Legal Fellow

Human Rights First

Apr 6

Applications are closed

Internship
Full-time
Off-cycle Internship
Legal
$60K - $63K
Washington, DC, +2

Requirements

A U.S. law degree (J.D.) by summer 2024;
Admission to a state bar or pending admission as of fall 2024;
Previous experience working with people seeking asylum and/or other immigrants, through law school clinics, judicial clerkships, or legal internships;
Strong written and oral communication skills and a demonstrated ability to translate highly-technical material for a variety of audiences;
Ability to communicate patiently, respectfully, and empathetically with individuals from a variety of backgrounds;
Familiarity with U.S. immigration law and policy;
Ability to take initiative, manage numerous tasks simultaneously, work under pressure and meet deadlines, and identify and analyze legal issues;
Willingness to travel, including to the U.S.-Mexico border region to conduct research on access to asylum and document the impact of U.S. asylum policies; and
Fluency in Spanish is required, and fluency in another language, such as an Indigenous language of the Americas, Haitian Creole, or French, is desirable.

Responsibilities

The fellow will work full-time at a Human Rights First office location in New York City, Washington, D.C. or Los Angeles, with preference for New York City. A willingness to travel to the U.S.-Mexico border region to support research, including through interviews with legal service providers and people seeking asylum in the United States is desired. The refugee protection team’s director and/or senior attorney will supervise and mentor the fellow. Any direct representation of asylum seekers provided by the fellow will be supervised by a senior attorney on the Refugee Representation team. Previous legal fellows with Human Rights First have had the opportunity to, among other things, represent clients in immigration court and before the Asylum Office; engage in representation and advocacy on behalf of detained asylum seekers; conduct research and advocacy on border policies impacting asylum seekers; research and draft reports and recommendations on improving the immigration courts; and draft press releases, policy recommendations, and reports to advocate for systemic change of the asylum system, many of which have been reported in media outlets such as The Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and Buzzfeed News.

Human Rights First

Human Rights First leads actions that hold oppressors accountable and free people from injustice.

Government

Industry

51-200

Employees

1978

Founded Year

Mission & Purpose

Human Rights First is an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. We believe American leadership is essential in the struggle for human rights so we press the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law. When they don’t, we step in to demand reform, accountability and justice. Whether we are protecting refugees, combating torture, or defending persecuted minorities, we focus not on making a point, but on making a difference. For over 30 years, we’ve built bipartisan coalitions and teamed up with frontline activists and lawyers to tackle issues that demand American leadership. Around the world, we work where we can best harness American influence to secure core freedoms. Human Rights First is a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C.