Job description
About IRAP
The International Refugee Assistance Project (“IRAP”) is a dynamic and growing legal and policy advocacy organization that works to develop and enforce a system of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced people around the world. We are the leading organization providing free and comprehensive legal services to people in need of a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
IRAP operates offices in the U.S. (New York City, Washington, D.C.), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), and Europe (Berlin), and has over 100 full-time staff members. We are a nimble organization staffed by an innovative and collaborative team that is committed to high standards of quality and close partnerships with our clients, peers, and colleagues.
IRAP believes that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving our clients well. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that we serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.
Opportunity
IRAP Europe is made up of 17 staff members, including a team of 12 who provide legal aid to clients in Family Reunification and Humanitarian Visa procedures through direct legal services and partnerships with local NGOs and pro bono law firms. Working primarily from our office in Berlin, Germany, our staff directly represent clients in French, German, and Swedish procedures as well as in litigation before international courts. Our international practice gives us a unique view of structural hurdles and inconsistencies in family reunification processing, and in addition to providing direct legal aid, we seek to address these issues through advocacy and strategic litigation.
The IRAP Europe team is seeking a legal intern to support its strategic litigation practice, which aims to challenge systemic barriers in family reunification processes for beneficiaries of international protection in Europe through litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and other regional bodies.
This is an exciting opportunity for an individual interested in refugee rights to be part of a growing, international legal aid organization.
Responsibilities
- Support litigation efforts, including conducting factual and legal research, preparing litigation documents, and cite-checking;
- Assist with monitoring litigation related to refugee family reunification filed in national and international courts, as well as cases before relevant United Nations treaty bodies, and provide relevant updates to the IRAP Europe team;
- Research family reunification rules and procedures across the EU to identify gaps and inequities;
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Education
Current law student in an undergraduate or postgraduate law program including either European Union law, law of the European Convention on Human Rights, and/or the substantive or procedural law applicable before the UN Human Rights Committee or other UN Treaty Bodies
Values, Skills, Competencies
Strong interest in refugee and migration law;
Strong research, writing, and analytical skills;
Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
Sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTI clients, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable populations;
Initiative to see projects through and ability to multitask;
Proficiency in Google Workspace;
Excellent English communication skills required;
Ability to speak Arabic, Dari, French, German, Pashto, Somali, Swedish, or Tigrinya is a plus.
Internship-related Requirements
- Must have work authorization in the country of work.
- This position can be in-person in IRAP’s Berlin office or remote.
- This is a full-time internship that requires an 8- to 10-week commitment between June and August 2025. The exact dates of the internship will be determined in consultation with the selected candidate. The internship will begin with a one-week onboarding in IRAP Europe’s Berlin office.
Compensation and Benefits:
The internship will be compensated at the hourly minimum wage applicable in the country of work (Germany, if in-office, and in the country of residence, if remote).
Application Process:
Please submit the following materials here. We will only review complete applications:
- A 1-page cover letter describing your interest in working with IRAP, including any relevant life or work experience;
- A 1-2 page resume;
- Brief legal writing sample (no more than 10 pages) not heavily edited by others, e.g., research memo or excerpt of a brief;
- List of 2-3 professional references.
IRAP is an equal-opportunity employer; people of color and individuals from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. IRAP does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, ethnic background, religion, political orientation, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other protected class. We consider all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all local, state, and federal laws related to the Fair Chance Act.
