Employment Opportunities
Looking for a job, career, internship, clerkship or fellowship in animal law?
The Animal Legal Defense Fund offers a list of our current employment opportunities plus additional opportunities at various law firms and non-profit organizations across the country.
If you are a law firm or non-profit organizations, you can submit your opportunity and we will consider it for publication on aldf.org.
Opportunities at the Animal Legal Defense Fund
Legal Fellow
Animal Partisan
March 13, 2026
Legal Fellow (12-month term)
Summary:
Animal Partisan is hiring a Legal Fellow to join our legal advocacy work on behalf of animals suffering in agriculture and experimentation. This position is for a 12-month term. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The expected start date for the position is May 2026, although we will consider a later start for the right candidate who may be completing law school and taking the bar exam in Summer 2026.
Animal Partisan is a legal advocacy organization whose mission is to end the exploitation of animals on farms, in slaughterhouses, and in laboratories through legal advocacy that discovers, exposes, and challenges injustice in all its forms. Animal Partisan’s work consists of a wide range of legal strategies, including private criminal complaints, public records litigation, rulemaking petitions, agency enforcement letters, traditional civil litigation, and more.
Animal Partisan was founded in late 2022 and operates with a limited staff of three employees supported by key contractors and the substantial contributions of dozens of pro bono attorneys and law students. Given the organization’s small size, this role offers substantial responsibility and opportunities for meaningful contributions. This position is ideal for someone willing to learn by doing. This role will report to Animal Partisan’s Legal Counsel.
Role description:
The Legal Fellow will perform the following functions:
- Assist with all aspects of the organization’s legal advocacy, including litigation, criminal and administrative enforcement, rulemaking petitions, legal research and writing, document review, and more.
- Work closely with other team members, including other attorneys, our Research & Operations Associate, and contractors (social media, investigations, fund development, operations, etc.) as necessary.
- Identify, draft, and manage public records requests, including communications with records officers, appeals, and review of responsive records.
- Generate and communicate case ideas by reviewing public data sources, conducting factual research, monitoring relevant news, and tracking legal developments.
- Collaborate with legal interns, pro-bono law students, and attorneys on legal research projects.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the work of a lean nonprofit organization.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an ABA accredited U.S. law school no later than May 2026
- Demonstrated record of academic accomplishment during law school
- Not more than 2 years of post-law school legal experience
- Admission to the bar or pending admission in at least one U.S. state
- Significant experience with administrative law, criminal law, and public records law is strongly preferred but not required
- Excellent legal research and writing skills
- Commitment to Animal Partisan’s philosophy and demonstrated personal commitment to the animal rights movement
- Willingness to travel occasionally as needed for cases (estimated 1-3 times/year)
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Keen attention to detail
- Highly organized, including time management, task management, and documentation
- Inquisitive and intellectually curious
- Dependable and consistent
- Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to teamwork
- Ability to work efficiently and autonomously
- Proficient with computers, including Microsoft Office products and online research
- Willing to take on a wide range of tasks in a fast-paced, lean organization
Position Details:
- The position is for a 12-month term
- The role is entirely remote
- The salary is $50,000/year for 35 hours/week
- Benefits include a $340/month stipend towards healthcare expenses, 2 weeks of paid vacation, and 401k plan enrollment with a company match up to 3%
Application Details:
If interested, please submit a (1) cover letter, (2) resume, (3) writing sample, and (4) three references to info@animalpartisan.org combined into a single PDF document. Materials not combined into a single PDF document will not be considered.