Post-Graduate Fellowship Guide 2019

Guide to Post-Graduate Fellowships TABLE OF CONTENTS I Note II Introduction III Alphabetical Listing of Fellowships in This Guide IV Overview of Fellowships and Examples 12 V a Project-Based Fellowships .13 b Entrepreneurial Fellowships 16 c Organizational Fellowships 18 d Academic Fellowships 30 e Clinical Fellowships 33 f Government Fellowships 39 g Law Firm Fellowships .43 Elements of Successful Fellowship Applications 46 VI Drafting Tips for Project-Based Fellowships 46 VII Conclusion 49 I NOTE Using the Guide: This guide provides an overview of post-graduate fellowships and also provides students and alumni with examples of various types of fellowships by category While this guide is comprehensive, it is not exhaustive In addition, the deadlines and specifications for various fellowships often change Therefore, we urge students to use the guide in conjunction with various ongoing job sites that provide updated information about post-graduate fellowships, including the following: PSJD, USA.gov, and Symplicity.com II INTRODUCTION One of the best ways to jumpstart your career in the social justice/civil rights/legal services sector is by securing a post-graduate public interest fellowship Fellowships are usually for one- or two-year terms and provide a outstanding way public service opportunities for recent law graduates, including judicial clerks, to launch their careers in public interest There are literally hundreds of fellowships available; many involve a complicated, competitive application process, while others are essentially one- to twoyear jobs that require nothing more than a résumé and cover letter Some of the large project-based fellowships’ funders have early deadlines and require students to secure a “host” (sometimes called “sponsoring”) organization and draft a sophisticated proposal In contrast, others typically not require proposals and have deadlines that run throughout the academic year Applying for fellowships can be very time-consuming, and conducting the process in an organized and well-thought-out manner is the key to your success While fellowships may vary in terms of their specification and their selection criteria, all funders take into account a variety of qualifications, including your academic credentials and experience Law firm funders tend to base some of their criteria on those they use for hiring associates Some nonprofits are more interested in your practical experience and passion for their work Be diligent and take the time to research each fellowship carefully, and try to gain some insight into what the funders are looking for The rewards of securing fellowship are tremendous Fellowships provide a unique and valuable entry into the world of public service Fellows are able to use their legal skills to effect positive change for disadvantaged populations Moreover, most fellowships provide top-rate training and supervision and serve as an impressive credential for attorneys as they build their careers While fellowships are a fantastic way to launch a career, please keep in mind that fellowships are not the only way of securing a post-graduate legal position in the public interest sector Furthermore, the application process is competitive and rigorous; many applicants will unfortunately not receive a placement Therefore, students should also be exploring other entry points into their desired career and should take full advantage of the resources offered by the Public Interest and Pro Bono Office and the Career Development Office We hope you will find this guide useful as you begin to develop your post-graduate fellowship strategy III ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF FELLOWSHIPS IN THIS GUIDE A ▪ ACLU: Marvin Karpatkin Fellowship ▪ ACLU: National Security Project Fellowship ▪ ACLU: Reproductive Freedom Fellowship ▪ ACLU: William Brennan Fellowship ▪ Advocates for Basic Legal Equality – Unaccompanied Immigrant Children Fellowship ▪ Alfa Fellowship Program ▪ American Academy in Berlin – Berlin Prize Fellowship ▪ American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Fellowship Program ▪ Americans for Separation of Church and State – Church-State Litigation Fellowship ▪ Americans for Separation of Church and State – Constitutional Litigation Fellowship ▪ Animal Legal Defense Fund Litigation Fellowship ▪ Ashoka Fellowship ▪ Asian Americans Advancing Justice Fellowship ▪ Bay Area Legal Aid – Project Link Fellowship ▪ Berkeley Law Foundation ▪ Berkeley Law School – Teaching Fellow – Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic ▪ Bernabei and Katz – Civil Rights Litigation Fellowship ▪ Borchard Foundation on Law and Aging ▪ Brown Goldstein and Levy – Disability Fellowship ▪ Business and Professional People for the Public Interest – Polikoff-Gautreaux Fellowship ▪ Cardozo Law School – Kathryn O Greenberg Clinical Immigration Fellowship ▪ Catalyst Fellowship ▪ Center for Children’s Advocacy Fellowship ▪ Center for International and Environmental Law – Louis B Sohn Fellowship ▪ Center for Reproductive Rights – ART Policy Fellowship B C ▪ Center on Budget Priorities – State Policy Fellowship ▪ Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll Fellowship ▪ Columbia Law School Associates in Law Program ▪ Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto – Immigrant Rights Fellowship ▪ Disability Rights Advocate – Sidney M Wolinsky Fellowship ▪ Draper Richards Kaplan ▪ Earthjustice Fellowship ▪ EarthRights International – Bertha Fellowship ▪ Echoing Green ▪ Echoing Green Black Male Achievement Fellowship ▪ Echoing Green Climate Fellowship ▪ Echoing Green Global Fellowship ▪ Empire Justice Center – Hanna S Cohn Fellowship ▪ Environmental Law Institute – Public Interest Environmental Fellowship ▪ Equal Justice Initiative Legal Fellowship D E Equal Justice Society – Butler Koshland Fellowship ▪ Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowships ▪ Equal Justice Works Fellowship ▪ Equal Rights Advocate Fellowship ▪ Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Legal Fellowship ▪ Fair Labor Association – Accountability Associate ▪ FairVote Democracy Fellowship Program ▪ Families USA – Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice ▪ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Honors Attorney Program ▪ Fried Frank – MALDEF & LDF Fellowship Programs ▪ Future of Privacy Forum – Elise Berkower Memorial Fellowship F G ▪ Georgetown Law Center for the Constitution Fellowship ▪ Georgetown University Law Center Research Fellowship ▪ Georgetown University Law Center – Street Law Graduate Teaching Fellowship ▪ Georgetown University Law – Domestic Violence Clinic Graduate Teaching Fellowship ▪ Georgetown University Law – Institute for Public Representation Teaching Fellowship ▪ Gibbons & Gibbons Fellowship ▪ Gideon’s Promise Law School Partnership Program ▪ Gupta Wessler PLLC – Fellowship in Appellate & Constitutional