Legal Internship, Immigration Impact LAB

Overview

This role is a legal internship supporting appellate and federal litigation work focused on immigrants’ rights. The internship involves assisting staff with appeals and federal court matters, including work related to asylum/Convention Against Torture, immigration detention, and related legal issues.

Internships are available for Spring 2027.

Responsibilities

Appeals (Board of Immigration Appeals and U.S. Courts of Appeal)

The legal intern may assist with aspects of ongoing appeals involving:

• Asylum/Convention Against Torture
• The intersection of criminal and immigration law (“crimmigration”)
• Immigration detention

Support may include:

• Assessing new referrals
• Conducting legal research
• Writing memoranda
• Contributing to amicus and merits briefing

Habeas Petitions

The legal intern may assist with drafting habeas petitions to secure the release of immigrant adults from detention, and with preparing habeas cases for placement with pro bono partners. Duties may include:

• Legal research
• Phone interviews with clients in detention
• Evidence collection
• Drafting petitions
• Collaboration with community advocacy groups

FOIA Litigation

The legal intern may assist with new and ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), including:

• Drafting FOIA requests and complaints
• Researching applicability of FOIA exemptions
• Tracking and analyzing FOIA production

Resources, Trainings, and Practice Advisories

The legal intern may help develop website resources, conduct trainings, and draft practice advisories to support and educate attorneys who work with immigrants in detention. This may include:

• Working on crimmigration case analyses to assist criminal defense attorneys in Virginia and Maryland
• Developing public resources available on the organization’s website and by request

Qualifications

• Second- or third-year law student at a U.S. ABA-accredited law school (evening students welcome)
• Ability to commit at least 15 hours a week
• Strong legal research, communication, and writing skills
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with willingness to work quickly and effectively with a team
• Interest and/or experience in immigration law, immigrants’ rights, or related areas such as social justice and advocacy
• Comfort working with adults and children from low socio-economic backgrounds, including individuals with histories of trauma and prior interactions with the criminal justice system
• Background in community organizing/political lobbying is a plus but not required
• Spanish fluency is preferred but not required; fluency in other languages (including French, Portuguese, or Arabic) is welcome

Preferred / Additional Notes

• Applicants from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
• If relevant, discuss how your background motivates your interest in the position or otherwise affects your career goals.

Required Resources

• A laptop or computer
• Reliable internet
• A phone
• The organization may be able to provide access to a temporary laptop as needed.

Compensation & Benefits

• Internships are unpaid.
• The organization can assist students seeking internship credit.
• A limited number of small scholarship stipends may be available by separate application.

Location & Work Arrangement

• Work will support matters in the Capital Region and beyond.
• Remote work: For Spring 2027, all internships may be remote. There is no requirement for in-person work, though interns may have the opportunity to observe court in person if they would like to. For interns physically accessible to Washington, D.C., there will be opportunities for in-office work, in-person meetings, and events with staff and fellow interns.

Time Commitment & Dates

• Spring internship commitment: at least 15 hours a week for 14 weeks
• Start date: on or about January 4, 2027 (start date is flexible)

Application Process

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; interviews may be scheduled and offers may be given before the deadline.

Deadline

• November 27, 2027

Materials to Submit (PDF)

• Cover letter describing experiences (personal and professional) that motivated you to apply
• Resume
• At least two references
• Writing sample (legal memoranda and briefs accepted; research papers and articles accepted). Only one writing sample is required and preferred.

Application Notes

• Apply to ONLY ONE department within the organization. If applying for this internship with the Immigration Impact Lab, do not apply for internships with other programs.