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Legal Assistant Intern Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Political Law Intern

Washington, DC · Hybrid

$19.50 - $22.50/hr

... exposure to clients with varied legal questions-campaign finance, pay to play, lobbying ... Conduct basic research and package findings. * Assist with client requests for registration and ...

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Legal Assistant Intern information

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How much do legal assistant intern jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 13, 2026, the average hourly pay for legal assistant intern in Reston, VA is $20.59, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.78 and $23.27 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Legal Assistant Intern, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Legal Assistant Intern, you need a solid understanding of legal terminology, strong organizational abilities, and attention to detail, often supported by coursework or a background in legal studies. Familiarity with legal research databases (such as Westlaw or LexisNexis), Microsoft Office, and document management systems is typically required. Excellent communication, discretion, and the ability to multitask are standout soft skills in this role. These competencies are crucial for effectively supporting attorneys, managing sensitive information, and ensuring accuracy in a fast-paced legal environment.

What types of tasks and responsibilities can I expect as a Legal Assistant Intern, and how do these contribute to the overall work of the legal team?

As a Legal Assistant Intern, you will typically assist with tasks such as organizing and maintaining case files, conducting legal research, drafting basic correspondence, and supporting attorneys with administrative duties. You'll likely be involved in scheduling meetings, preparing court documents, and managing client communications. These responsibilities are crucial in ensuring that the legal team operates efficiently and can focus on higher-level legal strategy. By handling essential support tasks, you'll gain firsthand exposure to legal procedures and workflows, while building a solid foundation for future roles within the legal field.

What are Legal Assistant Interns?

Legal Assistant Interns are students or recent graduates who support lawyers and paralegals by performing administrative and legal tasks in a law office or legal department. Their duties typically include organizing files, conducting legal research, drafting documents, and assisting with case preparation. This internship provides valuable hands-on experience in the legal field and helps interns develop essential skills such as attention to detail, legal writing, and communication. Interns often work under the supervision of attorneys or senior legal staff and gain insight into the day-to-day operations of legal practice.
What job categories do people searching Legal Assistant Intern jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Legal Assistant Intern jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Legal Assistant Intern jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Legal Assistant Intern job openings:
Infographic showing various Legal Assistant Intern job openings in Reston, VA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $42,820 per year, or $20.6 per hour.
Human Rights Accountability Legal Intern - Fall 2026

Human Rights Accountability Legal Intern - Fall 2026

Human Rights First

Washington, DC • On-site

Internship

Posted 5 days ago

New


Job description

Human Rights Accountability Legal Intern - Fall 2026

The Accountability Legal Intern will assist with research and analysis aimed at strengthening our team’s ability to effectively advocate for targeted sanctions against human rights abusers and corrupt officials around the world using Magnitsky-style sanctions programs from the U.S., UK, EU, Canada, and Australia. In particular, the intern will be asked to perform legal and policy background research and maintain databases to improve our understanding of the applicability, use, and effects of different sanctions programs. The intern will also be asked to perform research and writing related to specific instances of serious human rights abuse and/or corruption as we work to identify individuals for consideration as possible designees under various government sanctions programs, including the Global Magnitsky sanctions program and similar programs from other jurisdictions. In addition, the intern will be asked to conduct research and draft materials to support Congressional advocacy efforts related to this and other related work to promote and protect Magnitsky sanctions and other accountability tools and institutions, such as the International Criminal Court. The intern will gain professional experience in legal analysis, persuasive writing, and engagement with a diverse range of partners. The intern may also be involved in our efforts to protect accountability institutions and human rights activists from attack by the Trump administration and other actors.
Interns must be located in the United States.
How will the intern make a difference in the Human Rights space through this internship?
The intern’s work will make Human Rights First and its partners more effective advocates in seeking accountability for human rights abuses and corruption, by helping make the strongest case possible for sanctions in specific instances and by improving our overall understanding of the impact and implementation of these tools. The intern’s work will also support Human Rights First’s efforts to protect accountability tools and institutions from attacks and misuse.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Support attorneys in policy, legal, and data research projects to inform our efforts and those of our coalition partners related to human rights and anti-corruption sanctions and advocacy.
  • Monitor and report on events occurring around the world that are relevant to our work.
  • Work with attorneys reviewing Magnitsky case files to provide information and answer questions.
  • Conduct research to gather information and assist in preparing files for Global Magnitsky recommendations for the U.S. and other major Magnitsky jurisdiction governments involving serious human rights abuse or corruption.
  • Track, via internal databases, different government, NGO coalition, and HRF metrics.
  • Assist with coordinating NGO training sessions on targeted sanctions.
  • Assist with advocacy to government entities and the public regarding the Global Magnitsky sanctions program and other related Magnitsky-style programs (drafting blogs, op-eds, factsheets, other publications).
  • Opportunity for additional responsibilities based on performance.

Desired Skills and Experience

  • Strong research and writing skills.
  • Significant knowledge of the human rights context in at least one region of the world, and/or significant knowledge of human rights issues facing vulnerable and marginalized groups.
  • Ability to apply legal standards to the facts of specific cases.
  • Knowledge of human rights and/or anti-corruption concepts, methods, statutes, and instruments desirable.
  • Strong organizational skills.
  • Foreign language skills desirable.
Education: Law student (J.D. or LLM) preferred.
Compensation: Unpaid
Submission Deadline: July 24, 2026
Start Date: September 8, 2026
End Date: December 11, 2026
Time Commitment: 10-12 hours/week
Application Instructions: Please include a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples (ideally related to human rights or corruption).


Human Rights First is committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing staff from a diversity of backgrounds, including members of racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, people of all nationalities, and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. We believe that a diverse staff and an inclusive work environment that welcomes a range of perspectives make us stronger and more effective.