Legal Intern/Extern

Summary

Join the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) as a summer intern in their U.S. Legal Services Department! This remote internship offers the option to work from IRAP's NYC or DC offices. You will support the direct representation of forcibly displaced people, conduct intake interviews, participate in special projects, and contribute to other programmatic departments. The internship requires a 10-week commitment starting May 27, 2025. IRAP offers paid internships at $16/hour or non-compensated positions for academic credit. Apply by January 17, 2025, with a cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and references.

Requirements

• Be a rising 2L or 3L, enrolled in a J.D. program in the United States
• Possess strong research, writing, and analytical skills
• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Demonstrate sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTI clients, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable populations
• Show initiative to see projects through and ability to multitask
• Be proficient in Google Workspace and Westlaw or LexisNexis
• Possess excellent English communication skills
• Have work authorization in the United States for application for an internship
• Commit to a full-time internship for 10 weeks

Responsibilities

• Support the direct representation of forcibly displaced people and their family members seeking safe passage to the United States by drafting memos briefs, conducting fact-finding, and interviewing clients
• Conduct intake interviews and identify client needs for direct services
• Participate in discrete special projects, including remote legal clinics
• Conduct outreach to affected communities, prepare legal information materials, and participate in public education efforts
• Participate in litigation efforts as appropriate, including conducting factual and legal research, preparing litigation documents, and cite-checking
• Conduct legal research in support of a multi-organizational working group on climate change
• Draft and update legal practitioner guides, analyze changes in law and newly released government documents, and create other materials to assist IRAP staff and legal aid practitioners

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to speak Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Somali, Pashto, Kurdish, or Spanish
• Strong interest in refugee processing, immigration law, and human rights

Benefits

• Paid internship where students are compensated $16 per hour (or intern’s state minimum wage to be applied) for 40 hours per week
• Non-compensated positions for academic credit(s)