Litigation ▪ Harvard Law School – Albert M Sacks Clinical Law Fellowship ▪ Harvard Law School – Privacy Initiative Fellowship ▪ Harvard Law School – Reginald F Lewis Fellowship for Law Teaching ▪ Herbert Scoville Jr Peace Fellowship ▪ Holland & Knight Chesterfield Smith Fellowship ▪ Human Rights Watch & ACLU: Aryeh Neier Fellowship ▪ Human Rights Watch – Alan R and Barbara Finberg Fellowships ▪ Hunton & Williams – Atlanta Office Pro Bono Fellowship ▪ Hunton & Williams – Richmond Office Pro Bono Fellowship ▪ If/When/How – Reproductive Justice Fellowship Program ▪ Immigrant Justice Corps ▪ Independence Foundation ▪ Initiative for Public Interest Law at Yale ▪ Insight Collaborative Fellowship ▪ International Senior Lawyers Project – Kapp-Esaaye Fellowship ▪ Jack Nelson-Dow Jones Foundation Legal Fellowship ▪ Juvenile Law Center – Sol and Helen Zubrow Fellowship ▪ Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder – Theodore I Koskoff Trial Advocacy Fellowship H I J K L ▪ LAMBDA Legal Defense and Education Fund – Legal Fellowship ▪ Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights – Jerry Shestack Fellowship ▪ Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights – George N Linsday Fellowship ▪ Legal Aid of Northern Carolina – Clifton Everett Fellowship ▪ Legal Aid of Northern Nevada – Melanie Kushnir Access to Justice Fellow ▪ Loevy & Loevy – The Justice Fellowship ▪ Loyola Law School – Center for Juvenile Law and Policy ▪ Loyola University Chicago School of Law – Beazley Institute for Health Law & Policy Fellowship ▪ Maida Fellowship Program – only for Rutgers law students ▪ Maine Bar Association – Frank M Coffin Fellowship ▪ McCormick Foundation Legal Fellowship ▪ NAACP LDF – John Payton Fellowship ▪ National Endowment for Democracy – Hurford Youth Fellowship ▪ National Endowment for Democracy – Reagen-Fascell Fellowship ▪ National Environmental Law Center – Litigation Attorney ▪ National Immigration Law Center Fellowship ▪ National Institutes of Health – Department of Bioethics Fellowship ▪ National Women’s Law Center – ABA Section of Taxation Christine A Brunswick Fellowship ▪ Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Fellowship ▪ Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, LLP – Cochran Fellowship ▪ New Jersey Institute for Justice – Honorable Dickinson R Debevoise Social Justice Fellow ▪ New Jersey Institute for Social Justice – Trustee Social Justice Fellowship ▪ New Voices ▪ New York Civil Liberties Union – Immigrant Rights Fellowship ▪ New York Lawyers for Public Interest – Michael A Young LGBTQ Legal Fellowship ▪ New York Leaders Initiative, Empire State Fellows Program ▪ New York University School of Law – Global Fellows Program ▪ New York University School of Law – Law & Economics Fellowship M N ▪ Northwestern Law School – Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center – Solitary Confinement Appellate Litigation Fellowship ▪ NYC Housing Preservation & Development, Housing Fellows Program ▪ NYU Law School – Law & Business Entrepreneurship Fellowship ▪ NYU School of Law – Furman Center for Real Estate Fellowships ▪ Oceana Fellowship ▪ Open Society Presidential Fellowship ▪ Pace Law School – Environmental Law Fellowship ▪ Physicians for Human Rights – Senior Researcher ▪ Poverty and Race Research Council – Civil Rights (Housing & Health) Fellowship ▪ Prison Law Office – Legal Fellowship ▪ Public Citizen’s Alan Morrison Supreme Court Assistance Project ▪ Public International & Policy Group – Pro Bono Law Fellowship ▪ Public Justice Center – Murnaghan Fellowship ▪ Public Justice Foundation Fellowship ▪ Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study Fellowship Program ▪ Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program ▪ Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP Fellowship ▪ Sikh Coalition – Legal Fellowship ▪ Skadden ▪ Social Science Research Council Abe Fellowship ▪ Soros Advocacy Fellowship ▪ Stanton Foundation Legal Fellowship ▪ Stoneleigh Foundation, Emerging Leaders Fellowship ▪ Tom Steel Post-Graduate Fellowship O P R S T ▪ Tycko & Zavareei LLP – Public Interest Fellowship ▪ University of Baltimore – Bob Parson’s Veterans’ Law Clinic Fellowship ▪ University of Baltimore – Clinical Fellow for Immigrant Rights Fellowship ▪ University of Chicago Law School – Harry A Bigelow Teaching Fellowship ▪ University of Chicago Law School – International Human Rights Clinic Fellowship ▪ University of Georgia – Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Fellowship ▪ University of Oregon – Domestic Violence Clinic Fellowship ▪ University of Pennsylvania – George Sharswood Fellowship ▪ University of Pittsburgh – Immigration Fellowship ▪ University of Texas Law School – Community Economic Development and Environment U Fellowship ▪ University of Vermont – Legal Fellowship, Center for Agriculture and Food Systems ▪ U.S Copyright Office, Barbara A Ringer Copyright Honors Program ▪ U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Legal Honors Program ▪ U.S Department of Justice – Attorney General’s Honors Program ▪ U.S Department of Justice – Office of the Solicitor General Bristow Fellowship ▪ U.S Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor Honors Program ▪ Vera Institute for Justice – Clifford Chance Fellowship ▪ Vermont Poverty Law Fellowship, Vermont Legal Aid ▪ White House Fellows Program, The ▪ Wilson Center Fellowship Program ▪ Winston & Strawn LLP Fellowship Program ▪ Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program, The ▪ Yale Law School – Abrams Clinical Fellowship ▪ Yale Law School – Robert M Cover Fellowship in Public Interest Law ▪ Yale Law School – Robert M Cover-Allard K Lowenstein Fellowship V W Y 10 pursuits, or work in an intellectually invigorating environment The role is positioned to be part of the fellows community at the Berkman Klein Center Harvard Law School – Reginald F Lewis Fellowship for Law Teaching (http://hls.harvard.edu) The Lewis Fellowship program particularly supports the training of prospective law teachers who will enhance the diversity of the profession We especially encourage applications from candidates of color The Lewis Fellow is required to prepare at least one major article for publication Additionally, the Lewis Fellow has an opportunity to audit courses and attend workshops at the law school The Lewis Fellow is expected to follow a schedule of research and work to be agreed upon with the Lewis Committee Loyola University Chicago School of Law – Beazley Institute for Health Law & Policy Fellowship (http://publichealth.uic.edu) The fellowship is particularly well-suited to lawyers who are seeking a career in clinical law teaching or social justice advocacy The ideal applicant has experience in an MLP or other law school clinic setting; is barred in Illinois by the start date (or bar eligible); and has experience in one or more of the case subject matters, including public