Legal Intern at the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants seeks a law student to serve as a Legal Intern with the Immigration Clinic in the Albany Field Office.

ABOUT USCRI

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has been helping people flee war and persecution since 1911. USCRI addresses the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide by advancing fair and humane public policy, facilitating and providing direct professional services, and promoting the full participation of migrants in community life.

Through its network of resettlement field offices and partner organizations, USCRI provides refugees and immigrants across the United States with the support, services and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives and enrich their communities.

The USCRI field office in Albany opened in 2005 and now resettles hundreds of refugee families every year in the Capitol Region of New York State. The largest populations served by the Albany field office are Burmese, Iraqi, Afghan, Congolese, and Bhutanese refugees.

USCRI Albany is accredited by the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals and also provides immigration-related legal services. Immigration Clinic is managed by a staff attorney who consults with refugees, asylees, and other low-income immigrants interested in filing family-based immigration applications, applications to adjust to permanent resident status, naturalization applications, and some humanitarian-based immigration benefits. These services are open to any eligible person in the community, whether or not they were resettled by USCRI. In most cases, USCRI charges only nominal fees for its services.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Immigration Clinic Legal Intern will be under the direct supervision of the Immigration Services Coordinator, a licensed attorney. This is an intensive internship designed to provide the Immigration Services Coordinator with skilled assistance on immigration cases and to prepare the intern for future employment in legal, immigration, human rights, or humanitarian fields. By the end of the internship, the intern will have gained valuable experience by working in the following capacities.

The Immigration Clinic Legal Intern will be expected to:

• Perform client intake and initial assessment of client legal needs
• Assist clients with filling out routine forms
• Conduct legal research using various research vehicles, including legal databases, internet sources and interviews
• Proofread and edit legal documents
• Develop and maintain relationships with other area service providers
• Translate and interpret (if needed and possible)
• Answer telephones, take messages and route calls; open mail and draft correspondence; respond to written and verbal inquiries
• Organize and maintain an electronic and paper filing system
• Maintain a professional demeanor and abide by all confidentiality rules

BENEFITS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO USCRI ALBANY INTERNS

All interns have access to a range of benefits during their time at USCRI Albany, including on-the-job learning opportunities and professional development resources. USCRI Albany interns can expect to do the following:

• Develop a rich understanding of refugees and refugee resettlement.
• Experience immersion in the daily operations in the field office of a multicultural nonprofit organization with a century of experience serving immigrants and refugees across the United States and internationally.
• Participate in on-site and online trainings related to both the field of refugee resettlement and skills relevant to any nonprofit setting. Interns can join in weekly webinars offered through the national USCRI network and can access trainings provided by partner agencies.
• USCRI staff are available to provide advice on job search in the refugee resettlement field, and will review and provide feedback on interns’ resumes and cover letters.

Many interns also:

• Take advantage of the opportunity to network with refugee resettlement sites around the country and other social service agencies in the Albany area.
• Gain leadership and/or project management experience through volunteer supervision and program development.
• Assist with fundraising activities, including grant writing and special events.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The terms of the internship are the following:

• During the summer, this internship requires a commitment of 10-12 weeks, 15-30 hours per week. Preference is given to candidates who can work 40 hours for 4-6 months.

• During the academic year, this internship requires a commitment of 10-12 weeks, 8-20 hours per week. Preference is given to candidates who can work 10+ hours for 4-6 months.

• Interns are highly encouraged to seek alternate funding, as all USCRI Albany internships are unpaid. Interns are responsible for all living expenses during the internship period.

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EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED

• Enrolled in an accredited law school. Preference will be given to individuals with immigration law experience or coursework.
• Must speak, read, and write English fluently.
• Must have excellent legal research and writing skills
• Must have excellent organizational, time-management, interpersonal, administrative skills, and attention to detail.
• Must be capable of working in a fast-paced, multicultural office environment; taking initiative; and able to handle multiple assignments at once while meeting deadlines.
• Committed to the human rights and general welfare of refugees and immigrants.

DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED

• Candidates who are fluent in a second language in addition to English are highly desired. Preference will be given to speakers of: Arabic, Burmese, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Karen, Karenni, Nepali, French, and Russian.
• Solid understanding of international relations, immigration law, refugee law, administrative law, human rights and public interest legal work.
• Experience with victims of torture or torture-related issues.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Jen Barkan, Resource Manager, at info@uscri-albany.org.

Please indicate in your cover letter the time frame and number of hours per week you would be available for the internship.

If you are interested in being considered for more than one internship with USCRI Albany, please indicate this in your cover letter; there is no need to submit multiple applications.

The position will remain open until filled.