IRAP Berkeley works with pro bono attorneys, IRAP Headquarters, and IRAP chapters across the United States and Canada to advance legal pathways to safety for refugees and other displaced people. We do so through a variety of means such as supporting cases directly, contributing to litigation matters and novel research, and working on policy advocacy. Through IRAP and our partner organizations Project ANAR and the Afghan-American Foundation (AAF), students can develop legal research, policy advocacy, and client communication skills. Recent projects have included leading (virtual) client intake interviews, assisting with family reunification applications, drafting FOIA requests and complaints, conducting legal research and writing in connection with impact litigation lawsuits in U.S. courts, updating IRAP’s Attorney Practice Guide on SIVs for Afghans and Iraqis, and engaging in advocacy work with members of Congress as part of IRAP’s Congressional Advocacy Week.
Supervision: Students will receive training from and provide pro bono legal services under the supervision of attorneys at the International Refugee Assistance Project, the Afghan-American Foundation (AAF), and Project ANAR.
Time Commitment: The time commitment may vary depending on the project and the semester, but will likely be around 20 hours per semester, including casework, training, IRAP meetings, and other related activities. No regularly scheduled meetings. The students should expect to attend meetings 1-3 times a month depending on which project they are assigned to.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at irap@berkeley.edu.