Another Summer Building the Next Generation of Constitutional Progressives | Constitutional Accountability Center

Zachary BrownYale Legislation Faculty 2026

I couldn’t have hoped for a extra thrilling, fascinating, or fulfilling summer time than my time as a authorized intern on the Constitutional Accountability Heart (CAC). The whole workplace was extremely welcoming from day one, as everybody made a concerted effort to make sure that my colleagues and I felt supported in our tutorial {and professional} journeys. Throughout these previous ten weeks, I had the chance to discover all kinds of fascinating points, together with the Federal Commerce Fee’s ban on non-competes, civil asset forfeiture reform, and Reconstruction-era constitutional historical past. I’ve discovered a lot and my abilities as a authorized researcher and author are a lot improved. Brianne and the remainder of the CAC litigation workforce had been glorious mentors who offered detailed suggestions and useful recommendation at each stage of the summer time.

Whereas we live in a time when defending the Structure’s progressive promise can generally seem as elusive as ever, I love how the attorneys at CAC stay dedicated to principled advocacy anchored in textual content and historical past. Their unflagging enthusiasm, diligence, and compassion are a mannequin of the type of lawyer I hope to turn out to be as I start my profession. I’m so grateful to have performed a small half contributing to CAC’s essential work this summer time.

Harith KhawajaStanford Legislation Faculty 2025

My summer time at CAC has been wonderful! The work has been deeply rewarding: I’ve had the chance to have interaction with a variety of substantive points, from sovereign immunity to state constitutional regulation to non-public jurisdiction. Alongside the best way, I’ve turn out to be a greater author. I’ve additionally turn out to be a sharper authorized thinker. I’ve particularly loved the chance to study CAC’s historic and textual strategies. Though these instruments had been unfamiliar at first—I had by no means earlier than researched constitutional conference debates, for example—I’m glad to have developed higher consolation with them given their relevance right now. I additionally discovered it deeply significant to make use of these instruments to combat for the general public curiosity.

The individuals at CAC made my summer time extraordinarily rewarding! I appreciated the attorneys and workers’s thoughtfulness in welcoming me, in organizing lunches and brown baggage, and in supervising me all through my internship. I particularly valued the hassle CAC made to assign me initiatives I discovered most fascinating. Previous to my begin, Brianne requested me to share my areas of curiosity, and throughout the summer time, was capable of establish a chance for me to work on a private jurisdiction case that completely match my pursuits. And all through the summer time, attorneys had been all the time accessible to debate authorized points, provide helpful suggestions on analysis and writing, or simply seize espresso. I appreciated the heat everybody confirmed, and I do know I’ll be in contact with them sooner or later.

Lastly, my summer time confirmed me how essential CAC’s work is. CAC’s litigation workforce is excellent, and their advocacy is pioneering within the progressive authorized world. It’s no marvel that so many events solicit CAC’s amicus briefs in essential public curiosity instances. Seeing the standard, breadth, and amount (sure, amount!) of CAC’s litigation firsthand was inspiring. The group is combating the nice combat throughout our nation’s courts. My summer time reassured me that I’ve chosen the proper profession path in public curiosity regulation and that I’d spent it on the proper group!

Indu PandeyYale Legislation Faculty 2026

I’ve had a beautiful summer time at CAC! Starting the primary hour of my internship, I’ve been concerned with quite a lot of fascinating and substantive issues from reproductive rights to state constitutional regulation. Working with CAC’s glorious attorneys has been an actual deal with, each to study from them as specialists of their discipline but in addition to get to know them as colleagues and mentors.

Studying CAC’s distinctive methodology of appellate advocacy has been difficult and rewarding. Difficult in that I had by no means forwarded authorized arguments on this distinct manner but in addition rewarding to see the outcomes of cautious strategic planning and the event of my very own abilities as a authorized thinker. Each task pushed me to study new areas of the regulation and have interaction in artistic drawback fixing. Nothing ever felt rote or apparent, which I’ve supremely loved.

The internship program is run with numerous care and thought, which has made it a superb expertise, and I extremely advocate it to anybody who’s even remotely focused on civil rights work and/or appellate litigation. CAC is making an unimaginable impression of their advocacy, taking over tough instances throughout the nation in partnership with different teams and in addition usually profitable! It’s an amazing place to spend a summer time and I stay up for conserving in contact with the oldsters at CAC and my fellow interns as I proceed in regulation college.

Alex SiegalHarvard Legislation Faculty 2026

My time at CAC has been an distinctive studying expertise. Not solely did I get to do thrilling, actual authorized work, however I obtained to take action alongside a gaggle of type and proficient CAC attorneys and workers who had been all invested in my growth. CAC tailor-made our assignments to our pursuits. Inside the first week, I used to be capable of assist a direct litigation matter in federal district courtroom. By the top of the primary month, I had contributed analysis to a Supreme Court docket amicus transient involving statutory interpretation. The attorneys had been genuinely focused on extra than simply our historic and authorized analysis—they gave us the chance to craft and suggest our personal arguments for briefs, too.

By the rest of the summer time, I additionally helped to guage statutory and constitutional points percolating in decrease courts and to organize supplies within the occasion of future appeals or grants of certiorari on these matters. I discovered how appellate litigators monitor instances within the decrease courts and assess whether or not to file amicus briefs. Lastly, interns had been additionally given the chance to contribute to CAC’s suppose tank by conducting authentic authorized historic analysis. There was no make-work. I’m grateful for the chance to have labored with so many alternative matters, together with administrative regulation, the Voting Rights Act, and civil rights and civil liberties.

The individuals at CAC had been what made the expertise. CAC’s attorneys and workers are devoted to its mission and to creating the subsequent era of advocates for a progressive and democratic Structure. I used to be so lucky to have the ability to spend the summer time with so many type and considerate mentors. Attorneys offered in-depth suggestions on our written work, hosted brown-bag lunches on profession growth matters, and had been accessible and enthusiastic. CAC additionally gave its interns the chance to take part in a neighborhood convention of nonprofit impression litigators and to fulfill regulation college students from across the nation. I’m very grateful to have spent my summer time at CAC and stay up for staying in contact with the CAC household.