In the world of immigration legal services, the importance of nurturing the next generation of attorneys cannot be overstated. In this blog post, we discuss one powerful way to do this: well-structured internship programs. Switchboard partner VECINA had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley Sanchez, the supervising attorney for Migration and Refugee Services at Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland, who shared valuable insights on creating and maintaining effective legal internship programs.
Many organizations hesitate to bring on legal interns, fearing that the time invested in training won’t yield sufficient returns. While it’s true that most law students, especially first-years, may not have a background in immigration law, they also bring fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to the table. More importantly, they excel at legal research and writing—skills that are crucial in immigration law.
The Value of Legal Interns
Legal interns contribute significantly to nonprofit organizations in several ways:
- Extra capacity—in nonprofit settings where attorneys are often at maximum capacity, any additional help is invaluable.
- Up-to-date research skills—fresh out of their legal research and writing classes, interns are well-versed in current best practices and citation styles.
- Enthusiasm and fresh perspectives—interns bring energy and new ideas to the workplace.
- Potential future hires—internships provide an opportunity to identify and nurture talent for future employment.
Recruitment Strategies
A comprehensive, year-round recruitment approach is recommended, including the following considerations:
- Ongoing process—recruitment is a continuous effort throughout the year, accommodating both summer interns and those available during the academic year.
- Seasonal focus—while recruitment should be ongoing, there are typically surges in activity during the season before a hiring cycle (e.g., interviews for summer internships in the spring, for fall positions over the summer, etc.).
- Strong school relationships—maintaining close ties with local law schools and regularly posting opportunities on their job boards is crucial. Establishing your organization as a go-to for internship recommendations can significantly boost recruitment efforts.
- Highlighting benefits—internship programs can be marketed as excellent opportunities for students to enhance their language skills, particularly in languages relevant to immigration law, through direct client interactions.
- Financial considerations—nonprofits can emphasize the potential for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) as a future employment benefit to attract candidates.
Note that summer internships generally prove to be the most beneficial for both interns and host organizations. The full-time availability during summer allows for deeper integration into the office environment, enabling interns to gain comprehensive experience across various aspects of immigration law. This extended, uninterrupted period provides more flexibility for attending court hearings and client meetings, offering a more immersive learning experience.
During the academic year, internships can be more challenging to manage due to class schedules and other academic commitments. However, organizations should still strive to provide diverse experiences within these time constraints, perhaps focusing on specific projects or areas of law that can be effectively addressed in shorter, more focused time blocks.
Factors to Consider When Recruiting
When evaluating potential interns, consider:
- Genuine interest—look for candidates with a demonstrated interest in working with immigrants and refugees.
- Language skills—while not a requirement, additional language skills can be a plus.
- Emotional preparedness—be upfront about the challenging nature of immigration cases, which often involve traumatic stories. Be prepared to offer additional support for navigating vicarious trauma to interns through the onboarding process and scheduled check-in meetings.
Best Practices for an Effective Internship Program
To create a meaningful internship experience, consider the following actions:
- Build an intentional onboarding practice—create a list of resources to help legal interns understand how to work with newcomer populations. Consider using the Switchboard library to gather helpful learning materials, such as these info guides on Trauma Informed Care and Building Rapport with Clients during the First Meeting.
- Provide frequent check-ins—schedule regular supervision meetings to assign tasks and provide feedback.
- Offer diverse experiences—ensure interns work on a variety of cases with different attorneys to gain broad exposure.
- Give constructive feedback—regularly review assignments with interns and provide both positive reinforcement and areas for improvement.
- Conduct formal evaluations—implement midterm and final evaluations to assess progress and provide comprehensive feedback.
- Balance supervision and independence—many students prefer more guidance than less. Provide regular check-ins to help identify any issues or questions early on, preventing delays in work progress.
Suitable Projects for Interns
Interns can contribute effectively to various tasks, including:
- Legal briefs—writing legal briefs, particularly for asylum cases, is typically an excellent first assignment for interns. This task serves a dual purpose: it provides essential support to the organization while offering interns valuable experience in crafting documents that can serve as strong writing samples in future job searches. Moreover, it’s an effective way for interns to gain in-depth knowledge of asylum law.
- Research on complex legal issues—interns are particularly well-suited for deep dives into intricate legal questions. Their recent academic training in legal research, combined with their familiarity with tools like Westlaw, makes them ideal candidates for tackling complex issues that practicing attorneys might not have time to explore thoroughly.
- Short motions and pleadings—shorter legal documents, such as motions to terminate, are excellent learning opportunities for interns. These assignments allow for quick feedback and iterative learning. As interns become proficient, they can take on multiple similar tasks, rapidly building expertise in specific areas of legal writing.
- Form completion—exposing interns to a wide variety of immigration forms, including those for green cards and citizenship applications, helps them gain a comprehensive understanding of different immigration processes.
- Court observations—encouraging interns to observe court hearings provides them with valuable real-world experience of legal proceedings in action.
Beyond Legal Work
Offering experiences beyond traditional legal tasks can significantly enrich internship programs. For example, involving interns in airport pickups for newly arrived refugee families can be profoundly motivating. These experiences, while not strictly legal in nature, provide interns with a holistic understanding of the immigration process and the real-world implications of their legal work. Such hands-on involvement can foster a deeper connection to the field and inspire a lasting commitment to immigration law and advocacy.
