The Castle Coalition is the Institute for Justice’s nationwide grassroots property rights activism project.  Founded in 2002, the Castle Coalition teaches home and small business owners how to protect themselves and stand up to the greedy governments and developers who seek to use eminent domain to take private property for their own gain. And thanks to the gracious generosity of our donors, we're able to do this for free.

With our Eminent Domain Abuse Survival Guide, we provide activists around the country with the tools and strategies necessary to successfully stop the abuse of eminent domain in their towns.  We travel the nation to meet with and educate concerned citizens about government-backed land grabs and also host training sessions for affected neighborhoods that are threatened by eminent domain abuse.  Through our membership network, we give support to those communities most endangered by the alliance of tax-hungry governments and land-hungry developers.

In the wake of Kelo v. City of New London, we launched our Hands Off My Home campaign, an aggressive initiative to effect significant and substantial reforms of state and local eminent domain laws. While we're not a lobbying firm, we do provide a unique and principled perspective to legislators at every level of government on how to better protect the property rights of Americans everywhere.

Although we’re unable to litigate or become actively involved in every situation, we will provide you with the tools and tips you need to effectively fight and defeat the abuse of eminent domain in your own backyard.  We’ll do whatever we can to help you keep your home, small business, church or farm from the government and its corporate allies.  We look forward to working with you.

Job Opportunities

Castle Coalition Maffucci Fellowship

Thanks to a generous donation by the Maffucci Family Foundation, the Institute for Justice is pleased to announce a new opportunity for college students and postgraduates.

The Castle Coalition is seeking fellows for its internship program. The fellowship includes assisting with exciting research projects, helping track eminent domain situations across the country, and providing valuable administrative support to staff on a variety of tasks. Interns gain inimitable experience on the front lines of the property rights movement.

The Castle Coalition is the Institute for Justice's nationwide grassroots property rights activism project. We help home and small business owners protect themselves against eminent domain abuse and stand up to governments and developers who seek to take private property for their own gain. The Institute for Justice litigates to secure economic liberty, private property rights, school choice, freedom of speech and other vital individual liberties and to restore constitutional limits on the power of government. We seek a rule of law under which individuals can control their destinies as free and responsible members of society.

The Maffucci Fellowship is full-time and the duration is flexible, from 3 to 6 months. Fellows receive a monthly stipend, and undergraduates are encouraged to attempt to obtain academic credit for their work.  This fellowship is not for current law students.

Candidates should possess exceptional writing skills, be attentive to detail, and have a strong commitment to individual freedom and property rights as well as a familiarity with eminent domain abuse.

Former interns say:
"You really feel like you're making a difference when you work with the Castle Coalition. From writing pieces on eminent domain abuse to tracking legislation, to researching market based solutions to economic revitalization, I learned a lot and thoroughly felt that my work was important to the movement." - Marisa Maleck, future University of Chicago law student

"I think a Castle Coalition internship is unique because of the variety of the work involved. While I was an intern, my duties brought me to Capitol Hill, a political action conference, and of course Castle Coalition events. Also, I got to work on a variety of written materials. I was given the opportunity to write an article for the Castle Coalition website and I got a letter-to-the-editor published in my hometown newspaper." - David Pellegrin, 1L at Harvard Law School

"Being a part of the Castle Coalition team is a unique experience. While many internships leave students making copies and answering phones, in the time I spent with the Castle Coalition, I understood the importance of every project I was involved with. Being a part of a team that never loses sight of the big picture is an opportunity like no other." - Allen Unzelman, Pacific Lutheran University, Class of 2008

Please send a cover letter (detailing your interest in the Castle Coalition), resume, and writing sample to the attention of:

Christina Walsh
Director of Activism and Coalitions
Institute for Justice
901 N. Glebe Road, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
cwalsh@ij.org
Fax - (703) 682-9321
Application Deadline: Rolling.  Now accepting applications for Fall 2010.  No phone calls, please.