Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY:
HIAS seeks a Legal Intern, New York to assist HIAS� direct legal services programs which benefit asylum seekers. The intern will conduct research, writing, and draft filings for the immigration court and United States Citizenship & Immigration Services. Through this internship, the intern will learn about United States immigration law, focusing on humanitarian relief, and the practice of law in a nonprofit setting. They will report to the Senior Staff Attorney, and they will work with the in-house Legal and Pro Bono teams.
We ask that applicants be available for 35 hours/week for 10-12 weeks beginning in June 2026. The compensation for this internship is $2000 per month.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Conducts thorough legal and factual research on topics assigned by HIAS Attorneys.
- Writes memorandums, briefs, and other documents in support of HIAS� immigration legal cases.
- Develops client declarations and application forms through interviews.
- Assists the legal team in preparation and presentation of asylum claims (affirmative and defensive); special immigrant juvenile cases; U-visa and T-Visa cases.
- Maintains records and contributes to program reports in compliance with any applicable grants or other agreements.
- Assists Pro Bono Attorney teams with client interview and client preparation of asylum claims.
- Reviews, prepares and finalizes applications for client benefits.
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:
- Current law student (rising 2L or 3L) or recent law school graduate.
- Strong interest in asylum law and/or processing, human rights and international law.
- Fluency in Spanish, French and/or Russian strongly preferred.
- Must be resourceful, thorough and analytical in order to develop information and obtain materials relevant to the research requested.
- Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills required.