Attorney Fellowship

Position Summary
NMILC seeks Attorney Fellowship Proposals for a one-year fellowship to commence in Summer 2025.

The Opportunity

NMILC seeks attorney fellows who are committed to defending immigrant rights and who want to work in a border state. Now, as ever, maybe more than ever, is the time to defend due process rights and the rule of law for our communities. Like the Freedom Summer following the passage of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, we seek committed legal professionals who will work to support immigration legal screening for all eligible immigrants, support rural pro se clinics and mobile clinics around our largely rural state, work in our state's three detention centers, and support statewide rapid response and deportation defense work. On-the-ground, bootcamp training will be provided in immigration law and direct representation. We have a strong policy team that works to advance systemic statewide changes. NMILC works in coalition and partnership with power- and movement-building organizations throughout the state. We have three offices in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. New Mexico has very strong statewide rights to reproductive freedom and gender affirming healthcare.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Juris Doctor anticipated in June 2025, recent law graduate, or experienced attorney seeking to make a career change to public interest work.
• Must be licensed to practice law in NM within one (1) year of employment, license in good standing; limited license to practice in New Mexico is granted to attorneys who serve the public interest.
• Experience working with children, preferably immigrants, or experience working with vulnerable populations, including asylum seekers, survivors of abuse, human trafficking, or other trauma.
• Some knowledge of immigration law, including humanitarian immigration claims such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Asylum, U visas, and T visas, a plus.
• Record of cultural responsiveness and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and proficient in Spanish. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (such as Teams, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our NMILC environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment. Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate as appropriate.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
• Showing the ability to multi-task and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing.
• Experience working successfully and communicating in hybrid and/or remote environments. 

Our Salary and Benefits -

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographic area and is commensurate with experience. Starting rate for a law graduate is $30.25/ hour, for a newly licensed attorney the starting salary is $67,600, an attorney with 2-3 years of experience the starting salary is $76,400, and an attorney with at least 4 years of experience the starting salary is $86,500.

 

NMILC currently offers a generous benefits package, including:

• 100% of Individual Employee Health Premium paid by NMILC for the Base Plan and 50% for dependents. Buy-up Plan also available.
  
• Optional Flexible Spending Account for pre-tax funds for medical and/or dependent care cost.
• Employer paid life insurance as well as short-term and long-term disability insurance.

NMILC also recognizes the value of creating an environment of positive work/life balance, acknowledging that investing in staff’s ability to take care of themselves and their families enables them to do their best work. The plan currently includes:

• Flexible work schedule and hybrid remote work options;
• 15 paid vacation days (3 weeks) annually;
• 1 earned sick leave hour for every 30 hours worked;
• Company-paid federal holidays in addition to 2 weeks of winter break, 1 week for spring break, and 1 week for summer break, and other days as established in coordination with the local public school schedule.

Application Instructions:
Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis. Please be advised that a resume, 3 references, and cover letter including why you are interested in becoming a fellow with NMILC, will need to be submitted in order to be considered for the desired role.