The Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) announces the opportunity to apply for sponsorship for post-graduate legal fellowships starting in the fall of 2013 (applications due in the fall of 2012). IDP seeks rising third-year law students and other eligible candidates to sponsor for public interest law fellowships offered by programs such as Equal Justice Works, Soros Justice Fellowship, Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Service Fellowship Program, Arthur Liman Public Interest Program, and other law school-funded initiatives that would provide funding to new attorneys to work under IDP’s supervision on a project to respond to unmet legal needs.
IDP promotes fundamental fairness for immigrants accused or convicted of crimes. They seek to minimize the harsh and disproportionate immigration consequences of contact with the criminal justice system by 1) working to transform unjust deportation laws and policies and 2) educating and advising immigrants, their criminal defenders, and other advocates.
IDP is the only organization in the country that focuses exclusively on “criminal-immigration” issues. IDP’s work is grounded in the core belief that immigrants are more than simply a sum of their past mistakes or convictions and should not face a double punishment of deportation when they have already “paid their dues” to society.
IDP was founded in the wake of the devastating 1996 laws that often made detention and deportation a mandatory minimum for virtually any interaction with the criminal justice system. These laws have been responsible for deporting millions of immigrants and tearing apart their families and communities.
Qualifications and Application Instructions:
IDP is looking for candidates who are committed to and have experience in immigrant rights and criminal justice issues, and ideally have experience in the intersection of these two systems of laws and policies. Applicants who are of color, come from immigrant backgrounds, represent sexual and gender diversity, and/or possess foreign language abilities (particularly Spanish) are strongly encouraged to apply.
IDP is interested in new project ideas that align with one or more of their main program areas: litigation, policy, community education, and criminal defense training. As the fellowship process proceeds, IDP may also have project ideas to share to help shape and refine particular proposals.
Applicants should have a basic familiarity with the fellowship opportunities available and the requirements of each. To apply, please submit a cover letter (including a statement of interest and a sketch of project idea(s)), resume, writing sample, and names and contact information of at least three references.
Completed applications must be submitted by Friday, July 13, 2012 via email.
No phone calls, please.