2027 Skadden Foundation Fellowship Opportunity

Closing Date: 24th July, 2026

Description:

Fellowship Opportunity
Americans for Immigrant Justice seeks an exceptional law student or recent law graduate to apply jointly for the 2027 Skadden Foundation Fellowship.

AI Justice has developed a proposed fellowship that will establish the Active-Duty, Veterans & Military Families Immigration Project, a specialized initiative within its Family Defense Program dedicated to providing immigration legal services to low-income active-duty service members, veterans, and military-connected families across Florida. AI Justice

will work closely with the selected candidate to prepare a competitive Skadden Fellowship application and, if selected, provide mentorship and supervision throughout the two-year fellowship.

The Fellow will help lead this new initiative, providing direct legal representation to military-connected individuals and families navigating complex immigration matters. Working alongside experienced immigration attorneys, the Fellow will:

• Provide immigration legal consultations and case assessments
• Represent clients in removal proceedings before the immigration courts
• Assist eligible servicemembers and veterans with naturalization and citizenship applications
• Prepare family-based immigration petitions and applications for lawful permanent residence
• Represent clients seeking humanitarian forms of immigration relief, including VAWA, U visas, asylum, and Military Parole in Place, where appropriate
• Conduct outreach and Know Your Rights presentations for military-connected communities
• Develop partnerships with veterans' organizations, military family support organizations, pro bono attorneys, and community partners to expand access to legal services
• Although thousands of immigrants have served honorably in the United States Armed Forces, many service members, veterans, and their families continue to face complex immigration challenges that place them at risk of family separation or prevent them from obtaining the immigration benefits available under federal law. Florida is home to one of the nation's largest veteran populations, yet there are few nonprofit legal service providers dedicated to addressing the immigration needs of military-connected families. This fellowship will help fill that gap by expanding access to high-quality immigration legal representation for those who have served our country and the families who stand beside them.

What AI Justice Offers

The selected candidate will have the opportunity to:

• Help shape an immigration legal initiative dedicated to serving active-duty service members, veterans, and military-connected families
• Receive close mentorship and supervision from experienced immigration attorneys
• Develop expertise in the intersection of immigration law and military service
• Represent clients in a wide range of immigration matters, including removal defense, naturalization, family-based immigration, and humanitarian relief
• Collaborate with attorneys across AI Justice's Family Defense, Detention, Lucha (Victims of Crime), Children's Legal, and Pro Bono programs
• Build partnerships with veterans' organizations, military family support organizations, pro bono attorneys, and community-based partners
• Gain substantial experience in client counseling, legal research, legal writing, case strategy, and courtroom advocacy
• Receive individualized guidance and support throughout the Skadden Fellowship application process and, if selected, during the fellowship

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to public interest law and expanding access to legal services
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Interest in immigration law and serving military-connected individuals and families
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
• A demonstrated commitment to serving low-income or underserved communities
• An interest in developing expertise at the intersection of immigration law and military service.
• A JD is not required, applicant must be in law school or a recent graduate.

Preferred Qualifications include:

• Clinical, internship, judicial clerkship, or other public interest experience
• Experience working with immigrant communities, veterans, military families, or other underserved populations
• Spanish, Haitian Kreyol, Portuguese, or another language commonly spoken by AI Justice clients is a plus

Application Process:
Interested applicants should submit:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing sample
• Law school transcript (official or unofficial)
• Fellowship Opportunity

Application Deadline: July 24, 2026

Selected applicants will be interviewed shortly thereafter, and AI Justice expects to select its Skadden Fellowship candidate by July 31, 2026, allowing approximately one month to collaboratively prepare the fellowship application before the Skadden Foundation's submission deadline.

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