benefits, disability, housing, advance care planning, immigration, guardianship, among others The fellowship is for a term of two years 10 Loyola Law School – Center for Juvenile Law and Policy at Loyola Law School (http://www.lls.edu/academics/centers) The Loyola Law School Center for Juvenile Law and Policy is a community legal clinic that brings public service, education, and advocacy together to improve the quality of legal services provided to children in the juvenile delinquency system 11 Northwestern Law School – Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center – Solitary Confinement Appellate Litigation Fellowship (http://www.law.northwestern.edu) Northwestern University School of Law invites applications for a two-year fellowship position beginning as soon as possible in the Bluhm Legal Clinic’s Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center We seek applicants for this fellowship position with distinguished academic records; a strong, demonstrated commitment to practicing in the area of civil rights litigation; excellent research and writing skills; and 0–5 years of litigation or clerkship experience, preferably with substantial experience working on federal appeals 12 NYU School of Law – Furman Center for Real Estate Fellowships (http://furmancenter.org) NYU Furman Center fellowships are awarded to post-doctoral researchers, legal scholars, and law and policy graduate students who have shown exceptional academic ability and achievement as well as dedication to the highest standards of interdisciplinary empirical and legal research about housing, land use, real estate, and urban affairs 13 NYU Law School – Law & Business Entrepreneurship Fellowship (http://www.law.nyu.edu) The Law and Business Entrepreneurship Fellowships are being administered by NYU School of Law under the auspices of the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business Fellows are expected to produce a substantial piece of work during their time at the Law School A proposed plan for the fellowship year – specifying the need for the project, goals to be met by the project, how the goals will further the field of focus, and a timeline – will provide the basis for applications Fellows will work on their project and participate in activities of the Jacobson Leadership Program and other faculty workshops and colloquia 35 14 Pace Law School – Environmental Law Fellowship (https://law.pace.edu) The fellow will work part time in Pace's Environmental Law Program while working toward an LL.M in Environmental Law Fellows can research cutting-edge areas of the law through our on-campus Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies, Energy & Climate Center, and Land Use Law Center for Sustainable Development Fellows can choose from unparalleled prospects to develop their skills internationally and through on-the-job practical externships 15 University of Baltimore – Bob Parson’s Veterans’ Law Clinic Fellowship (http://law.ubalt.edu) The University of Baltimore School of Law invites applications for a Fellowship in the Bob Parsons Veterans Advocacy Clinic This public interest fellowship program offers attorneys who are interested in pursuing a law school teaching career exposure to law school clinical teaching 16 University of Baltimore – Clinical Fellow for Immigrant Rights Fellowship (http://law.ubalt.edu/) Fellows assist in teaching immigrant rights clinic In addition, fellows ave the opportunity to pursue other professional goals, including scholarship, during the fellowship Fellows are responsible for case coverage during school vacations This fellowship is particularly suitable for lawyers who want to embark on careers in law teaching 17 UCLA Law Binder Clinical Fellowship Program (https://law.ucla.edu) The Binder Clinical Fellowship Program offers opportunities for clinical teaching and research designed to prepare the fellow to seek a permanent clinical faculty position at a law school The fellowship position typically has a two year term In the fall and spring semesters of the first year, the fellow co-teaches and acts as supervising lawyer in existing clinics and/or clinical skills courses A member of UCLA’s clinical faculty is the primary teacher for the courses and mentors the fellow in UCLA’s tradition of practical training grounded in theories of lawyering During the following summer, the fellow is expected to be fully engaged with a scholarly research project 18 UCLA Law School – Critical Race Fellowship (https://law.ucla.edu) UCLA School of Law's Critical Race Studies Program (CRS) offers a fellowship to support the research and professional development of a candidate pursuing a career in law teaching The only program of its kind in the country, CRS is the premier institutional setting for the study of the intersection between race and the law Anchored by renowned scholars whose research helped found and continues to advance Critical Race Theory in legal scholarship and related disciplines, CRS supports a unique intellectual community for faculty and students, including formal J.D and LL.M specializations in Critical Race Studies 19 UCLA Law School – PULSE Fellowship in Artificial Intelligence, Law and Policy (https://law.ucla.edu) UCLA School of Law’s Program on Understanding Law, Science, and Evidence, or PULSE, is now accepting applications for the PULSE Fellowship in Artificial Intelligence, Law, and Policy This fellowship is a full-time, two-year faculty position The position primarily involves sustained research and writing on the social, economic, and legal implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning The position will also involve teaching and assisting with PULSE projects, such as conferences and workshops 20 University of Chicago Law School – International Human Rights Clinic Fellowship (https://ihrclinic.uchicago.edu) 36 The University of Chicago Law School is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time position training and supervising law students as a fellow, appointed with the rank of Lecturer, in the Law School's International Human Rights (IHR) Clinic The IHR Clinic works for the promotion of social and economic justice globally, including in the United States 21 University of Georgia – Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Fellowship (http://cease.law.uga.edu) The Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) Clinic is the first of its kind in the nation, representing survivors of child sexual abuse in juvenile court dependency matters and civil litigation The clinic not only provides direct representation to survivors but also serves as a teaching center as part of the University of Georgia School of Law 22 University of Oregon – Domestic Violence Clinic Fellowship (https://law.uoregon.edu) This attorney position will be part of the Domestic Violence Clinic This position is a direct-service position and does not have an educational component This