The fellow will work full-time to conduct legal, factual, and policy research and reporting, conduct policy analysis, and advance advocacy efforts to promote the protection of refugees and rights of immigrants. They will be supervised by and receive mentoring by the team’s senior research and policy counsel. Previous legal fellows with Human Rights First have had the opportunity to, among other things:

Human Rights First is primarily interested in projects that will support our efforts to advance due process and address systemic impediments to access to asylum and access to counsel and fair proceedings during border processes, in immigration detention, and during adjudications, particularly given unlawful restrictions in place by current policies and practices, including forced third country transfers. There may also be an opportunity to support the Refugee Representation team with limited scope direct representation of asylum seekers, which would be supervised by an attorney on the Refugee Representation team.

• A U.S. law degree (J.D.) by summer 2027
• Admission to a state bar or pending admission as of fall 2027
• Previous experience working with asylum-seekers or immigrants, through law school clinics, judicial clerkships, or legal internships
• Strong written and oral communication skills and a demonstrated ability to translate highly-technical material for a variety of audiences
• Ability to communicate patiently, respectfully, and empathetically with individuals from a variety of backgrounds
• Familiarity with U.S. immigration law and policy
• Ability to take initiative, manage numerous tasks simultaneously, work under pressure and meet deadlines, and identify and analyze legal issues
• Willingness to travel occasionally within the United States to conduct research on access to asylum and document the impact of U.S. asylum policies
• Fluency in Spanish is preferred, and fluency in another language, such as an Indigenous language of the Americas, Haitian Kreyol, or French, is desirable

Position is remote but must be based near one of our Washington, D.C., New York City, or Los Angeles offices.

Salary Range $65,000 to $70,000.