Think Immigration: How Chapters Can Open Their Doors to New Immigration Attorneys and Law Students

I went to law school for only one reason – to become an immigration attorney. While there, I only participated in immigration law-related activities and focused nearly all electives on courses that I was told would help me practice immigration law. Yet, when it came to fully understanding what careers in immigration law looked like and where to look for work, I felt clueless. Guest speakers in immigration law classes and adjunct professors actively practicing immigration law were incredibly helpful, sharing ideas of possible paths. Being an AILA law student member with access to some national career webinars was great. Yet, I still felt lost. What would life really look like as a nonprofit attorney versus an attorney in the private sector? How did this translate to the immigration law community in New Jersey? Where could I find jobs immediately out of law school? As lost as I felt, I realized when talking with peers also seeking careers in immigration law, I wasn’t alone.

Local AILA Chapters Can and Should Step In

There can be a million webinars, training resources, and emails, but for law students anxious about the next steps, nothing can replace the power of direct networking and communication with local AILA members.

Chapter offerings vary, but ideally all chapters, would offer avenues by which law students in their region can begin building their network of contacts with AILA attorneys. Law students can learn what it is like to be a business immigration attorney in a mid-sized firm versus a solo practitioner doing removal defense versus a nonprofit attorney working with unaccompanied children. Beyond substantive questions, law students can ask AILA attorneys about the realities of this work. Is removal defense 24/7? How many family-based petition cases would you need to take to keep the lights on? How much money can you really make at a nonprofit?

The benefit isn’t one-sided. AILA members may discover highly motivated law students to serve as interns, part-time legal assistants, and even to fill openings post-graduation. The need for more immigration attorneys is apparent, not only to fill existing representation gaps, but to create future generations of immigration attorneys and AILA members. Our profession’s success is dependent on growing a cadre of highly competent and committed immigration attorneys throughout our specific regions.

Where Should a Chapter Start?

There are many ways chapters can meaningfully reach out to law students! With creativity and a little bit of time, the options are endless: speed networking events, mentorship programs, externships and job shadowing days, and more. One easy starting point that we in the New Jersey Chapter have been leading for several years is with career panels at law school campuses each winter/spring. These one-off events provide an in-person opportunity for law students to hear from a selection of real practitioners from a variety of practice areas and types of firms. After panelists introduce themselves and share some insights into the different types of work they do, the event turns into a discussion format with questions from students, and the practitioners to highlight differences between their work. After the panel concludes, we open it up to a networking session and all AILA members are invited to attend.

From these sessions, we have seen students find AILA member mentors, obtain internships, and even get employed post-graduation. The events require minimal coordination with the law school in advance, such as securing the date, time, and location. We have found law schools often cover the refreshments, create a flyer, and advertise at the school. Your only roles are to secure AILA members as panelists, advertise the networking portion to your membership, and moderate the discussion. We highly recommend all chapters consider doing something similar as the lift is light, yet the benefits are substantial. Not only is it a great way to pique the interest of students who are on the fence about immigration law, but it’s also a great way to recruit more AILA members.

If a chapter has far-flung members due to geography, a similar event via Zoom could be organized and offered to law students. A virtual event could be times with a regular chapter meeting to encourage the chapter members to also participate. Alternatively, during a local or regional conference, an in-person event for students could be added to the program.

I wish these types of events had existed when I was a law student. I know I would have benefited greatly from hearing about the ins and outs of immigration careers before I graduated. In talking with current law students today, I know they need events like these too. I encourage all AILA chapters to be creative—reach out to current law students in your region, find out what they want, and get started. Who knows? You might find your next colleague!

Do you know law students who are looking for ways to engage now? Be sure to invite them to our January 21 law student roundtable to learn how they can get into immigration law while still in law school. And if they aren’t yet an AILA law student member, encourage them to join.