Legal Intern/Extern (U.S. Litigation)

International Refugee Assistance Project; Oregon; Hybrid; USD 19,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

International Refugee Assistance Project, Inc. invites law students to join as remote summer interns or externs in our U.S. Litigation department.

There is an option to work from IRAP's New York City office space. The position is full-time for 10 weeks, beginning in early June, with a potential NYC office onboarding. Responsibilities include intake interviews, factual and legal research, drafting affidavits, and preparing litigation documents.

Qualifications

• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with diverse clients.
• Initiative to see projects through and ability to multitask.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace.
• Excellent English communication skills; Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Somali, Pashto, Kurdish, or Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conduct intake interviews and identify client needs for litigation and draft affidavits.
• Conduct factual and legal research in support of ongoing or planned litigation.
• Provide research memos to the team for ongoing litigation.
• Prepare litigation documents and perform cite-checking as part of litigation efforts.

Skills

Research skills

Writing skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Client sensitivity

multitasking

Education

Rising 2L/3L in US JD program

Tools

Google Workspace

Job description

OpportunityThe International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) seeks two law students to work as summer interns or externs with our U.S. Litigation department. This is a remote internship, but candidates may have the option to work from IRAP's New York City office space.

Possible Responsibilties

• Conducting intake interviews and identifying client needs for litigation purposes, including explaining litigation and drafting affidavits;
• Conducting factual and legal research in support of ongoing or planned litigation;
• Providing research memos to the team in support of ongoing or planned litigation; and
• Participating in litigation efforts as appropriate, including preparing litigation documents and cite-checking.

QualificationsEducation:

• Must be a rising 2L or 3L, enrolled in a J.D. program in the United States. Rising 3Ls strongly preferred.

Experience:NA.

Values, Competencies, and Skills:

• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTI clients, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable populations;
• Initiative to see projects through and the ability to multitask;
• Proficiency in Google Workspace;
• Excellent English communication skills required. Ability to speak Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Somali, Pashto, Kurdish, or Spanish is a plus;
• Strong interest in refugee processing, immigration law, and human rights.

Internship-related Requirements-

• This internship will be remote, possibly with the option to work out of the New York office.
• This is a full-time internship and requires a 10-week commitment.
• Must have work authorization in the United States to apply for an internship (candidates may apply for an externship regardless of work authorization status).
• $17 - $17 an hour
• IRAP can host interns/externs in two ways:
  • IRAP's summer program contemplates that interns will be paid, but asks interns to pursue public interest funding from their law schools first. If paid by IRAP, students are compensated $17 per hour (or the intern's state minimum wage, to be applied) for 40 hours per week.
  • Non-compensated externs for academic credit(s) (must be coordinated in collaboration with an applicant's school)

Internship and externship candidates will be considered equally.

Duration:

This is a full-time position that requires a 10-week commitment, beginning on Monday, June 7, 2027, and ending Friday, August 13, 2027, with onboarding days scheduled from June 7 to 9, 2027, in IRAP's New York office.

IRAP believes that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving our clients well.

We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that we serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.

IRAP is an equal-opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

IRAP does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, ethnic background, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class.

We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all local, state, and federal laws related to the Fair Chance Act.