Various law firms and foundations offer prestigious public interest fellowships to fund graduating law students, judicial clerks and other attorneys seeking entry-level positions. Generally speaking, a fellowship is a unique opportunity to develop expertise in a specific area of public interest law by identifying a need in a particular community and striving to meet it through a legal project. In addition, fellowships enable new attorneys to work at leading public interest organizations that typically might hire more experienced attorneys. Fellowships usually fund attorneys for 2 or 3 years and some offer loan repayment assistance.

Before submitting a fellowship application, be sure to meet with our public interest counselor, Randee Breiter, who will offer helpful feedback, put you in touch with past fellowship recipients, and set up a mock interview.

For more information and additional listings, refer to the Harvard Law School Public Interest Job Search Guide and Yale's Comprehensive Fellowship Guide - the Ultimate Resource for Law Students and Lawyers (available at the Career Planning Center). Note that opportunities to work in federal and state agencies are covered in detail in the Government Honors and Internship Guide (also available at the CDO). Below is a sampling of post-graduate fellowship opportunities.

• Department of Justice The Office of Immigration Litigation, Civil Division, Washington, D.C., is looking to hire a number of trial attorneys for temporary term appointments not to exceed 12 months. This is an excellent opportunity for a graduate awaiting the start of a judicial clerkship, young attorneys seeking trial experience, and individuals interested in public service. Individuals hired for these positions will be eligible to receive federal benefits, including health insurance. These positions are open until filled, but no later than March 30, 2007. The salary for these positions is at the GS-11, Step 1 level ($54,272.00) or the GS-12, Step 1 level ($66,767.00), depending upon post-J.D. experience.
  
  

Relocation expenses are not authorized. Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and must be admitted to the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicants who recently took the bar examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to apply. Applicants should have a strong interest in immigration law, as well as trial and appellate work, and possess an excellent academic background. Applicants must submit a resume or current OF-612 (Optional Application for Federal Employment), a cover letter (highlighting relevant background) and a writing sample (no more than 12 pages) to:

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division
Office of Immigration Litigation (GS-11)
P. O. Box 14660 Ben Franklin Station
Washington, D.C. 20044-4660

Attn: Brandie Miller Or they may e-mail application materials to Civil.OIL-Resumes@usdoj.gov. Please specify that the application is for the “Term Trial Attorney” position in the subject line.

• Equal Justice Works (formerly NAPIL) offers two-year fellowships for recent law graduates and experienced attorneys, who in conjunction with a nonprofit host organization, launch an effective, creative project on behalf of low-income and other needy communities. Equal Justice Works requires the host organization to set the fellow's salary commensurate to what a standard entry-level attorney (or attorney with similar experience) would receive at that organization. Beginning with the Class of 2002, Equal Justice Works will provide up to $37,500 toward that salary level. Equal Justice Works also offers loan repayment assistance for qualifying fellows. Hilda Cenecharles, Shahar Vinayi, Jack Wallace, and Sonia Zeledon of the University of Miami School of Law are past fellowship recipients.

• Echoing Green offers a two-year fellowship with a stipend of $30,000 per year that serves as seed money to start a new public service organization or an independent project. The proposed project must be the original idea of the applicant and may be in any public service area including the environment, arts, education, health, youth service and development, civil and human rights, and community and economic development. Applicants must be determined to initiate social change and demonstrate the ability to effectively lead a project. Virginia Coto, David Daniels, Cris Navarro, Prof. Carolyn Salisbury and Prof. Caryn Vogel of the University of Miami School of Law are past fellowship recipients.

• Holland & Knight Chesterfield Smith Fellows work full-time for 2 years solely on firm pro bono matters receiving the same compensation and benefits as other associates. Fellows will begin working in one of the firm's practice areas as third year associates. Candidates are selected during the fall of their second year of law school.

• The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law offers the George N. Lindsay Civil Rights Fellowship Program. This one-year fellowship allows recent law school graduates to become familiar with civil rights practice by working with many of the nation's leading civil rights experts at the national office in Washington, D.C. The Fellowship stipend is $42,000, supplemented by a loan forgiveness payment of $2,000, bar review fees, and bar fees.

• The New Voices Fellowship Program is a capacity building and leadership grant program that assists non-profit organizations and professionals entering the fields of human rights and international cooperation. Fellows are recruited by the host organization and receive an average salary of $35,000 in addition to loan repayment assistance, support for professional development activities, and leadership training.

• The Skadden Fellowship Program funds twenty-five Skadden Fellows each year for a one year term with the expectation of renewal for a second year. Fellows create their own projects and work through a host 501(c)(3) organization. Skadden provides fellows a salary of $37,500 in addition to loan repayment assistance. This fellowship strongly considers the applicant's academic achievement in addition to public interest commitment and project proposal. Solangel Verde of the University of Miami School of Law was awarded a Skadden Fellowship. The Soros Foundation offers a variety of fellowships.

• Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowships Program funds 6 to 8 fellows with a special interest in women's rights to work in Washington, D.C., for one year. Fellows work with women's rights groups, civil rights groups, congressional offices, governmental agencies, and Georgetown University Law Center clinics working on women's issues. Fellows may audit GULC courses on gender and the law and women's legal history. Fellows are awarded a stipend of $35,000