Legal Fellow

African Communities Together•Silver Spring, MD

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

African Communities Together (ACT) is seeking to sponsor third-year law students, judicial law clerks, and recent law graduates for Skadden and Equal Justice Works public interest law fellowships starting in Fall of 2027. The fellowship will be based in ACT’s Maryland office and will be a two-year position, with the potential for conversion to a permanent role. The fellowship is a full-time, hybrid position with a flexible schedule to be determined with the supervisor. The baseline salary is $70,000, with additional compensation negotiable based on experience. ACT is an organization of African immigrants dedicated to fighting for civil rights, opportunity, and a better life for their families in the U.S. and worldwide. They empower African immigrants through social integration, economic advancement, and civic engagement, developing grassroots leaders for social change. ACT has a history of providing direct services, training leaders, and leading successful policy campaigns. The organization serves a diverse membership of African immigrants from various nationalities, cultures, languages, and religions, predominantly working-class and low-income individuals, with offices in New York City, Philadelphia, and the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Requirements

Rising third-year law students or recent law school graduates eligible for Skadden and/or Equal Justice Works fellowship programs.
Passionate about the mission of ACT.
Dedicated to advancing social, racial, and economic justice through legal interventions and advocacy.

Nice To Haves

Fellowship projects that are timely in responding to emerging community needs.
Fellowship projects that explicitly seek to dismantle or mitigate obstacles to overcoming poverty and crisis and impede access to justice for communities who experience disparate outcomes and increased vulnerability.
Consideration of technology and/or innovative engagement models to expand access to justice.

Responsibilities

Develop a fellowship project proposal in collaboration with ACT.
Expand the number of individuals impacted by ACT's services.
Propose new models of service that center NYC communities in design and implementation.
Advance equity and deepen the breadth of services provided.
Identify opportunities for inter-agency collaboration to comprehensively respond to client needs.
Leverage impact litigation to break down systemic barriers and inequities.
Focus legal interventions on immigration and their impact on African communities.
Engage in direct client services, community education, advocacy, pro bono involvement, and/or impact litigation.
Consider how technology and/or innovative engagement models may expand access to justice.