Summer Law Clerk

The Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) advances social justice for Southern California’s most marginalized immigrant and refugee communities through legal services, community empowerment, and advocacy for adults and children in federal immigration custody. ImmDef’s objective is to preserve families and communities by empowering individuals to know their rights in the immigration system, providing access to legal representation, and advocating for social change.

ImmDef is seeking summer law clerks for the 2022-2023 school year to work for the following programs: Children Representation Program, National Qualified Representation Program, Locally Funded Initiative Program, Family Unity Program, Cross Border Imitative Program, Post-Conviction Relief Program, and our Litigation and Advocacy program.

Summer Law Clerks will work with managing and staff attorneys who are primarily responsible for providing direct deportation removal defense representation. Our clients are detained adults, unaccompanied minors, and non-detained families. The summer law clerks will work under direct supervision of attorneys in collaboration with other law clerks.

Essential functions:

• Client intake and screening
• Declaration drafting for applications before immigration court, USCIS, and state courts
• Research and writing legal issues related to immigration, criminal, and child welfare law
• Supervised appearances in immigration court, and if available, family or probate court

Requirements:

• Must be a current student at law school
• Strong case management, legal research, and legal writing skills
• Willingness to zealously pursue new and untested legal theories
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work under pressure
• Passion for social justice for immigrants

Preferred Qualifications 

• Spanish language proficiency or other foreign language proficiency
• Experience in a public interest, litigation, or immigration
• An interest or experience in working with marginalized populations and survivors of trauma
• Prior work experience (legal or otherwise) in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
• Fluency or proficiency in K’iche, Kekchi, Chuj, or Mam
• DACA recipients are encouraged to apply!

We additionally require COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly tests.