Immigrant Justice Fellowship For New Lawyers

To be eligible for an Oregon Immigrant Justice Fellowship, an applicant must have graduated from an accredited law school by the start date of the Fellowship and have or be awaiting licensure. Three options for attorney licensure are recgonized:

• Membership of the bar of any state, or recent completion of a state bar exam pending results;
• Participation in the Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination option from the Oregon State Bar; or
• Participation in the Oregon Experiential Portfolio Pathway option, beginning in the second- and third-years of an Oregon law school.

Though the Fellowship is open to members or future members of the bar of any state, preference may be given to Oregon State Bar members and applicants in the selection process.

In addition, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Have no more than six years of work experience as a licensed attorney;
• Demonstrate professional fluency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken by immigrant community members in Oregon;
• Demonstrate, through personal experience, work experience, academic studies, or other experience, a commitment to public interest and social justice lawyering.

Applicants who have experience with and a commitment to serving members of the immigrant community are especially encouraged to apply.

Information about the 2026-27 application process is now available. Applications will be evaluated by the host organization(s) according to objective criteria including relevant experience, commitment to social justice and immigrant rights, and proficiency in language(s) other than English.     

For information about this year’s application process, read our FAQ.  

To apply now, follow this link.

For students at Willamette Law, learn more about the new Immigrant Justice Scholars Program, which offers partial tuition scholarships to students committed to immigration law and public interest work and creates a path to an Oregon Immigrant Justice Fellowship.  

Oregon Work Relief accepts applications for new host organizations on a rolling basis. Prospective organizations must be culturally competent Oregon-based nonprofits with the ability to provide close attorney mentorship and supervision. For more information, e-mail the ECO Clearinghouse at [email protected].