The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) was founded in 1918, and its mission is to welcome, educate, and serve immigrants, refugees, and their families as they join and contribute to the community. IIBA provides immigration legal services, English and civic education, and other services throughout the Bay Area, as well as through its collaborative efforts with local and regional service providers. IIBA offers a team-oriented, collegial, and collaborative work environment. We pride ourselves on providing excellent service to our clients, and we know our organization runs on the hard work and dedication of our passionate employees.
At IIBA, we have a clear vision: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and to do their best work. IIBA’s dedication to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion is reflected in the work that we do. We are committed to equity and believe deeply in the value of diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all the other wonderful characteristics that make us human.
Fellowship Position Summary:
The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) invites law students and recent law school graduates to apply for externally-funded legal fellowships. Fellows will be placed at one of IIBA’s seven offices, where they will support IIBA’s mission by providing immigration legal service, advice, and representation in support of low-income individuals. Fellows may also work on community education, legal clinics and workshops, and other outreach and advocacy activities, depending on the needs of the office and the communities in which they are based. Fellows will benefit from ongoing, hands-on training and mentoring in a collegial atmosphere while they gain hands-on experience in a variety of immigration cases.
IIBA will work with selected candidates to develop and submit proposals for fellowship funding from project-based fellowship programs, law schools, or other sources.
Responsibilities:
- Client Representation and Case Management: Provide eligibility and risk assessment, full representation, brief service, and/ or legal advice to low-income clients in immigration-related matters, including family-based and humanitarian immigration petitions, waivers, U visas, DACA, naturalization, consular processing, adjustments of status, and removal defense cases.
- Outreach and Group Events: Help develop community relationships. Assist with workshops, clinics, outreach activities, and information sessions for immigrants, social service agencies, and community-based organizations. Outreach and workshops may require occasional evening and weekend events.
- Community Leadership: Participate in meetings and webinars on behalf of IIBA and its partner organizations and collaborators. Attend collaborative meetings and community events.
- Maintain Legal Best Practices: Comply with IIBA’s policies, procedures, protocols, and best practices for non-profit immigration law practice, including legal ramifications, fee collection, maintenance of client files, and data for reporting requirements. Participate in regular peer review meetings and legal trainings.
- Fee Assessment: Assess fees for services, sign contracts with clients, and work with administrative staff to ensure fees are collected and applications are filed in a timely manner.
- Ensure Grant Compliance: Ensure grant requirements are met. Track client services, case progress, and outcomes as required by grant guidelines.
- Perform all other duties as needed and/or as directed by supervisor.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:
- Education:
- Law student or LLM candidate at an ABA-accredited law school; current judicial clerk; or recent law school graduate
- Experience:
- Demonstrated interest in working with community organizations or low-income clients and populations.
- Experience in immigration law or related work preferred but not required.
- Strong legal research and writing skills.
- Dedicated to providing high-quality legal assistance and capable of handling complex legal issues on behalf of low-income immigrant populations.
- Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
- Ability and interest in conducting events for outreach and education.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Exceptional time management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
- Ability to act independently and exercise sound judgment.
- Commitment to serving immigrants and sensitivity to the needs of the low-income, culturally diverse newcomer community.
- Proficiency in a Windows/PC environment, and able to quickly become proficient in the use of IIBA’s immigration law software and database.
- Available for occasional evening and weekend services as needed.
- Fluency in Spanish or other language strongly preferred.
- Has independent funding, or is eligible to seek funding from law school or another institution.
Please note: This position will be hybrid in-person and remote, based in one of IIBA’s seven offices.
To apply: Send a cover letter explaining your interest in being considered for sponsorship by IIBA, resume, and writing sample to iibafellowship@iibayarea.org. Please include “Legal Fellow” in the subject line.
This description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this fellowship. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant. Because of a need to remain responsive to the needs of our clients and our Agency’s operations, responsibilities may be modified at any time.
IIBA recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. Persons receiving services in our programs are entitled to freedom from harassment and retaliation and reasonable accommodation for qualified disabilities.
