How to Pick a Law School for an Immigration Law Career
Selecting the right law school is critical for a successful career advocating for immigrants’ rights. Aspiring immigration lawyers should look for law schools that offer a strong immigration law curriculum, faculty with immigration expertise, mentorship and hands-on experience through clinics, experts say.
“Law school graduates should have a quality law school education as well as ample professional experience in the specialty area,” says Michelle Jacobson, chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration and a partner at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP.
Here are some tips on how to pick a law school for an immigration law career.
What Is Immigration Law?
Immigration law covers family-based visas, employment-based immigration, business immigration, and asylum and refugee issues. Immigration attorneys help clients secure visas, work permits and legal status, and handle complex regulations for individuals and businesses.
Immigration laws govern immigration policy, “deciding who can enter the country, the terms and conditions to meet, as well as the length and activity,” Jacobson says.
Afghan-American immigration attorney Spojmie Nasiri, principal at Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri, PC, chose her career because of her family’s experience with immigration.
“Being separated from my mother for many years gave me firsthand insight into the pain, uncertainty and resilience that comes with navigating the immigration system,” she says. “I wanted to use my legal skills to help others avoid the same hardships.”
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5% growth in jobs for lawyers by 2033, and experts say there is a shortage of immigration attorneys.
“Immigration is a very niche area, but one that intersects and impacts multiple other areas such as corporate, labor and employment, family, and international trade,” says Kripa Upadhyay, a Seattle-based immigration attorney at law firm Buchalter. “My practice as an immigration attorney sits at the intersection of all these areas on a daily basis.”
Clinical Experience in Immigration Law
Many law schools have legal clinics where students work in teams to assist clients under faculty supervision. Immigration law clinics give students hands-on experience where they may help people apply for work visas or U.S. citizenship, work with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, defend detained clients in removal proceedings, advise on immigration consequences in criminal proceedings and litigate constitutional issues.
When applying to law schools, you should research institutions with immigration law clinics before deciding on top picks, experts advise.
“Immigration law clinics are incredibly valuable for students who want to practice in this field,” Nasiri says. “This kind of practical training is essential because immigration law is highly technical, and learning how to apply the law in real-world situations is just as important as understanding legal theory.”
The median estimated percentage of J.D. students graduating who had participated in a law clinic or field placement course is 85%, according to the Center for the Study of Applied Legal Education’s 2022-23 survey, holding steady from the 2019-20 survey.
“Look for clinics that offer hands-on experience in asylum, deportation defense and family-based immigration. Check if the faculty includes experts in the field and if the curriculum covers key areas like removal defense and humanitarian relief,” Nasiri advises.
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For example, the University of San Diego School of Law‘s immigration clinic offers help with family-based immigration, work authorization and aid for immigrant victims of crime, domestic violence and abuse. Students learn how to interview, counsel and represent clients.
Nasiri says students should also explore externship opportunities with immigration nonprofits, law firms or government agencies, and look for strong networking and mentorship for support and career guidance through student associations and connections with practicing attorneys.
Law School Curriculum and Immigration
Experts recommend focusing on law schools that offer specialized courses in immigration law.
“Most schools have immigration law courses as an elective and offer limited courses,” Nasiri says. “Look for schools that have extensive courses and practical training in immigration law.”
Jacobson recommends searching for programs that offer courses such as comparative immigration law, business immigration, and asylum or refugee law.
If your top pick offers limited selection in immigration-specific courses, you’ll need to get work experience, she says.
“This area of law is very dynamic and its policies will shift with time. Students should be ready to evolve and learn based on rapid changes in policy interpretations.”
To find clinical opportunities relevant to current issues in politics, aspiring immigration lawyers may want to consider the law school’s geographic location.
For example, the Border Justice Initiative at the University of New Mexico School of Law offers hands-on service-learning opportunities “through legal representation of immigrants, particularly women and children, who have arrived at the southern border of the United States in flight from dangerous conditions in their countries of origin in search of better lives,” according to the school’s website.
Since many schools offer only one or two immigration law classes, Upadhyay recommends seeking an immigration law clinic taught by a professor who is a former or actively practicing immigration attorney.
“Knowing the preferences of each court, or specific officers at the local (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) office so that you can adequately advise your client is crucial in your role as an attorney,” Upadhyay says.
This information “only comes from someone who is actively practicing or if you are actively networking as a student with local practitioners,” she says.
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Immigration Law Concentrations and Certificates
At some law schools, students can obtain certificates or designated concentrations in immigration law within their J.D. program.
“Schools that offer an immigration law concentration or certificate program can also provide a structured path for developing expertise,” Nasiri says.
For example, the University of Minnesota School of Law offers an immigration law concentration, and the University of California–Davis School of Law offers an immigration law certificate for students who complete at least 15 units of immigration law, citizenship law and related coursework.
For schools without immigration law concentrations or certificates, Upadhyay says students should “take any and all clinic classes that you can, and network with immigration law attorneys in your area early.”
She advises students to join the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and “spend time getting to know local practitioners who can guide you in your journey as a law student.”
What to Do When Applying
Law school hopefuls should consult a pre-law adviser for guidance on how to highlight their interest in an immigration law career in their personal statement, experts say.
For many, cost is a deciding factor during the application process. Tuition and fees at private law schools in the U.S. averaged $54,548 for the 2023-2024 academic year, according to U.S. News data. At 69 public law schools the same year, the average cost was $27,068 for in-state and $41,103 for out-of-state students.
“What matters most is finding a school that supports your interests and provides the right resources, such as immigration law courses, clinics and mentorship opportunities,” Nasiri says. “The key is to find a school that aligns with your passion and career goals.”
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How to Pick a Law School for an Immigration Law Career originally appeared on usnews.com