Edwin Meese III Internship Program
The Edwin Meese III Internship Program prepares liberty-minded college students for careers in law and public policy through hands-on experience in legal research, writing, and advocacy. Named for President Reagan’s Attorney General, Ed Meese, who fought tirelessly for constitutional originalism, this program seeks to pass on his legacy to the next generation of lawyers. Our interns learn to defend the Rule of Law and engage with key constitutional issues.
Interns contribute to Landmark’s mission by producing policy briefs, blog posts, and media content that inform the public and support constitutional governance. Their work strengthens Landmark’s impact while building their own professional skills.
The Foundation’s educational efforts are central to Landmark’s mission to promote liberty by defending the constitution.
Educating Young Conservatives
Gary L. McDowell Fellowship Program
Landmark established a post graduate fellowship program in 2023 in memory of Landmark’s long-serving board member, Professor Gary L. McDowell. The McDowell Fellowship is a year-long program providing exceptional college graduates with an intense immersion in our legal work.
A giant in the conservative legal movement, McDowell helped former Attorney General and Landmark Legal Foundation board member Ed Meese make the case for originalism, a groundbreaking concept when they served at the U.S. Department of Justice during the Reagan Administration.
McDowell was a consummate champion of the Constitution and a friend of freedom, whom Margaret Thatcher counted as a confidante.
In a tribute to McDowell, U.S. Senator Todd Young wrote “Until his last days, he took ideas seriously and treated people generously. These are his legacies and they will not be forgotten. He spent his life advancing the common good so that in his stead others might keep the lamp of liberty burning.”
Gary L. McDowell
About the Program
The McDowell Fellowship program is a means to pass on the torch and build on his inspiring legacy.
It is imperative that the next generation of lawyers and judges are equipped with the principles and skills necessary to promote liberty, defend the Constitution, and preserve America’s principles in the face of threats from the radical left.
Landmark welcomed its first college interns in the summer of 2022. The program provides a select cadre of young conservatives with the opportunity to defend the rule of law and hone their intellectual and professional skills.
Interns assist on critical projects, allowing Landmark to increase its research capacity and invigorate the next generation of conservative leaders. Several examples of intern engagement include, but are not limited to the following: providing research to inform complaints filed by Landmark; learning how to defend the Constitution; reviewing and summarizing relevant precedents as lawyers prepare briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court; developing regulatory comments for legal and public review; filing and processing important documents; and studying key documents that have shaped the American judicial system.
By the time they leave Landmark, interns are able to submerse themselves in the particulars of a case, study the relevant precedent, and produce a clearly written and persuasive constitutional argument.
To learn more, or if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Landmark Legal Foundation intern, please contact [email protected].
McDowell Alumni Update
We expanded both fellow and intern programs because of our great experience with the first fellows. Our Fellows’ successes are our successes because as college students understand how a McDowell Fellowship could save them hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit scholarships, we attract more high-quality candidates who produce high-quality work. We will continue recruiting at the University of Virgina and will send a team to the jobs fair this fall. We will also expand our reach as our people move to other universities and organizations.
Ben Whearty (2023-2024)
Ben, a 2L at George Mason University’s Scalia Law, has worked part time for us this year. He he interned at Chase Bridge Bank’s trust and estates department this summer. Both Ethan and Ben received full merit scholarships for law school.
Ben says: “The McDowell Fellowship was an opportunity for which I will forever be grateful. I was given a thorough foundational education on legal subjects I would encounter in First Year in addition to my daily exposure to today’s pressing constitutional law issues. And, I learned research, writing, and argumentative skills which have been indispensable in my legal studies at Scalia Law.”
Ethan Sullivan (2022-2023)
Ethan, a 3L at SMU Law, will serve as a clerk to Judge Edith Jones on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals after graduation and then to Judge Sean Jordan in the Eastern District of Texas. Ethan is an editor of the SMU Law Review and is president of their Federalist Society chapter. His professor, Bryan Garner, a national expert on legal writing, offered him a position as a research assistant this fall. Ethan will split his time this summer working at Texas and Montana’s Solicitor Generals’ offices.
Ethan says: “My participation in the McDowell Fellowship was mission-critical to my success at law school. Thankfully, their originalism inoculated me against the excess of liberal academia. Moreover, the ideas I studied have served me in the attainment of multiple judicial clerkships and leadership positions in the Federalist Society at my school. Best of all, Landmark equipped me with vital mentorship opportunities. The law is an apprenticeship profession. And there is no better place to learn the ropes than with the experienced attorneys at Landmark.”
Meet our Fellows
Justin C. Harned
Gary L. McDowell Fellow, Landmark Legal Foundation
Justin Harned is a Legal Research Fellow at Landmark Legal Foundation, where he supports constitutional research and policy development. A graduate of Georgia College and State University with degrees in Public Health and Political Science, Justin previously served on Capitol Hill with the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship under Chair Joni Ernst. He later joined the Committee as a full-time staffer, focusing on regulatory reform, tax policy, and veteran entrepreneurship.
Selected for both the Stennis Center Congressional Internship and The Public Interest Fellowship’s American Capitalism Seminar, Justin brings a strong foundation in legal and economic policy. He plans to begin law school in August 2026 and is committed to defending the rule of law and advancing limited government.
Fun fact: Justin has traveled to six continents and is an avid golfer.
Peyton Tuttle
Gary L. McDowell Fellow, Landmark Legal Foundation
Peyton Tuttle is a Gary L. McDowell Fellow at Landmark Legal Foundation and a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she earned her degree in Politics with distinction in just two years. She previously served as an Edwin Meese Intern and is now preparing for the LSAT with plans to attend the University of Richmond School of Law.
At Landmark, Peyton has contributed research memoranda to the Foundation’s federal courts briefing program and produced investigative work presented to staffers on the House Oversight Committee. She is deeply committed to advancing constitutional principles and conservative legal thought.
Aidan Sheahan
Gary L. McDowell Fellow, Landmark Legal Foundation
Aidan Sheahan is a 2025–2026 Gary L. McDowell Fellow at Landmark Legal Foundation. Originally from Harrisonburg, Virginia, he graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2024, completing a Distinguished Majors Program in Political Philosophy, Policy and Law, with a minor in history.
Before joining Landmark, Aidan worked at Argus Insight, an opposition research firm in Arlington, Virginia. His interests include hiking in the Shenandoah Valley, nonprofit service, teaching dance, and preparing for law school.
William Forys
Gary L. McDowell Fellow, Landmark Legal Foundation
William Forys graduated magna cum laude and with departmental honors with BA degrees in both Biology and International & Public Affairs from Brown University. Prior to his service as an Edwin Meese III intern, Will worked in the medical field as a student research assistant and a medical interpreter for Spanish speaking patients in Rhode Island. Will is committed to Harvard Law School commencing in the fall of 2026, which he chose over the University of Virginia School of Medicine.