position reports to the Faculty Director and will be mentored by the Clinic Supervisor The person in this position must have a J.D.; an Oregon Bar license; a passion for helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; an interest in working with volunteers and clients; and a desire to be part of a top-flight legal clinic 23 University of Pennsylvania – George Sharswood Fellowship (https://www.pennlawreview.com) To encourage scholars who plan to enter legal academia, the Editorial Board of Volume 155 of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review established the first Sharswood Fellowship in 2007 Penn Law has since expanded the program so that now each year the school awards two fellowships that each fund two years of research, writing, and teaching One of the fellowships continues to be generously funded by the Law Review 24 University of Pittsburgh – Immigration Fellowship (http://law.pitt.edu) The Immigration Clinic Fellow will work with the Olender Professor of Asylum, Refugee, and Immigration Law in support of the Immigration Clinic’s educational and community service objectives The fellow will work closely with the Clinic Director in the representation of asylum seekers, minors, and other immigrants seeking relief from removal The fellow will also assist in the direct supervision of clinic students representing clients and clinic classroom teaching in coordination with the Clinic Director 25 University of Vermont – Legal Fellowship, Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (http://www.vermontlaw.edu) The legal fellow at the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) will work with faculty, staff, and students on legal projects and initiatives, helping to oversee and implement grant-funded legal and policy projects to support sustainable food and agriculture The legal fellow develops novel legal tools to improve food and agriculture; translates those tools for broad use (e.g., through social media, web resources, and in-person trainings); supervises students; conducts outreach to local, regional, and national organizations to create strategic partnerships that amplify our progressive work; and helps to develop funding sources This is a two-year position, with the second year contingent on funding availability and on performance 26 University of Texas Law School – Community Economic Development and Environment Fellowship (https://law.utexas.edu) Texas Law School will fund the Community Development and Environmental Justice Fellowship as part of an innovative statewide community development project designed to improve the quality of life in low-income 37 communities The fellowship, funded by a Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) grant to the Law School, is a 12month, post-graduate public interest fellowship 27 Yale Law School – Abrams Clinical Fellowship (https://law.yale.edu) The Abrams Clinical Fellow will help run the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic (MFIA) Experience in the fields of media law, First Amendment, FOIA, Internet law, or intellectual property law is preferred 28 Robert M Cover Fellowship in Public Interest Law (https://law.yale.edu) The Robert M Cover Fellowship in Public Interest Law is a two-year position in the Yale Law School clinical program The fellowship is designed for a lawyer with at least two years of practice who is considering a career in law school clinical teaching 29 Robert M Cover-Allard K Lowenstein Fellowship in International Human Rights Law (https://law.yale.edu) This fellowship is a two-year position for lawyers with international human rights or other relevant experience who are interested in preparing for a career in human rights practice or human rights clinical teaching The fellow will help supervise the Allard K Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic and coordinate activities of the Orville H Schell, Jr Center for International Human Rights 30 San Francisco Affirmative Litigation Project (https://law.yale.edu) Yale Law School’s San Francisco Affirmative Litigation Project (SFALP) and Robert M Cover Fellowship Program offer a post-graduate fellowship for lawyers who are interested in a long-term career in law school clinical teaching or public lawyering The fellowship starts during the summer and lasts for one year, with a stipend of about $46,000 per year plus health benefits One new SFALP Cover Fellow is selected each year 38 f GOVERNMENT FELLOWSHIPS Fellowships with federal or state government entities are typically only available to law students and only immediately after graduation or a judicial clerkship These are typically referred to as “Honors Programs.” Federal Government Fellowships ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Fellowship Program Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Honors Attorney Program Supreme Court Fellows Program – Administrative Office of The United States Courts Supreme Court Fellows Program – Federal Judicial Center Supreme Court Fellows Program – Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court Fellows Program – United States Sentencing Commission U.S Copyright Office, Barbara A Ringer Copyright Honors Program U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Legal Honors Program U.S Department of Justice – Attorney General’s Honors Program U.S Department of Justice – Office of the Solicitor General Bristow Fellowship U.S Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor Honors Program The White House Fellows Program American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Fellowship Program (https://aflcio.org/about/careers) The AFL-CIO Fellow will work with lawyers in the AFL-CIO Legal Department and with other union lawyers around the country on a wide range of activities The fellow will assist experienced lawyers working on cases and regulatory matters that affect the labor movement and the rights of workers The AFL-CIO’s litigation caseload includes cases in the U.S Supreme Court, the U.S Courts of Appeals, the NLRB, and a small number of state appellate suits In addition, the AFL-CIO Legal Department frequently presents the views of the labor movement on federal regulatory initiatives affecting workers Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Honors Attorney Program (https://www.fdic.gov) The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Honors Attorney Program provides valuable and challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school graduates Our goal is to provide our Honors Attorneys with a better understanding of the FDIC's role in our financial system while providing new attorneys with an opportunity for public service Our Honors Attorneys are assigned to a wide variety of projects throughout the Legal Division that provide extensive legal experience as well as a substantial amount of individual responsibility To that end, during the first year of the program all of