Equal Justice Works Post-Graduate Fellowships

Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota; Minnesota; On-site; USD 80,560 - 84,800; Full time

Job summary

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is seeking a Post-Graduate Fellow to provide legal representation and support for low-income immigrants. This full-time role includes developing community-specific fellowship proposals and assisting in educational initiatives. Applicants should possess a J.D. or L.L.M. and demonstrate strong communication skills.

The position offers a starting salary of $80,560 for unlicensed fellows and $84,800 for licensed fellows, with opportunities to contribute positively to Minnesota's diverse immigrant population.

Qualifications

• Must possess a J.D. or L.L.M. and be admitted to a state bar.
• Strong communication skills required.
• Experience with immigrant communities is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal representation to low-income immigrants.
• Develop fellowship proposals that meet community needs.
• Assist in educational programs related to immigration law.

Skills

Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills

Attention to detail

Ability to manage multiple projects

Client service skills

Time management skills

Education

J.D. degree or L.L.M.

Admission to a state bar by fellowship start date

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Equal Justice Works and Other Post-Graduate Fellowships

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota plans to sponsor applicants for Equal Justice Works and/or other post‑graduate legal fellowships starting in the fall of 2027.

Organization Summary: The mission of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is to enhance opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation for low‑income individuals, and through education and advocacy with diverse communities. Our goals are to:

• Remedy legal problems by providing quality immigration legal services to low‑income immigrants and refugees of all nationalities.
• Prevent legal problems by providing law‑related education to immigrants and refugees of all nationalities.
• Raise public awareness of immigration issues to encourage sound public policy that protects the universal human rights of immigrants and is both compassionate and practical.

The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) is an approximately 45‑person office with five locations in the State of Minnesota including two Saint Paul offices and offices in Moorhead, Worthington, and Austin. ILCM also has a North Dakota office in Fargo serving refugees and asylees. ILCM has been in operation since 1996, and is funded through individual, law firm, corporate, United Way, foundation, and local, state, and federal government support. www.ilcm.org

Job Title: Post‑Graduate Fellow Location: Any ILCM office

Type: Full‑time Closing Date: Open until filled, but preference given to applications received on or before July 15, 2026

Salary: ILCM has a scale designed based on years of experience that starts at $80,560 for an unlicensed fellow and $84,800 for a licensed fellow.

Welcome prospective Equal Justice Works (EJW) and other post‑graduate fellows! This is an exciting opportunity to serve the emerging needs of immigrants and refugees in Minnesota, home to one of the country’s most diverse and growing immigrant populations. ILCM also has a strong history of successfully sponsoring applicants who have grown into leaders in the immigration legal community. Many individuals who completed EJW fellowships with ILCM became full‑time members of the ILCM staff.

ILCM is seeking to sponsor applicants for EJW and/or other postgraduate legal fellowships. ILCM plans to select applicants for sponsorship by early August. ILCM and the applicant will together develop a fellowship proposal that meets the needs of the community and ILCM and the skills and interests of the applicant. If the sponsored applicant is selected for a fellowship, ILCM expects that they will accept and complete the fellowship. Most post‑graduate fellowships are two years.

Required Skills/Experience Include:

• J.D. degree or L.L.M. and admission to a state bar by fellowship start date, or for applicants taking the July 2027 bar exam, or as soon as possible thereafter.
• Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• High level of attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines, and to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Familiarity with diverse refugee and immigrant communities, community agencies, and resources.
• Demonstrated interest in serving the low‑income immigrant and refugee community and experience working with persons of diverse economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to work constructively with others, possess good judgment, learn quickly, and work well independently and under pressure as well, including developing relationships with clients, partnering agencies, Board members, volunteers, independent contractors, and staff.
• Able to communicate clearly in person and in writing.
• Understand and display high levels of client service, with excellent listening skills.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, coordinate, and manage own work.
• Able to work unsupervised and solve routine problems independently, effectively and creatively.
• Applies effective time management skills in order to meet all deadlines.
• Displays flexibility to meet organization’s unique needs and works with a proactive, ownership approach to work and operates with a sense of urgency.
• Work as an effective and proactive team‑player; understand the importance of supporting coworkers.
• Understands confidential nature of organization information and maintains confidence.
• Working knowledge of standard word processing and presentation programs (i.e., Microsoft Word and Power Point) required.
• Knowledge of immigration form programs and case database experience a plus.
• Meet the requirements of the fellowship for which the applicant is applying. The main requirements are listed below, but please see the fellowship website for detailed requirements.

Equal Justice Works:

• You must have graduated from an Equal Justice Works member law school before September 2027 with a J.D. or LL.M.
• You may not have held a full‑time (more than 30 hours/week), permanent, public interest lawyer position previously, though applicants coming from bridge/gap fellowships or clerkships are eligible.
• Experienced private sector lawyers who have demonstrated a commitment to public interest law and have the relevant skills and initiative to carry out the goals of the project are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates may not have held a full‑time, permanent, public interest lawyer position previously, including any other major legal fellowship. Applicants coming from bridge/gap fellowships or clerkships, other Equal Justice Works Fellowship Programs, or the private sector are eligible to apply.

Skadden Fellowship:

• You may apply during the fall of your 3L year, an LL.M., a clerkship, or the final year of a graduate program in which you were enrolled concurrently with your law degree.
• You may still apply during an LL.M. or a clerkship even if you worked as an attorney between graduating from law school and starting the LL.M. or clerkship.
• ILCM is also open to sponsoring applicants for other fellowships, including those sponsored by an applicant’s law school.

Preferred Skills/Experience Include:

• Second language fluency in a language spoken by a significant proportion of ILCM’s client communities, such as Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Karen, or Amharic.
• Work in the area of immigration law, either through work prior to law school, clinics, internships/externships, clerkships, or pro bono work.

Additional Info: For further information on the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, please visit www.ilcm.org.

How to Apply: If interested, please forward cover letter, resume, and list of references to [e-mail] or mail to ILCM Legal, 450 North Syndicate Street., Suite 200, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104. Open until applicants for sponsorship are selected, but preference is given to those who apply on or before July 15, 2026.

ILCM is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. ILCM provides equal opportunity to all applicants for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws and will not refuse to hire any qualified individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual by reason of an employee’s race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other characteristic protected by law.