Fellowship Opportunities in Law
Updated March 1, 2009.
Prepared by Mary Whisner, Reference Librarian & Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow,
1984-85
Updated by Julia Vinson, Law Library Intern (2009).
See also the Gallagher guides on Government Work and Grant Resources for Law Students.
Types of Fellowships
The structure varies:
- For some (e.g., Equal Justice Works, Skadden), an applicant must have a project in mind and have the sponsorship of an organization.
- For some (e.g., WLPPFP), the fellowship organization places the fellow with an organization.
- For some (e.g., Georgetown University Law Center Graduate Fellowship Program for Future Law Professors), the fellowship is tied to academic work.
- For an overview, see PSLawNet Postgraduate Fellowships - Information and Resources.
Examples of Fellowship Programs for Lawyers
Equal Justice Works Fellowships
- 2-year fellowships
- fellow + project + host organization
- Fellow gets salary, national leadership training, networking support, and loan repayment assistance
- Applications become available in the summer and are due in mid-September. Semifinalists are selected and interviewed in the fall. Offers are extended between November and January and between January and March (organization matching fund program).
- About 50 fellows per year
- UW alumni who have had Equal Justice Works fellowships:
- Casey Trupin, JD 1999 (project: street youth; host: Columbia Legal Services)
- Ishbel Dickens, JD 2002 (project: mobile home parks; host: Columbia Legal Services)
- Matthew Brinegar, JD 2004 (project: Medicaid; host: Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc., Orlando FL)
- Profiles of current and past fellows are on the website. Reading them is an excellent way to get a sense of the sorts of projects funded.
- 1-year fellowships, with expectation of one renewal
- Fellow gets salary, benefits, loan repayment assistance
- fellow + project + host organization
- 24-28 fellows per year
Initiative for Public Interest Law at Yale
- 1-year grant for a start-up program with a host organization
- Preference for Yale grads, but recent grant recipients have includes graduates of St. Mary’s (San Antonio), CUNY (Queens), Stanford, Michigan, Georgetown, SUNY-Buffalo, and UCLA.
Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program
- 1-year fellowships, but one is a 2-year fellowship in the Georgetown’s Domestic Violence Clinic (and leads to an LL.M.).
- Fellows are placed with public interest organizations in Washington, DC, participate in program events, and may audit courses at Georgetown.
- Fellows get salary and benefits
- About 6 U.S. fellows per year. Sister program: Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa Program
University of Chicago Law School, Harry A. Bigelow Teaching Fellowships
- 2-year fellowships
- Teach first-year legal research and writing
- Stepping stone to academic career
- Applications accepted from September through May; acceptances made on a rolling basis
- 6 fellows per year
- Similar fellowship: Temple Law School Abraham L. Freedman Teaching Fellowship
- Part of the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps program
- 11 month commitment
- $30,000 - $40,000 for living allowance and supplemental benefits
- Loan repayment assistance and health care insurance
- Equal Justice Works network opportunities
Presidential Management Fellows
- 2-year paid fellowship
- Fellows are placed with a U.S. government agency; many are law school graduates
- Only open to graduate students matriculating by August 31 of the PMF Exam year
- Requires a nomination by department of graduating institution
Fellowship Programs for Law Students
This guide focuses on fellowship opportunities after graduation, but there are some fellowships for summer work.
- Places students in summer jobs and school year fellowships with labor-related organizations
- Includes mentor organizations throughout the U.S.
UW Graduate School, Bonderman Travel Fellowship
- UW seniors and graduate students; several law graduates have received Bonderman fellowships in the past few years.
- $20,000 award for travel. Fellows "must travel for eight or more months, exploring six or more countries in two or more major regions of the world."
When Should You Think About Fellowships?
- During your 1L year, as you look ahead.
- During your 2L summer, if you want to apply for fellowships whose deadlines are in September.
- During your 3L fall, if you want to apply for fellowships whose deadlines are in the fall.
- Throughout your 3L year, as opportunities arise.
- After graduation, if you are in a clerkship or you want to change focus after your first job. Many organizations welcome applications from recent graduates.
- For a list of deadlines, see PSLawNet's Calendar of Deadlines.
What Are Your Chances?
It depends on the program. Some programs receive hundreds of applications for a few slots; others are less competitive.
You may be a very desirable applicant!
As they say in the lottery ads: You have to play to win!
Other Resources
- Yale Law School Career Development Office, Public Interest Fellowships
- UW School of Law Career Planning and Public Service, Fellowships