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Internship: Second Amendment Policy Center, Independence Institute

The Independence Institute Future Leaders Program is an opportunity to learn from our experts by working on timely and relevant public policy research or projects.

The Future Leaders Program trains qualified candidates for a lifetime of influence in the center-right movement. We match our Future Leaders with a policy center director or senior fellow as their mentor to learn how to effect change using a variety of different tools and strategies including in-depth research, policy analysis, academic writing, commentary, and navigating the political landscape, all through a free market lens. Interns participate in Institute events for no fee and have a series of lunch meetings with VIPs, such as newspaper editors, radio personalities, key local leaders and elected officials.

The Independence Institute was incorporated in Colorado in 1985 and was issued an IRS determination letter in 1985 recognizing it as tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The Institute remains a highly respected voice in the non-profit community today.

The Second Amendment Project studies the legal precedents, news and opinions in Colorado and the United States to provide the Constitutional perspective on topics ranging from legal reform to gun rights. An internship with the Second Amendment Project provides an opportunity for undergraduate, graduate, or law students to gain real-world experience in a public policy environment. While specific intern projects are dependent on the needs of the project at the time, an intern most often acts as a research assistant. Projects can vary widely within the Second Amendment policy space, and an intern should be prepared for diverse assignments of varying levels of complexity. Staff may also give interns opportunities to participate in research or other activities outside of the office.

Legal interns at II work directly with one of America’s top constitutional scholars, David Kopel. Professor Kopel teaches advanced constitutional law at the University of Denver and is the nation’s premier expert on the Second Amendment. Professor Kopel has written extensively on a wide range of constitutional, historical, and philosophical topics. He served on the oral argument team in District of Columbia v. Heller, and his scholarship and briefs have been cited dozens of times by the U.S. and state supreme courts and by lower courts. Work with Kopel will likely include assisting the preparation of amicus briefs and scholarly research on cutting edge issues.