Status: Part - Time, Non - Exempt, Specific Term (through May 2025, 10 - 12 hours per week)

Location: Newark, NJ

Application Deadline: September 16, 2024

For consideration, please attach your Cover Letter and Resume to the online application in addition to answering the Application Questions.

Background

The American Friends Service Committee promotes a longstanding Quaker concern for the causes and impact of human migration. AFSC’s Immigrant Rights Program integrates legal services, advocacy, and organizing, and provides legal representation in challenging immigration cases while also ensuring that immigrant voices in New Jersey and beyond are heard in policy debates. Since 1996, AFSC has provided legal counseling and representation to thousands of immigrants, including people in detention, youth, survivors of domestic violence and other crimes, asylum seekers, and individuals who have faced long struggles to obtain legal status. AFSC also conducts training sessions and education to immigrant communities, social service providers and attorneys in New Jersey.

Summary of Principal Responsibilities :

The Ray D’Uva Legal Services Intern will work with and under the supervision of AFSC Community Justice legal services staff to conduct intakes with immigrants for eligibility for humanitarian and family-based forms of immigration relief; provide critical support in removal defense cases; prepare applications for submission to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); assist with legal research and writing; and work with clients to gather information and documents needed in support of their immigration cases. Depending on COVID guidelines, the internship will offer the opportunity to observe and participate in immigration court proceedings, as well as USCIS interviews.

Essential Functions/Specific Responsibilities :

1. Assist in or conduct intakes to determine eligibility for immigration benefits such as asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention against Torture, cancellation of removal, VAWA, U Visa, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status or other immigration relief.
2. Provide support in removal defense cases and observe and participate in immigration court proceedings, as appropriate.
3. Research legal issues and prepare country conditions documents.
4. Draft briefs and legal memoranda.
5. Gather documentation and assist with application preparation.
6. Translate documents or assist with interpretation, as necessary.
7. Participate in Immigrant Rights Program and other AFSC meetings.

Minimum Qualifications :

1. Rising 2L or 3L in law school.
2. Personal experience with immigration law and or policy a plus.
3. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment.
4. Good oral and written communication skills.
5. Ability to communicate effectively and build mutually respectful relationships with co-workers, clients, and the public.
6. Ability to work effectively and comfortably with Quaker principles.
7. Self-motivated, detail-oriented, well-organized, able to prioritize assignments and workload.
8. Fluency in a foreign language (Spanish preferred) in addition to English is preferred

Compensation : $20.00 per hour - Non-Exempt – There are no medical, dental, or life insurance benefits, short-term or long-term insurance benefits with this position. AFSC does participate in unemployment, worker’s compensation, and social security.

The American Friends Service Committee is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation, race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

The AFSC maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities, and thus recommends vaccination for COVID-19, as well as adherence to social distancing, masking, and office occupancy protocols.

The Northeast Regional Office of the AFSC is a unionized workplace. This position is not represented under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.