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Law School Fellowships
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Article on Law School Fellowships
Law school fellowships are available in a variety of different legal areas, such as environmental law, and federal law amongst others. Fellowships will usually provide the fellow with an office, library privileges, health benefits, research funds, and a stipend equivalent to a salary.
Funding for Law School Fellowships
The stipend for different law schools varies enormously, with some programs lasting a year or more and others just for the summer. Summer fellowships may offer $3000 or more, and those lasting a full year can remunerate the fellow with a figure around $45-60,000.
Short-Term Fellowships
Shorter programs such as the Rubin Fellowship are available, where a smaller stipend covers summer work advocating for disadvantaged members of society. Columbia Law's Public Service Fellowships also last through the summer and offer students the chance to work on projects such as gay rights and harassment cases.
Longer-term Fellowships
Several colleges will have a number of fellowships available specializing in different areas of law. For example, Vermont Law School lists a Partnership for Environmental Law in China Fellowship alongside a First Nations Fellowship and many others. Conversely, the Global Health Fellowship is a full-time, residential fellowship for up to two full years. The fellow leads research or clinical projects involving human rights and global health and may liaise with Harvard Law School for some projects.
A Pathway to Teaching Law
Fellowships do not necessarily lead to teaching positions. Instead, fellows may be invited to be a part of the law school’s ‘team’ of lawyers for a set period. However, law school fellowships do sometimes allow the opportunity to prepare for a career in teaching, litigation or both in some circumstances, with the direction of the fellowship decided by the director and the fellow. Writing scholarly papers and direct involvement in legal activities or policy can be part of a fellow’s workload, along with conference organizing and teaching responsibilities.
The Appellate Litigation Program
Fellows do supervise students at some schools, including the Appellate Litigation Program offered at Georgetown University Law Center. This involves supporting students in their written work and oral advocacy skills and thereby consolidating the fellow’s own skills themselves. Students on this program also argue at least two cases in the federal courts of appeal and work with students on cases pending in D.C. courts.
Eligibility and Applications
Those applying for a fellowship generally need to be members of the Bar in the state to which they are applying, and have served at least one year in a capacity as a legal clerk, or in a government or private practice. They should also possess exceptional writing skills and a strong academic background. Several fellowships have no official application date with written submissions considered throughout the year. Some schools, such as the Liman Program at Yale Law School select students in their final year or recent graduates for the Law School fellowship.
Fellowships generally require a legal background but may be appropriate for those with solid experience in particular aspects of policy making such as human rights. Candidates are advised to find a school sensitive to their area of expertise.
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