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Legal Intern, New York – Asylum Law
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Job Description
Legal Intern | HIAS
The Tone:
This is a paid internship at HIAS, located in New York. HIAS provides direct legal services to asylum seekers, assisting them with critical humanitarian relief. In this role, you will significantly contribute to these programs by conducting research, drafting legal documents, and aiding in case preparation for individuals seeking asylum. This internship offers a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in United States immigration law within a nonprofit setting, focusing on humanitarian relief.
The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Part-time, Temporary (15 hours/week for 12 weeks, starting August/September 2026)
• Location: In-person, New York, NY
• Pay: $900 monthly
• Team: Reports to the Senior Staff Attorney, works with the in-house Legal and Pro Bono teams
• Mission: Assist HIAS’ direct legal services programs which benefit asylum seekers.
What You’ll Actually Do
• Legal Research: Conduct thorough legal and factual research on topics assigned by HIAS Attorneys.
• Document Drafting: Write memorandums, briefs, and other documents to support HIAS’ immigration legal cases.
• Client Interviews: Develop client declarations and application forms through direct client interviews.
• Case Preparation: Assist the legal team in preparing and presenting asylum claims (affirmative and defensive), special immigrant juvenile cases, and U-visa and T-visa cases.
• Application Finalization: Review, prepare, and finalize applications for client benefits.
The Must-Haves
• Background: Current law student (2L or 3L) or recent law graduate with a strong interest in asylum law, human rights, and international law.
• Experience: No specific years of experience required beyond current law student (2L or 3L) or recent law graduate status.
• Skills: Resourcefulness and analytical thinking, excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication, and strong organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• Bonus: Fluency in Spanish, French, and/or Russian is strongly preferred.