our Honors Attorneys participate in three-month rotations through various Legal Division sections in our Headquarters office as well as one rotation to one of our field locations (Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, or San Francisco) During their second year, our Honors Attorneys devote their time to longer term assignments with one or more of our sections Supreme Court Fellows Program – Administrative Office of the United States Courts (https://www.supremecourt.gov/fellows/) This fellowship, which provides a unique vantage point for observing how federal judicial policies and rules are 39 formulated, is designed for individuals who have an academic or practical interest in judicial administration, litigation, and legal procedure The fellow assigned to the Administrative Office will be expected to produce an article for publication and make a presentation to United States judges on a topic of legal practice or procedural reform Supreme Court Fellows Program – Federal Judicial Center (https://www.supremecourt.gov/fellows) The fellow serving at the Federal Judicial Center will support the Center’s research and educational activities, including its international training programs The Center’s projects span a broad range of topics, including practiceoriented legal education on specific subjects, such as patent law, scientific evidence, or arbitration, and empirically based studies in judicial reform This fellowship does not focus on a discrete subject matter, such as comparative, procedural, or criminal law It is fashioned for individuals who have a broad interest in legal pedagogy or practical programs for legal reform Supreme Court Fellows Program – Supreme Court of the United States (https://www.supremecourt.gov) This fellowship is ideally suited for individuals who have an academic interest in foreign legal systems and wish to broaden their knowledge through dialogue and exchange with participants in those systems The fellow assigned to the Supreme Court will be expected to produce an article for publication and make a presentation to United States judges on a topic of international or comparative law Supreme Court Fellows Program – United States Sentencing Commission (https://www.supremecourt.gov) The breadth of the Commission’s work and its relatively small size provide the fellow with both a wide-ranging exposure to criminal law and opportunities for active participation in addressing sentencing issues This fellowship will interest individuals with an academic or practice-oriented interest in criminal law The fellow assigned to the Sentencing Commission will be expected to produce a work of scholarship for publication and make a presentation to United States judges on a topic of criminal or sentencing law U.S Copyright Office, Barbara A Ringer Copyright Honors Program (https://www.copyright.gov) The Ringer Honors Program is a distinguished public service opportunity for attorneys in the early stages of their career who have strong interest and a demonstrated record of academic or practical success in copyright law The program accepts applications from individuals who are in their final year at a U.S.-accredited law school or have graduated from such a law school (receiving a J.D or LL.M.) within the five-year period preceding their application date In addition to promising law students, the program welcomes applications from judicial law clerks and those practicing at a law firm or in another setting Although bar membership is not required for the position, Ringer Fellows must have been awarded their J.D by the time they begin the fellowship U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development Legal Honors Program (https://portal.hud.gov) HUD’s Legal Honors Program is designed for law students graduating from J.D and LL.M programs and recent law school graduates completing a judicial clerkship The Legal Honors Program is HUD’s only hiring program for entry level attorneys Successful candidates begin work in August or September and participate in a 14-month appointment that may lead to a permanent position, pending bar admission During the program, Legal Honors are assigned mentors, are given the opportunity to rotate to other offices within OGC, and participate in additional training and monthly discussions to enhance their program experience and develop their legal abilities 40 U.S Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Honors Program (https://www.justice.gov) The Attorney General’s Honors Program is the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program of its kind Eligibility is generally limited to graduating law students and recent law school graduates who entered judicial clerkships, graduate law programs, or qualifying legal fellowships within nine months of law school graduation and who meet additional eligibility requirements 10 U.S Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General Bristow Fellowship (https://www.justice.gov) Every year, the Office of the Solicitor General accepts applications for one-year Bristow fellowships Bristow Fellows assist OSG attorneys in drafting briefs in opposition to certiorari filed against the government in the Supreme Court of the United States, preparing petitions for certiorari and briefs on the merits in Supreme Court cases, preparing recommendations to the Solicitor General regarding authorization of government appeals in the lower courts, and assisting in the preparation of oral arguments in the Supreme Court OSG usually selects four Bristow Fellows each year 11 U.S Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor Honors Program (https://www.dol.gov) The Honors Program gives attorneys a unique opportunity to help interpret and enforce a broad range of labor and employment laws while working in one of the largest legal offices in the federal government Honors attorneys will gain a broad knowledge of labor and employment matters that would be difficult to obtain in years of private practice and will share the honor and privilege of representing the United States government and engaging in public service 12 The White House Fellows Program (https://www.whitehouse.gov) Founded in 1964 by Lyndon B Johnson, the White House Fellows program is one of America's most prestigious programs for leadership and public service White House Fellowships offer exceptional young men and women firsthand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government State Government Fellowships ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ NJ Attorney General’s Fellowship NYC Housing Preservation & Development, Housing Fellows Program NYC Law Department Fellowship New York Leaders Initiative, Empire State Fellows Program NJ Attorney General’s This is a two-year program open to recent law graduates and newly admitted attorneys interested in public service Positions are available in our Newark and Trenton offices, and the program