Legal Fellowship Opportunity for 2027- Immigration Practice

Brooklyn Defender Services•New York, NY

10d•$90,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks to sponsor rising third year law students, judicial law clerks, and recent law graduates to sponsor for post-graduate public interest law fellowships in Fall 2027. BDS will consider proposals that support BDS’s mission to provide the highest quality legal representation and extend our work in innovative ways; we are particularly interested in developing a project focused on rapidly responding to the constant immigration enforcement and policy changes that impact BDS clients across the organization. BDS is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. For 30 years, BDS has worked, in and out of court, to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality. Our legal expertise and our work with clients is focused on the intersections of these legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty. BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs. In addition to a zealous legal defense, our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services, including for housing, public benefits, education, and employment. BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities. BDS’s Immigration Practice is a collaborative team that represents people in detained and non-detained removal proceedings, as well as affirmative applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal circuit courts.

Requirements

Rising third year law student, judicial law clerk, and/or recent law school graduate.
Willing and able to commit time to write – and meet interim and final deadlines for – one or more fellowship applications, with input, guidance, and supervision from BDS staff.
Demonstrated commitment to social justice, immigrant rights, and/or civil rights.
Ability to understand and analyze complex legal issues.
Excellent written and oral advocacy skills, including the ability to draft clear and persuasive legal documents.
Excellent organizational skills, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and able to adapt to urgent situations.
Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively and collegially as part of a team.
Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate and connect with people with varied backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

Nice To Haves

Spoken and written fluency in Spanish highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop a rapid response project to work with non-citizens clients being referred to our Immigration team from all BDS practices.
Assist where clients have approaching court dates, deadlines, or check-ins and need fast motions, briefing, or other responses and preparation.
Work with BDS to complete submissions for national fellowships like Equal Justice Works and Skadden during the summer and early fall.