AALDEF FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT for 2027

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is a New York-based national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

AALDEF is seeking rising third-year law students, judicial clerks, and recent law graduates to sponsor for one-or-two-year project-based fellowships to start in fall 2027 with a funding organization such as the Skadden Fellowship Foundation and Equal Justice Works. Please note that AALDEF will not independently fund these fellowships, but does cover the difference between external funding and the AALDEF salary scale.

AALDEF uses a community lawyering model to support Asian Americans organizing for social change. Through innovative legal strategies, AALDEF facilitates organizing and prioritizes issues impacting those most marginalized by collaborating with community-based groups across the country.

AALDEF is interested in fellowship proposals on Immigrant Rights, especially if focused on communities with heightened vulnerabilities for deportation such as Southeast Asian refugees; and Anti-Asian Targeting, Surveillance, and Racial Profiling.

AALDEF is also open to proposals that identify emerging challenges for marginalized populations within Asian American communities, and innovative proposals that center coalitional strategies to empower groups to protect their communities from harassment, displacement, and inequality. Fellows can expect to handle a workload that combines litigation, policy, community education, and advocacy as part of organization-wide programs that seek to protect and empower Asian American communities. AALDEF seeks to help mold the next generation of social justice lawyers, and fellows will receive opportunities to attend skill-building trainings, develop innovative legal projects, and get firsthand experience working with grassroots community organizations.

INFORMATION SESSION

AALDEF will host a virtual informational session on June 9 at 12:00pm EST to further detail our priorities in these program areas and how proposals can fit into our community lawyering model. If interested in joining the info session, please RSVP here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Qhf1epKQS364u30GUYNcRA#/registration. If you are unable to join at that time, we will send a recording afterward to those who register.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with internal and external partners.
• Commitment to movement or community lawyering.
• Familiarity with Asian American communities and issues.
• Outstanding writing, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized and solution-oriented.
• Admitted to or willing to sit for the N.Y. Bar.
• Ability to speak an Asian language helpful, but not required.

COMPENSATION: Salary is $87,727.19 - $96,132.19 for an NYC-based employee. [Salary is

commensurate with candidate’s law school graduation year on our union salary scale.]

AALDEF operates in a hybrid work environment and expects employees to be based in the New

York office. Exceptions are available for remote employees, please specify in your cover letter if

you do not intend to work from New York City.

AALDEF is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.