participants will work in one of the following six areas: civil rights; consumer financial protection; data privacy and cybersecurity; environment; gun safety and gun violence; and public integrity NYC Housing Preservation & Development, Housing Fellows Program (http://www1.nyc.gov) The HPD-HDC Housing Fellows Program is designed to bring talented young professionals to HPD and HDC to expose them both to the inner workings of New York City government and to the field of affordable housing, with the goal of developing the next generation of affordable housing leadership The fellowship provides a forum for the exchange of fresh and current ideas with those who shape the City's housing policy through housing- and community development-related lectures, site visits, hands-on policy work, and mentoring 41 NYC Law Department Honors Fellowship New York Leaders Initiative, Empire State Fellows Program (https://www.dos.ny.gov) The Empire State Fellows Program is a full-time leadership training program that will prepare the next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York State policy makers At the end of the Fellowship, a performance review process will identify Fellows that will be given the opportunity to continue to serve as leaders in New York State government after completing the program 42 g LAW FIRM FELLOWSHIPS Law firms offer a wide-range of opportunities for graduates seeking entry-level employment These fellowships take a variety of forms For example, some public interest law firms offer one- to two-year fellowships that enable recent graduates to serve as associates focused on a public interest docket Other firms enable splits between nonprofit organizations and public interest organizations ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Bernabei and Katz – Civil Rights Litigation Fellowship Brown Goldstein and Levy – Disability Fellowship Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll Fellowship Fried Frank – MALDEF & LDF Fellowship Programs Gibbons & Gibbons Fellowship Gupta Wessler PLLC – Fellowship in Appellate & Constitutional Litigation Holland & Knight Chesterfield Smith Fellowship Hunton & Williams – Atlanta Office Pro Bono Fellowship Hunton & Williams – Richmond Office Pro Bono Fellowship Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder – Theodore I Koskoff Trial Advocacy Fellowship Loevy & Loevy – The Justice Fellowship Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, LLP – Cochran Fellowship Public Justice Foundation Fellowship Relman, Dane & Colfax Civil Rights Fellowship Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP Fellowship Tycko & Zavareei LLP – Public Interest Fellowship Winston & Strawn LLP Fellowship Program Bernabei & Kabat Civil Rights Litigation Fellowship (http://bernabeipllc.com) The Civil Rights Litigation Fellowship lasts for one year, with the opportunity to apply for a permanent associate position when the fellowship ends The fellow participates in all aspects of litigation, from interviewing clients to assisting with trials, hearings, and mediations Fellows have extensive client contact and participate in case development and strategy Fellows’ professional development is encouraged by providing time for fellows to attend seminars and trainings and to seek out opportunities for publication Brown, Goldstein & Levy – Disability Fellowship (http://www.browngold.com) The Brown, Goldstein & Levy Disability Rights Fellowship is available to law school graduates with a disability and zero to three years of legal experience Applicants should have strong academic credentials, excellent writing skills, and a demonstrated commitment to disability rights It is a one-year fellowship and may include the opportunity for a second year Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll Fellowship (http://www.cohenmilstein.com) Cohen Milstein Fellows will be asked to make a one-year commitment They must work successfully with attorneys from a number of the Firm’s key practice areas, including Antitrust, Civil Rights & Employment, Consumer Protection, Employee Benefits/ERISA, Human Rights, Public Client, Securities Litigation & Investor Protection, and Whistleblower/False Claims Act Fellows will be involved in all aspects of the Firm’s work, including investigating potential cases, drafting pleadings, researching cutting-edge legal issues, conducting discovery, and collaborating with our colleagues in leading firms across the country This position is located in our Washington, D.C office 43 Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen (http://www.friedfrank.com) In 1995 and 1997 respectively, Fried Frank founded the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Fellowship (LDF) Programs Each fellow spends two years in Fried Frank’s New York litigation department and then, depending on the fellowship, spends two years as a staff attorney with either LDF or MALDEF Upon successful completion of the four-year fellowship, fellows may return to Fried Frank with full seniority Gibbons P.C., John J Gibbons Fellowship (http://www.gibbonslaw.com) The Gibbons Fellows, under the direction of Lawrence S Lustberg, long-time director of the Gibbons Fellowship program, undertake public interest and constitutional law projects and litigation Requests for representation or advice are considered from all sectors, public and private, including public interest organizations, legal services or public defender offices, government agencies, private nonprofit corporations, courts, and individuals Working with a broad cross-section of public interest groups, the fellowship program has become widely known in New Jersey and nationally as a voice for the poor and underrepresented Gupta Wessler PLLC – Fellowship in Appellate & Constitutional Litigation (http://guptawessler.com) The fellowship is ideally suited for a current judicial law clerk interested in embarking on a career as a public interest litigator Fellows are fully integrated into all aspects of the firm’s work and receive significant responsibility for cutting-edge appellate and constitutional litigation They are expected to hit the ground running by researching and drafting briefs under close supervision and mentorship by the firm’s attorneys Fellows will also play a critical role in monitoring developments in the U.S Supreme Court and other courts and in analyzing potential new cases for the firm Holland & Knight Chesterfield Smith Fellowship (https://www.hklaw.com) A fellow joins the firm’s Community Service Team, working for two years with a designated organization in one of the cities in which the firm has an office The firm’s goal is to have the fellow join the firm as a third-year associate Hunton & Williams – Atlanta Pro Bono Fellowship ( https://www.hunton.com) The Atlanta fellow represents indigent clients in all aspects of the Hunton & Williams Atlanta pro bono practice, including assisting clients with relative