historically marginalized communities, incorporated their input, and worked toward solutions. If not, you may discuss your interest in this work, including personal, academic, or volunteer experiences that have shaped your commitment to environmental justice or your interest in working with communities at the intersection of environmental law and racial justice.

If you need an accommodation or have any questions or concerns about this posting or the structure of the internship program, please contact hiring@selcva.org.

About SELC:

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of over 200, including more than 130 legal and policy experts, and is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, with offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in an equitable and inclusive workplace that reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region and allows diverse perspectives to come to the forefront. We approach our work with the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic, and ambitious outlook dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more.

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new team members who share this commitment. We still have much progress to make, but our goal is to create and maintain a staff that, at every level, reflects the rich racial and cultural diversity of the communities where we work and the clients that we serve. Persons of all backgrounds—including people of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ candidates—are strongly encouraged to apply.