Immigration Law Fellow January 2027 Cohort

ABOUT KONARE LAW

Konare Law is a boutique immigration law firm focused on removal defense, with offices in Frederick and Timonium, MD, Miami, and San Diego. Our practice is built around the people who need us most individuals facing removal, families navigating complex immigration systems, and communities that deserve skilled, dedicated legal advocates.

We are not a large firm. We are an intentional one.

THE FELLOWSHIP

The Konare Law Fellowship is a 12-month structured immersion program for recent law graduates and junior attorneys in their first two years of practice. It is not a trial employment arrangement. It is a deliberate talent development pipeline designed to produce attorneys who are billable-competent from Day 1 of hire, deeply fluent in our systems, and prepared to carry caseloads independently.

Fellows rotate through all major practice areas before specializing, carry supervised caseloads with real clients, and receive a formal hire decision at month ten. There is no ambiguity, no stringing people along.

We run two cohorts annually one beginning in January and one in July.

"The firms that win long-term are not the ones with the lowest turnover they are the ones whose institutional systems are so strong that turnover becomes irrelevant." Abdoul A. Konare, Managing Attorney & CEO

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Months 13: Full Rotation

• Rotate through removal defense, BIA appeals, family-based immigration, and employment-based immigration
• Observe and assist on hearings, client intakes, filings, and case strategy sessions
• Build familiarity with EOIR practice, firm systems, and client communication protocols
• Participate in regular supervision and structured feedback sessions

Months 49: Supervised Caseload

• Carry an assigned caseload under the direct supervision of a supervising attorney
• Draft motions, briefs, petitions, declarations, and supporting documentation
• Appear in immigration court under supervision as bar admission status permits
• Begin billing Fellows at 50% utilization are revenue-neutral against their stipend by Month 4
• Manage client relationships with professionalism and cultural competency.
  

Months 1012: Autonomous Operation

• Operate independently with appropriate oversight on a full caseload
• Contribute to the firm's training and onboarding infrastructure
• Receive a formal offer decision at Month 10 hire or no-hire, clearly communicated

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• JD. from an ABA-accredited law school; recent graduate (3L awaiting results) or attorney within 02 years of bar admission
• Bar admission in any U.S. jurisdiction, or eligibility to sit for the bar within the program period
• Demonstrated interest in immigration law through coursework, clinics, advocacy, or prior legal work
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple matters under deadline and supervising attorney direction

Strongly Preferred

• Bilingual or multilingual Spanish, French, and/or Arabic preferred
• Clinical or externship experience in immigration law, removal defense, or asylum
• Familiarity with EOIR proceedings, BIA practice, or humanitarian visa categories
• Community connection to immigrant or refugee populations through service, advocacy, or lived experience
• Top 25% of class or equivalent demonstrated academic or professional distinction

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates should submit the following to the Konare Law HR Department:

• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Cover letter addressing your interest in immigration law and removal defense specifically
• Unofficial law school transcript
• Writing sample (legal brief, memo, motion, or similar 515 pages preferred)
• Two references (at least one from a legal supervisor, professor, or clinic director)