Glynn D. Key Summer Intern Fellowship
The Southern Environmental Law Center accepts applications annually for our Glynn D. Key Summer Intern Fellowship. We are not currently accepting applications, but will keep this posting up to provide information about our environmental justice-focused opportunities. You are welcome to direct questions or submit proactive interest to [email protected] Fellows will work in one of the following offices: Asheville, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chapel Hill, NC; Charleston, SC; Charlottesville, VA; Nashville, TN.
This position is intended for first-year law students, and it provides the opportunity to be an integral part of a team working on a full range of issues of particular importance to the South – clean air, clean and adequate water, energy, forests, coasts and communities. It is a 10-week assignment.
The Glynn D. Key Summer Intern Fellowship is part of our summer intern program and is intended for applicants with a strong interest in or a demonstrated commitment to advancing environmental justice. Fellows will be provided the opportunity to work on at least one distinct project with an environmental justice component. Applicants to the Glynn D. Key Fellowship are required to submit additional application materials (see below), and will receive an additional financial award upon completion of their fellowship.
In addition to working on at least one environmental justice issue, Fellows can expect to do research and writing on litigation or other environmental advocacy in a substantive area. Depending on the project area, research may include federal and state environmental statutes and regulations, and procedural and evidentiary issues. In addition to research and writing, fellows will also participate in strategy sessions, document review, client meetings, site visits, and other aspects of case or project management.
Fellows may also observe depositions, hearings, meetings on environmental policy with government officials and leaders of other environmental groups. We hold periodic seminars or “lunch and learn” sessions to introduce fellows to a wide range of environmental issues and projects. Other special events and outings, including a summer hike or canoe trip, are regularly held.
To learn more about the Glynn D. Key Summer Intern Fellowship, click here.
About Glynn D. Key:
Glynn D. Key (1964-2014) was a widely admired and respected lawyer who broke through many racial and gender barriers in her life and career. A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, she attended the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar, and served as the first African-American chair of the Honor Committee, as well as president of the Student Council. She also received her law degree from UVA, and began her legal career as an associate at Covington & Burling in Washington, DC.
From 1993 to 1996 she served in the first Clinton administration in the Department of the Interior as Special Assistant and Counsel to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. At Interior, she was the lead negotiator of the $700 million groundbreaking Everglades restoration settlement among environmentalists, local Indian tribes, the farming industry, and the federal and state governments. Glynn then joined the Washington DC firm of Wilmer Hale where she was a partner in the corporate department practicing general corporate and environmental law. Glynn later became general counsel for General Electric in its Coal Gasification and Water & Process Technologies Division, where she served until her sudden death at the tragically young age of 50. Despite the demands of a successful professional career, Glynn generously shared her time and expertise in her communities, serving on many boards and councils including her alma mater’s Board of Visitors and Alumni Association (President).
SELC was fortunate to have Glynn serve on our Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2009.
Qualifications:
- Strong interest in or demonstrated commitment to advancing environmental justice or the intersection of environmental law and racial justice
- Demonstrated leadership ability
- Interest in environmental or non-profit career
- Community service work
- Academic achievement
- A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC foster a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace
- We value a demonstrated commitment to working with communities of color and other vulnerable communities
Eligibility:
- Must be a first-year law student attending and in good standing at an American Bar Association accredited law school
- Must have a strong undergraduate and law school record
- Must possess excellent writing skills
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 170, including more than 80 attorneys, 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 that is dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more at https://www.southernenvironment.org/.
Compensation:
Legal interns receive $750 per week from SELC for the 10-week summer internship. SELC does not reduce this amount if interns receive additional outside funding.
To Apply:
We are not currently accepting applications, but will keep this posting up to provide information about our environmental justice-focused opportunities. You are welcome to direct questions or submit proactive interest to [email protected] Fellows will work in one of the following offices: Asheville, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, AL; Chapel Hill, NC; Charleston, SC; Charlottesville, VA; Nashville, TN.
Applicants to the Glynn D. Key Intern Fellowship will also have the opportunity to apply to our Summer Legal Internship. Please note that the Summer Legal Internship application is made available to 2L students in July-August each year. All applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, law school transcript or grade report (with date of birth and social security number redacted), and three references.
Applicants to the Glynn D. Key Summer Intern Fellowship must also submit a statement of interest (no more than one page). The statement of interest should describe an experience working or volunteering to remedy or prevent an environmental injustice, or otherwise elaborate upon the applicant’s interest in working at the intersection of environmental law and racial justice. If the work included advocacy partnerships, please describe the partners and the community in which you worked or volunteered. It may also be personal or academic experiences related to environmental justice as a means to describe interest in environmental justice work.
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.