Application Guide
How to Apply for KIP Spring 2027 - Strategic Research Intern - Pacific Legal Foundation
at Standtogether
🏢 About Standtogether
Pacific Legal Foundation is the nation's first and most successful public interest law firm dedicated to vindicating individual liberty, with an unmatched record of 18 victories out of 20 cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. As a national nonprofit with nearly 200 active cases, PLF fights government overreach through strategic litigation, communications, and research. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that defends freedom in the courts and the court of public opinion, making a tangible impact on Americans' rights.
About This Role
As a Strategic Research Intern, you'll support PLF's litigation and advocacy by conducting in-depth research on government overreach, identifying potential cases, and analyzing legal and policy issues. You'll work remotely part-time, collaborating with attorneys and researchers to develop strategic insights that inform landmark legal challenges. This role is ideal for someone passionate about liberty and eager to contribute to high-stakes legal battles against bureaucratic overreach.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve conducting legal research on a potential case of government overreach, drafting a memo summarizing your findings for attorneys, and attending a virtual team meeting to discuss strategy. You might also analyze public records, monitor regulatory developments, or help prepare background materials for litigation or communications efforts. The work is self-directed but collaborative, with regular check-ins to ensure alignment with PLF's strategic priorities.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Standtogether Is Looking For
- A current college junior, senior, graduate student, or recent graduate with a strong interest in constitutional law, public policy, or libertarian principles.
- Self-motivated and inquisitive, with the ability to work independently in a remote environment and take initiative on research projects.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex legal and policy issues into clear, persuasive summaries.
- Demonstrated commitment to individual liberty and limited government, such as through coursework, extracurriculars, or previous internships in law, policy, or advocacy.
📝 Tips for Applying to Standtogether
Highlight any experience with legal research, policy analysis, or writing that demonstrates your ability to think critically about government overreach—PLF values concrete examples over generic claims.
Explicitly connect your personal philosophy to PLF's mission: show you understand and share their commitment to individual liberty and strategic litigation, not just any nonprofit work.
Tailor your resume to emphasize remote work skills, such as self-discipline, time management, and proficiency with research tools (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis, or public records databases).
If you have a writing sample, choose one that analyzes a legal or policy issue from a liberty-oriented perspective, and include it with your application to showcase your alignment with PLF's work.
Mention any familiarity with PLF's landmark cases (e.g., Sackett v. EPA, Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid) to demonstrate genuine interest and preparation.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your specific understanding of PLF's mission and how your research skills can advance their strategic litigation goals—avoid vague statements about 'making a difference.'", "Concrete examples of how you've analyzed government overreach or policy issues, such as a research paper, internship project, or independent study.", 'Your ability to work autonomously and manage projects remotely, with evidence of self-motivation and strong communication.', "Why you are drawn to PLF's approach of combining litigation, communications, and research to set landmark precedents, and how you see yourself contributing."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Study PLF's major Supreme Court victories and current cases to understand their litigation strategy and the types of issues they target (e.g., property rights, economic liberty, separation of powers).
- → Explore PLF's website, blog, and social media to learn about their research reports, policy positions, and recent press releases.
- → Research the Stand Together Fellowships program and its connection to PLF, including the values and expectations for interns.
- → Familiarize yourself with key concepts in public interest law and libertarian legal thought, such as originalism, textualism, and the nondelegation doctrine.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention PLF's mission, cases, or specific interest in strategic research—this shows a lack of genuine engagement.
- Failing to demonstrate a clear understanding of or commitment to individual liberty and limited government, which is central to PLF's work.
- Overlooking the remote, part-time nature of the role and not addressing how you'll manage your schedule and stay productive without in-person supervision.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!