Legal Intern/Extern (U.S. Legal Services)

International Refugee Assistance Project • New York, NY

3d • Remote

About The Position

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) seeks two law students for summer internships or externships with its U.S. Legal Services Department. The role is remote, with a possible option to work from IRAP’s New York City office. The position requires a 10-week commitment, from June 7 through August 13, 2027. Onboarding days are scheduled for June 7–9, 2027, at IRAP’s New York office. Applicants who can work only part-time or cannot begin on the stated start date are still encouraged to apply.

IRAP’s summer program contemplates paid internships, while asking interns to first pursue public-interest funding through their law schools. If paid by IRAP, interns receive $17 per hour or the applicable state minimum wage, for 40 hours per week. Externships are unpaid and offered for academic credit, coordinated with the applicant’s school. Internship and externship candidates are considered equally. Internship applicants must have U.S. work authorization; externship applicants may apply regardless of work authorization status.

Requirements

• Be a rising 2L or 3L enrolled in a J.D. program in the United States.
• Have strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Have strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTI clients, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable populations.
• Show initiative in seeing projects through and the ability to multitask.
• Be proficient in Google Workspace.
• Have excellent English communication skills.
• Have a strong interest in refugee processing, immigration law, and human rights.
• Internship applicants must have work authorization in the United States; this requirement does not apply to externship applicants.
• Commit to 10 weeks; the position is full-time, though applicants able to work only part-time are encouraged to apply.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to speak Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Somali, Pashto, Kurdish, or Spanish.
• Relevant life or work experience, as described in the requested cover letter.
• Lived experience in communities IRAP serves, membership in marginalized communities, or identities underrepresented in the legal profession.

Responsibilities

• Support direct representation of forcibly displaced people and their family members seeking safe passage to the United States by drafting memos and briefs, conducting fact-finding, and interviewing clients.
• Conduct intake interviews and identify client needs for direct services.
• Participate in discrete special projects, including remote legal clinics.
• Conduct outreach to affected communities, prepare legal information materials, and participate in public education efforts.
• Draft and update legal practitioner guides, analyze changes in law and newly released government documents, and create materials to assist IRAP staff and legal aid practitioners.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed