Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships
Fellowships and Government Honors Programs are the primary source of entry-level public interest jobs in non-profit organizations, federal and state government agencies, public interest law firms, and academic clinical settings. Fellowships are typically short-term, lasting one or two years, and are designed for new or recent law graduates. Many fellows transition into permanent roles within their organizations at the end of the position’s fixed term. Both fellowship and government honors applications are typically due late summer or fall semester the year before students graduate.
The following information and resources will help you explore and identify some of the most common options available.
- Project-based fellowships help fund projects that serve unmet legal needs. Typically, the applicant must partner with a public interest “host” organization to develop a project and apply to an external funding program. Selected fellows execute their projects at the host organization for a fixed term, which is usually one to two years. Examples include Equal Justice Works' Design-Your-Own Fellowship, Skadden Foundation Fellowships, and Justice Catalyst Fellowships.
- Organizational fellowships allow recent graduates to work as entry-level staff attorneys for a fixed term, usually one to two years. Many organizational fellowships are available each year within nonprofit and legal service organizations. Many opportunities recur annually or biannually, while others are one-time opportunities or offered as funding permits.
- Academic/Clinical fellowships offer opportunities to gain experience in academia, often through teaching, supervising students in clinics, or producing scholarly work. These fellowships are based at law schools and may serve as a pathway to long-term teaching or clinical positions. Most require several years of legal experience, though some are open to recent graduates.
- Law Firm fellowships allow recent graduates to work in the public interest sector while being sponsored or hosted by a private law firm. These fellowships vary in structure: in some, fellows spend part or all of the fellowship period embedded at a nonprofit or legal services organization; in others, fellows work at the firm but work exclusively on pro bono matters.
- Government Honors programs are the primary entry point for recent law graduates into federal agencies. One of the most popular programs is the DOJ Honors Program, but there are honors programs at many other federal, state, and local government agencies.
Additional Resources:
PSJD.org: PSJD provides job listings, post-graduate fellowship information, internships, and other job search resources for law students and graduates. Visit www.psjd.org and register for free as a Stetson Law student.
Arizona Government Honors Handbook: These handbooks have deadlines and application information for internships and post-graduate federal, state, and local government honors programs nationwide. To access the Arizona Handbooks, contact OCPD for the link and password.
Opportunities Spreadsheet: OCPD has a tracking spreadsheet of postgraduate opportunities for graduating law students and recent graduates, which includes fellowship funders, organizational fellowships, government positions, and other public interest opportunities. While the list of opportunities on the spreadsheet is extensive, it is not exhaustive and does not capture every public interest or government opportunity available to you. Nor does the spreadsheet capture each step of preparation a particular fellowship or opportunity may require. Rolling deadlines are identified as such. It is to your advantage to submit materials early for opportunities with rolling deadlines. The spreadsheet is updated periodically throughout the year as a courtesy to graduating law students; however, for the most accurate and up-to-date information on deadlines, students should visit relevant external websites directly and continue to utilize other job search resources. To obtain a link to the spreadsheet, contact OCPD.
Public Interest Newsletter: OCPD publishes a monthly Public Interest newsletter on the Campus Docket during the academic year, highlighting some of the latest pro bono, internship, and post-graduate opportunities available to students.
Career Advising: Stephanie Storke is OCPD's primary public interest and fellowship counselor. Contact Stephanie at [email protected] for all things public interest related, including reviewing your application materials and mock interviews.