caregiver adoptions, child custody and support, divorce, domestic violence, guardianships, estate planning, immigration law, and representation as Guardian ad Litem for children in custody disputes, abuse and neglect proceedings, and also for those children who appear before the Juvenile Court on charges of status offenses Hunton & Williams – Richmond Pro Bono Fellowship (https://www.hunton.com) The Richmond Fellow dedicates a large percentage of their time to Church Hill neighborhood office matters and the other portion of their time to matters handled through the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society Fellows have primarily handled divorce, custody and guardian cases, child and spousal support appeals, housing cases, and asylum and adoption cases While the substantial portion of legal work is performed for Central Virginia Legal Aid, it is expected that the fellow is fully integrated into Hunton & Williams, with all the normal opportunities available for legal training, associate development, and social participation 10 Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder – Theodore I Koskoff Trial Advocacy Fellowship (http://www.koskoff.com) Theodore I Koskoff (TIK) Trail Advocacy Fellows will work at Koskoff on cases involving wrongful death and other serious tort matters as well as equal rights, individual liberty, and access to justice Fellows are also given the opportunity to work on legal projects of their choice The focus of the fellowship is on learning the art of trial 44 advocacy, and the fellow will work closely with experienced trial lawyers The firm will strive to provide opportunities for meaningful trial experience, and the fellow must be willing to participate in the presentation of evidence at trial 11 Loevy & Loevy – The Justice Fellowship (https://www.loevy.com) The Justice Fellowship offers new attorneys committed to civil rights and criminal justice an unparalleled opportunity to work on trial and appellate litigation at the very beginning of their careers Our fellows will participate in all aspects of our wrongful conviction, civil rights, and whistleblower practices In doing so, they will be trained by experienced civil rights litigators and gain litigation experience unavailable in entry-level positions elsewhere 12 Neufeld Scheck & Brustin, LLP – Cochran Fellowship (http://www.nsbcivilrights.com) Following the death of founding partner Johnnie L Cochran, Jr., the firm named this fellowship in his memory to honor his dedication and commitment to civil rights while a member of the firm and throughout his distinguished career Cochran fellows are integral members of NSB case teams and work on civil rights cases across the country 13 Public Justice Foundation Fellowship (https://www.publicjustice.net) The fellow will work collaboratively with Public Justice’s staff attorneys, outside lawyers who support Public Justice’s work, and other public interest groups in order to develop and bring precedent-setting and socially significant litigation He or she may also help to develop materials designed to educate members of the public and the bar about Public Justice’s cases and the issues they represent 14 Relman, Dane & Colfax Civil Rights Fellowship (http://www.relmanlaw.com) Relman Civil Rights Fellows work closely with the firm's attorneys on cutting-edge cases in civil rights law Fellows are deeply involved in all aspects and stages of litigation, including developing and investigating cases, interviewing clients, drafting pleadings, conducting discovery and appearing in court Past fellows have gone on to pursue exciting and fulfilling careers as civil rights lawyers and public defenders 15 Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP Fellowship (http://www.smwlaw.com) The firm offers a three-year fellowship for highly qualified recent law school graduates, public-interest fellows, and judicial clerks Fellows function as the junior associates of our firm and gain hands-on experience and instruction in environmental, land use, and administrative law by conducting research, writing briefs and memoranda, meeting with clients, attending administrative hearings, and appearing in court once admitted to practice in California 16 Tycko & Zavareei LLP – Public Interest Fellowship (https://www.tzlegal.com) The Tycko & Zavareei Public Interest Fellowship is an excellent opportunity for talented young lawyers to work side by-side with the seasoned litigators of the firm as well as spend approximately two months of the fellowship working at some of the District of Columbia’s finest nonprofit organizations Currently, Tycko & Zavareei is partnering with five exceptional nonprofit organizations – Public Justice, Human Rights First, The National Women’s Law Center, Bread for the City, and the National Consumer Law Center® – in this unique and exciting program 17 Winston & Strawn LLP Fellowship Program (http://www.winston.com) The Winston & Strawn LLP Fellowship Program places incoming associates in positions at local public interest law organizations of their choice during the period following graduation and prior to their official start date at the firm The fellowship program was created to provide participating associates an opportunity to gain hands-on legal experience and also provide much needed service to public interest law organizations 45 V ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS Most fellowships want students or clerks who are goal-oriented and have a strong commitment to theirdeep connection to their goals and mission Most fellowships require some or all of the following: Personal Narrative: Several applications require an essay describing your public interest devotion and experiences In the absence of a specific requirement, those items should still be addressed in your cover letter Regardless of the format, you should aim to persuade the funder of your commitment, skills, and interest The narrative breathes life into your application and allows the reader to get a sense of who you are Résumé: A résumé is a marketing piece that you can use to highlight your commitment to public service You should include your qualifications for a specific fellowship, especially if your narrative has a word limit For these specific fellowships, you can be less concerned with the one-page rule and more focused on including all of your public sector work experience, community service, volunteer experience, and other public interest activities Do not hesitate to go back to college activities and even significant high school service can be included The more detailed you are, the more you demonstrate your commitment to a long-term public interest career path However, if your résumé is not filled with these types of activities, you can still balance that by drafting a very detailed narrative that demonstrates your knowledge of and commitment to public interest Recommendations: Letters of