Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program

Clinical Teaching Fellow
Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program

Location: Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
Expected start and duration: Summer 2024 – Summer 2026

The Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program (HIRCP) is inviting applications for the
full-time position of Clinical Teaching Fellow. HIRCP litigates issues at the forefront of
immigration and asylum law and at the intersection of criminal law and immigration, while also
engaging students in policy advocacy, community outreach, and direct representation.

HIRCP is comprised of four different initiatives: (1) the Immigration and Refugee Advocacy
Clinic, (2) the Crimmigration Clinic, (3) the HLS Immigration Project, a student-practice
organization, and (4) the Harvard Representation Initiative, a project funded by the University to
provide representation to undocumented and DACAmented members of the Harvard community.
HIRCP supervises, trains, and mentors over 150 law students each year.

The Teaching Fellow’s docket will include cases and clients for both clinics housed within the
program: the Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Clinic and the Crimmigration Clinic, as well as
supervision of the student practice organization, the HLS Immigration Project. The Teaching
Fellow will engage in district court and appellate litigation, direct representation of individuals
seeking immigration relief, defense against deportation, and release from immigration detention,
as well as policy advocacy.

The precise shape of the Teaching Fellow’s docket will be based on community priorities, student
lawyering opportunities, and close consultation with community stakeholders and others. The
Teaching Fellow will work under the supervision of the Program Director and will collaborate
closely with HIRCP’s faculty and with other members of HIRCP’s legal and social service team.

The position will offer opportunities for professional development and scholarship in the areas of
immigration and refugee law, as well as crimmigration. The Fellow will be based at Harvard
Law School and may collaborate with other programs in Harvard’s vibrant clinical community.

Job Specific Responsibilities

As the Clinical Teaching Fellow you will:
• Develop teaching, orientation, and training materials for courses on Crimmigration,
Immigration and Refugee Advocacy, Strategic Litigation, and other potential immigrationrelated courses.
• Supervise HLS clinical students on strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and deportation
defense to advance immigrants’ rights in conjunction with clinical faculty.
• Manage the student practice organization and pursue collaborative projects with
community organizations, service providers, and advocacy groups, among others.
• Teach students a broad range of lawyering skills including research and writing, legal and
policy analysis, problem-solving, and oral advocacy.
• Deliver talks and trainings to clients, partners, and policymakers at local and national
conferences and events.
• Undertake various administrative tasks within the Program, including assistance with event
planning, communications, development, student outreach, and other tasks that arise.
• Provide support for other HIRCP-related projects and initiatives, as needed.

Basic Qualifications
JD within 5 years of hire date. Admission to, and good standing in, any state bar.

Additional Qualifications

We are looking for people who have:
• Experience with and passion for advocating on behalf of immigrants and asylum
seekers in a variety of settings, including in federal district court and before the federal
courts of appeals, as well as before administrative agencies and in immigration court.
• Experience working with a diverse client population and using a client-centered, traumainformed approach.
• Demonstrated research and writing skills, and a strong commitment to public interest
lawyering.
• Effective interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Flexibility, a sense of humor, and ability to and interest in working on an
interdisciplinary team.
• An interest in and demonstrated aptitude for supervising and advising students, as well
as a demonstrated interest in teaching and proven capacity to work as a team member.
• Availability to work in-person and flexibility in workspace, as the Fellow may be
assigned to workspaces in a shared or partially-open office, such as a carrel.
• Proficiency in one or more languages, as a bonus.

Additional Information
This is a two-year term appointment. We are looking to fill this role during Summer 2024.

Application Materials & Timeline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit their cover
letter and resume by July 22, 2024 to . Once all the applications are
reviewed, candidates will be notified whether or not they will proceed to the next stage, at which
point they should expect to submit a writing sample, as well.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be
performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position
if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. This job description does
not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to
change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status,
protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related
conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved | National Black Lawyers
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram