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 1–3: 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 4–9: 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 10–12: 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

• JD. from an ABA-accredited law school; recent graduate (3L awaiting results) or attorney within 0–2 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 — 5–15 pages preferred)


• Two references (at least one from a legal supervisor, professor, or clinic director)