Legal Intern

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation seeks a legal intern who will assist with a variety of writing and research projects. This individual will work alongside the legal team at the Mackinac Center to gain experience in an established non-profit law firm and to build their skills using a variety of legal tools.

The Purposes of the Mackinac Center Summer Internship Program

• To engage extra support from students on work that advances the Mackinac Center’s mission;
• To introduce students to and connect them with the ideals of liberty and the network of organizations committed to advancing the free market perspective;
• To expand the pool of potential staff for free market organizations like the Mackinac Center

Legal Foundation Internship projects may include: assisting in client management, creating and maintaining databases for a variety of legal documents, systematizing research for various cases, and other legal writing and research as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

To be considered for the Summer Internship Program, students must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• An understanding of legal processes and systems is essential for this role;
• Strong preference for potential candidates who have finished at least one year of law school;
• Commitment to free-market principles;
• A solid reputation for honest and ethical conduct;
• A strong work ethic;
• A willingness to learn;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• An interest in state constitutional law is a plus.

This internship provides an opportunity to work at a premiere state-based free-market public policy research and educational organization and to attend various skills and career development programs such as our Intern University, and trips to the State Capitol & Supreme Court, The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Review, Issues & Ideas events and various staff and intern outings.

The employment term is a minimum of 10 full-time weeks between May and August (flexibility in start and end dates). Intern positions are on-site, are compensated at the rate of $15.50 per hour and may be eligible for a housing stipend in the amount of $400 per month. Interns are employed on an at-will basis.

Candidates are to submit a resume, a cover letter, a 700-word essay on any policy issue, a legal writing sample not exceeding 20 pages and an unofficial transcript to the intern coordinator by March 17, 2025.

Submit application via Handshake to:

Christine Bowerson
Director of Operations/Intern Coordinator
Mackinac Center for Public Policy
140 West Main Street
P.O. Box 568
Midland, MI 48640-0568

While we thank all applicants for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those whom we are considering for an interview. No telephone calls, please.