Michigan Immigrant Rights Center - Summer Law Clerk - Immigration Legal Services

Summer Law Clerk– Paid Internship

The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, a subdivision of the Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP),is seekinglaw studentsfor the position of Summer Law Clerk (2026), based out of any of our five office locations - Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ypsilanti, or Detroit.

Are you a law student?

**** Legal experience is not required– just a commitment to building a thriving Michigan where immigrant communities experience equity and belonging. Spanishproficiencyof any level is a bonus. ****

Michigan Immigrant Rights Center :
MIRC provides direct legal services to immigrant clients focusing on survivors of domestic violence and victims of crime, unaccompanied children, individuals in detention and removal proceedings, migrant farm workers and immigrant workers, noncitizens applying for naturalization, and individuals seeking asylum, TPS, deferred action, and other forms of immigration relief. MIRC also provides technical and co-counselassistanceand training to Michigan legal aid and pro bono attorneys handling immigration and immigrant rights matters, including the rights of unaccompanied children, immigrant workers, and survivors of crime and domestic violence.

MIRC conducts impact litigation, systemic advocacy on behalf of Michigan's low-income immigrants and their families, legislative and legal development tracking and analysis, and coalition-building among immigrationassistanceproviders and immigrant advocacy organizations statewide. MIRC hosts summer law clerks in Ypsilanti, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Detroit– and is happy toconsiderhybrid working.

Job Description:
Summer law clerks work under the supervision of our staff attorneysinall aspects of our work. Depending on the officeand the job candidate’s background, a summer law clerk’s work may includeany of the following:conducting client interviews, drafting pleadings, legal research, appearing in court hearings under the Michigan student practice rule, assessing legal problems,
conveying legal advice through oral and written communication, conducting outreach to migrant labor camps, conducting educational seminars for clients and migrant agency staff, legal research and writing related to individual cases and broader policy issues, legislative tracking and analysis, other systemic advocacy projects in one or moreareas of immigrationlawandimmigrant worker rights law.

Qualifications for all positions:

Applicants mustresidein the state of Michigan while working for MAP. Spanish proficiency is preferred but not required.

Pay/Benefits:MIRC Summer Law Clerks will either receive pay via an hourly rate of $18/hour
-or- a stipend of $6,500 for a 10-week program at 35 hours/week. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for outside funding and if your funding is less than what we pay, we will make up the difference. Hourly clerks do not earn vacation or paid holidays. Students and casual employees will earn sick time pursuant to Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (“ESTA”).

Under the ESTA, sick leave accrues at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. Employees begin to accrue sick leave on their first calendar day of employment or their date of eligibility under the ESTA, whichever is later.

The Michigan Advocacy Program is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.