Volunteer Guide

Kids in Need of Defense (Washington DC Office)

  • Location:
    1300 L Street NW
    Suite 1150
    Washington, DC 20005
  • Phone:
    (202) 824-8686
  • Fax:
    (202) 824-0702
  • Contact methods:
    Email, Fax, Mail/Letter, Phone calls, Website
  • Appointments accepted:
    Yes

KIND was founded by Angelina Jolie and the Microsoft Corporation to create a pro bono movement of law firms, corporations, nongovernmental organizations, universities, and volunteers to provide quality and compassionate legal counsel to unaccompanied refugee and immigrant children in the United States. KIND serves as the leading organization for the protection of unaccompanied children who enter the U.S. immigration system alone and strives to ensure that no such child appears in immigration court without representation. We achieve fundamental fairness through high-quality legal representation and by advancing the child's best interests, safety, and well-being. KIND has offices in ten cities in the United States - Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Newark, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Seattle. KIND finds pro bono attorneys in law firms and corporations who agree to represent KIND's child clients in their immigration proceedings. KIND pro bono coordinators in each office provide training on representing unaccompanied children in the U.S. immigration system and comprehensive mentorship until the case is completed.

Counties served: Alexandria City, Arlington, Fairfax, Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Prince William

Services Provided

Are immigration legal services provided? Yes
Areas of immigration legal assistance: Adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Removal hearings, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T visas, U visas
Types of immigration legal services provided: Filings with USCIS, Representation at Asylum Interviews (Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews), Representation before the Immigration Court
Non-legal services: Legal Orientation Programs (LOP) / Know Your Rights Presentations (KYR)
Populations served: Human Trafficking Survivors, Juveniles
Languages spoken: English, Spanish
Access to a commercial interpreting service or language bank: Yes
Nominal fee charged? No
Other information: Can also serve clients in DC, VA in Arlington, Fairfax County, Alexandria City, and Prince William County. Other KIND offices in other parts of the country serve other states.

Staffing Information

Number of attorneys on staff: 9
Is organization BIA recognized? Yes
Number of fully accredited BIA representatives on staff: 0
Number of partially accredited BIA representatives on staff: 0
Number of paralegals/legal workers on staff: 5

Additional Details

Pro Bono opportunities? Yes
Network affiliations: Immigration Advocates Network, Kids In Need of Defense, Vera Institute of Justice