CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Department is currently seeking law students (1L, 2L, 3L or recent graduates) for the Summer 2016 term. Location:

Council on American-Islamic Relations - Chicago office (CAIR-Chicago)

Description:

CAIR-Chicago is a local office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR is the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization and was established to promote an accurate image of Islam and Muslims in America. CAIR-Chicago’s mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance. The Civil Rights Department counsels, mediates, and advocates on behalf of Muslims and others who have experienced religious discrimination, defamation, or hate crimes. The department works to protect and defend the constitutional rights of Muslims to freely practice their religion and be treated in a non-discriminatory manner.

In addition to pursuing individual complaints of religious discrimination reported to CAIR-Chicago, the Civil Rights Department has implemented several ongoing special projects that target important issues in the diverse Muslim communities. The Citizenship Delay Project works to end the lengthy delays in the citizenship process for Muslims applying for U.S. citizenship. The Asylum Project seeks to protect refugees from Middle Eastern countries who are unwilling or unable to return to their home country due to past persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. The Employment Discrimination Project assists Muslims facing religious discrimination in the workplace. The Travel Free Project deals with complaints of Muslims encountering problems while traveling. The Police Misconduct Project advocates and represents clients in cases of discriminatory treatment by law enforcement. The FBI Project assists individuals contacted by FBI agents, fully protecting their constitutional rights when being questioned. The Prison Project secures the rights of Muslim inmates to practice their religion freely as well as seeks to ensure that inmates are treated humanely.

Law Student Requirements:

CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights department is currently seeking law students (1L, 2L, 3L or recent graduates) for Summer 2016 term.

The Civil Rights Law Clerk position is a volunteer position, and students may seek funding and/or school credit through their respective law school.

Law clerks will work closely with CAIR-Chicago’s Trial Attorney in representing complainants who have experienced various forms of religious discrimination. The ideal law clerk will possess excellent oral and written communication skills and an interest in protecting civil liberties in the United States.

Application Form can be found at our Online Intern Center

Interested applicants should submit their resume, legal writing sample, cover letter, and completed application form to Trial Attorney Phil Robertson via email at: probertson@cair.com

Please direct any questions to probertson@cair.com