The Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) seeks to sponsor rising third year law students, judicial law clerks, and recent law graduates to sponsor for post-graduate public interest law fellowships in Fall 2027.
BDS will consider proposals that support BDS’s mission to provide the highest quality legal representation and extend our work in innovative ways; we are particularly interested in developing a project focused on rapidly responding to the constant immigration enforcement and policy changes that impact BDS clients across the organization.
BDS is a public defense office representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. For 30 years, BDS has worked, in and out of court, to protect and uphold the rights of individuals and to change laws and systems that perpetuate injustice and inequality. Our legal expertise and our work with clients is focused on the intersections of these legal systems that disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities living in poverty.
BDS represents thousands of people each year who have diverse, complex, and multi-faceted legal needs. In addition to a zealous legal defense, our interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers and advocates provide a wide range of legal and advocacy services, including for housing, public benefits, education, and employment. BDS staff work collaboratively and across disciplines to deliver high-quality legal services that serve the people we represent, their families and communities.
BDS’s Immigration Practice is a collaborative team that represents people in detained and non-detained removal proceedings, as well as affirmative applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals and federal circuit courts.
Fellowship Project and Process
Under this administration there is an expanding number of BDS clients, across our practice areas, vulnerable to ICE enforcement, where a rapid response to immigration issues and concerns is required to provide effective representation. This can include non-detained removal defense, representation before USCIS, and advocacy on behalf of clients with removal orders. The fellow would assist where clients have approaching court dates, deadlines, or check-ins and need fast motions, briefing, or other responses and preparation.
We are seeking to partner with a candidate interested in developing a rapid response project to work with non-citizens clients being referred to our Immigration team from all BDS practices.
Applicants should be aware of the relevant timelines and deadlines for national fellowships like Equal Justice Works and Skadden and be prepared, and available, to work with BDS to complete submissions during the summer and early fall.
Qualifications
- Rising third year law student, judicial law clerk, and/or recent law school graduate.
- Willing and able to commit time to write – and meet interim and final deadlines for – one or more fellowship applications, with input, guidance, and supervision from BDS staff.
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice, immigrant rights, and/or civil rights.
- Ability to understand and analyze complex legal issues.
- Excellent written and oral advocacy skills, including the ability to draft clear and persuasive legal documents.
- Excellent organizational skills, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and able to adapt to urgent situations.
- Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively and collegially as part of a team.
- Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate and connect with people with varied backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
- Spoken and written fluency in Spanish highly preferred.
Position Information
This is an exempt, salaried position in the collective bargaining unit. The normal schedule is Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. The position is based at BDS’s offices located in Downtown Brooklyn.
BDS determines salary on a pay scale based on education and experience. For this position, there is a salary of $90,000 -$95,000 depending on the applicant’s education and experience.
BDS offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance and a 403(b) retirement plan. In order to support work/life balance and family-friendly policies, BDS has generous vacation, sick, holiday, family, and medical leave policies.
Application Instructions
Click HERE to submit a cover letter and resume on our online application portal. Please submit your application by July 3, 2026. If you have questions about some of the potential elements of the project, please contact Shawn Blumberg at sblumberg@bds.org.
Brooklyn Defender Services is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to celebrating diversity and maintaining an equitable and inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, expressions, orientations, disabilities, and experiences to apply. If you require an accommodation due to a disability or another reason, please contact the Managing Director, H.R., Christina Wallace, at cwallace @ bds.org.