recommendation are often required for fellowships Some will ask for a list of references and will expect that at least one law professor and one previous employer will be on the list The best recommenders are those who can discuss your personal strengths and the quality of your work in detail It is also helpful if your recommender can spotlight some of your skills and traits that make you the ideal fellowship candidate If you are a self-starter, work well independently, and have good rapport with clients, that is important for the funders to know VI DRAFTING TIPS FOR PROJECT-BASED FELLOWSHIPS For project-based fellowships, you will typically need to identify a host organization and develop a project proposal There are a number of ways of identifying potential host organizations Often, we urge students to contact organizations for whom they have worked as a summer intern, extern, and/orpro bono volunteers Other resources include PSJD’s website, which can be navigated by using the Advanced Search for Project-Based Fellowships Before reaching out to host organizations, it is useful to have a general sense of the kind of project you are interested in pursuing For example, you want to work on a project focused on educating and representing LGBTQ youth? Or to develop a project that provides linguistically accessible and culturally competent services to domestic violence victims in NJ? Once you have identified potential sites, and have developed a project idea, you will want to select a host organization Among the strategic considerations 46 to keep in mind as you select a host to partner with include the following: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Does the organization have the capacity to provide you the support and supervision necessary to carry out your project? Are there attorneys on staff who have expertise in the area of law in which you plan to practice? Do they have partners with whom you can collaborate? What is the organization’s track record with securing fellows through EJW, Skadden, etc TIP: Review funders' webpages to get a sense of which host organizations have a strong track record in acquiring these fellowships Be sure the problem your project addresses is concrete and can be implemented during the timeframe of the fellowship It is important that the issues you address are not too broad and that the issues are compelling The plan must be realistic The proposal should be your road map and job description for the next two years While the criteria for various project-based funders vary considerably, the following are ways to strengthen your proposal for virtually all project-based proposals: 47 ▪ Ensure that your project fits within the parameters of a given fellowship funder Remember to evaluate the funder’s goals and mission You want to be sure you are suggesting projects that fit within their parameters It is very important you convey in a clear and concise manner the way in which your project fits within the funder’s goals Funders tend to frown on fellows being used as Band-Aids for more staff attorneys It is vital to your success that your project is new and creative and not a natural extension of an already existing project within the organization, unless it has an innovative change or expands to reach another population ▪ Demonstrate your commitment to the community and issues served by your project The easiest way to demonstrate your commitment to your area of interest is to work in that area Throughout law school you should be seeking clinical, internship, and outside placement opportunities at agencies and organizations that the work you ultimately want to If an organization already knows your work, they will be more likely to be willing to sponsor you for a fellowship Even if they don’t sponsor you, odds are you will get to know others at similar organizations that will get to know you and want to sponsor you Many times the most successful applicants are able to demonstrate a direct connection between the work they want to and the community they want to serve It is very important to work in the community you are seeking a fellowship in prior to the process If you want to be in Miami, work in that legal community before applying for the fellowship ▪ Establish how your project will assist in providing vital assistance toward meeting an unmet legal need in the community Be sure to your due diligence Make sure there is a substantial need for your project before you go full-steam ahead You probably want to focus on a specific community and its issues rather than a national issue If you are really interested in a national issue, try to address that national issue on a smaller scale in one community Establish that you and your organization are well matched and poised to launch the proposed project It is crucial to the project’s success that your project and the organization be a good match Funders will carefully examine the organization’s financial stability, staffing issues, and community effectiveness when making a decision on a fellow Again, be sure to really your research on all of the organizations in a community that work on your issue area, and be sure you are selecting to match with the best-suited agency If you are finding it difficult to locate a good match, it may be helpful to call the funders and ask them where they have had fellows in the past this type of work It is likely that if they funded an organization in the past, it was a good fit However, many first-time sponsor organizations are selected every year Just remember, if you choose an organization that has never had a fellow before, make sure to take extra time to highlight their stability and accomplishments It can also be very helpful to lay out in your application how the organization will provide you with training and supervision 48 VII CONCLUSION Public interest fellowships are attractive for a number of reasons, including that they allow graduates to creatively pursue their passions and interests while providing the training necessary to pursue permanent public interest or teaching positions and that they provide networking opportunities for developing strong professional contacts in the field The application process can be time-consuming and challenging, but obtaining one of the many prestigious fellowships listed in this guide will provide a graduate with a great foundation for and entry into the legal profession 49 ... you will find this guide useful as you begin to develop your post-graduate fellowship strategy III ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF FELLOWSHIPS IN THIS GUIDE A ▪ ACLU: Marvin Karpatkin Fellowship ▪ ACLU:... Organizational Fellowships 18 d Academic Fellowships 30 e Clinical Fellowships 33 f Government Fellowships 39 g Law Firm Fellowships ... Alphabetical Listing of Fellowships in This Guide IV Overview of Fellowships and Examples 12 V a Project-Based Fellowships .13 b Entrepreneurial Fellowships