Legal Externship (Fall 2026)

Tahirih Justice Center•Baltimore, MD

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Tahirih Justice Center is a national, nonprofit organization that serves women, girls, and all immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other violence. Our whole-person approach to services provides each survivor with free legal support and social services to secure their rights and build stable lives. We translate our client services work into expert training, outreach, and policy advocacy to ensure that systems, laws, and policies protect immigrant survivors from violence and exploitation. Our programs efficiently and effectively leverage donated professional services from a vast network of attorneys, medical professionals, and other experts to serve as many immigrant survivors as possible. By amplifying the experiences of survivors, our mission is to create a world in which all people share equal rights and live in safety and with dignity. We specialize in the representation of immigrant survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and other violent crimes who seek immigration relief under the Violence Against Women Act and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as of refugees fleeing gender-based persecution who seek protection under U.S. asylum laws. Our legal advocacy includes both direct service to individuals and broader efforts to transform policies, develop regulations, and set precedent so that systemic change will ensure the long-term protection of individuals from violence due to their gender.

Requirements

Commitment to at least 15 hours per week in a hybrid environment, for an internship term of at least 10 weeks, not including school holidays
Enrollment in accredited law school, excellent research, writing and analytical skills, commitment to or interest in public interest law.
Enrollment in Law school externship
Must work well independently and together with a team of attorneys, paralegals, and social service professionals.
Must be detail-oriented, well-organized, responsible, personable, and comfortable working with diverse populations from a variety of backgrounds.
Sensitivity to working with trauma survivors.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Language skills, particularly Spanish, highly desired but not required.
Previous experience in Immigration law, domestic violence or criminal law is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

Assist attorneys with client communications and interviewing prospective clients.
Assist attorney(s) with preparing for court hearings at Baltimore and Hyattsville Immigration Courts, such as with compiling trial binders, preparing requests for prosecutorial discretion, drafting and preparing motions, and observing court hearing if there is availability and interest.
Assist attorney(s) with preparing for asylum interviews at Arlington Asylum Office, such as collecting and compiling supplemental evidence, preparing filing submissions, and observing mock interview sessions with clients if there is availability and interest.
With attorney supervision, draft legal documents such as client letters, client declarations, Legal memoranda, and briefs. Research country conditions for asylum, VAWA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and/or U visa/T visa cases.
Process mail, maintain and update information in electronic case management systems and physical files.
Opportunities may arise to participate in community outreach and/or advocacy work, if the intern is interested, but this would not be a major focus of the internship.