Post-Graduate Public Interest Fellowships
Post-graduate public interest fellowships are an excellent way to begin your career in public interest law. Many fellowships are project-based, where applicants partner with a non-profit organization and apply for external funding based on a specific proposed project. Others are funded directly by the organization with which the fellow will work. The fellowship application process primarily takes place during the 2L summer and 3L year but it is important to foster relationships with potential sponsors as early as your 1L year.
For more general information about potential fellowship opportunities visit:
- Post Graduate Public Interest Fellowships Introduction - this is a PDF of powerpoint slides from our information session with information on types of fellowships, timelines, and resources at King Hall and beyond.
- Post Graduate Public Interest Fellowships 101 Primer
- PSJD
- Fellowship Application Timeline - this word document was created and shared by a King Hall Alum (and Skadden Fellow). These were her steps and timeline during the project based fellowship application process and you can download it to use it as a template for your own process.
- EJW Fellowships 101 Presentation
Links to specific public interest fellowship funding opportunities:
2026 Fellowship Funding
- Equal Justice Works Fellowships - Application open through September 18, 2025
- Skadden Fellowships - 2026 application TBD (2025 application closed September 6, 2024)
- Berkeley Law Foundation - 2026 application TBD (2025 application closed January 17, 2025)
- LSFN Public Interest Law Bar Fellowship Program - 2026 application TBD (2025 application in early April)
- Columbia Law School J.D. Pathways Fellowship -2026 application TBD (2025 application closed May 1)
- Soros Equality Fellowship - TBD - suspended for 2025 (usually opens in late November)
- Soros Justice Fellowship - TBD - suspended for 2025 (usually opens in late November)
- The Justice Catalyst Fellowship - 2026 application TBD (2025 application closed December 2, 2024)
2026 Post-Bar Organizational Fellowship Opportunities
- California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) Rural Justice Fellowship - various - 2026 application due by Friday February 27, 2026
- Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP - San Francisco - 3 year fellowship - applications due by September 1 of the year prior - 2026 application due by September 1, 2025
- Shartsis Friese LLP Public Interest Fellow
2026 Project Based Public Interest Fellowships
Below is a partial list of some organizations who have hosted project based fellowships (eg. Skadden, EJW, Justice Catalyst, etc.) in the past. Some have a two step process - first you apply to the organization to be selected as a fellowship partner, then you apply to fellowships for funding. 2026 deadlines are bolded, you can use last year's deadlines as a guide. NOTE: Please check with the organization's website to confirm deadlines and application requirements.
List of California Host Organizations (alphabetical by organization name)
For hosts in other states click here or scroll down
| Organization | Location (CA) | Deadline | Fellowships | Issue Area(s) Funded or Seeking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A New Way of Life Reentry Project | Los Angeles | EJW | Re-entry; Criminal Law | |
| Accountability Counsel | San Francisco or Washington, DC or Asia | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, etc. | Location determines issue area, see organization's webpage |
| ACLU of Northern California | San Francisco | Rolling | EJW | Civil Rights/Liberties |
| ACLU of Southern California | Los Angeles | June 28, 2024 | EJW; Skadden, Soros, others | |
| ACLU Foundation of San Diego and Imperial Counties | San Diego | Rolling no later than July 15, 2024 | Skadden, EJW, Soros Other | |
| AIDS Legal Referral Panel | San Francisco | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, Other | Various |
| Al Otro Lado | San Diego | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, Other | Immigrant rights |
| Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Los Angeles | Rolling - due 4 months prior to fellowship funding application deadline | Skadden, EJW, other | |
| Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project | Remote, location flexible | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst | Immigration, Asylum |
| The Bail Project | Los Angeles | Rolling until filled | Any | Legal Support for Bail Operations, Advocacy Support to End Cash Bail |
| Bay Area Legal Aid | Richmond | On or before July 24, 2022 | EJW, Skadden, others | Homelessness intervention and prevention in the Bay Area |
| Bet Tzedek Legal Services | Los Angeles | August 5, 2024 | EJW; Skadden | |
| California Rural Legal Assistance | various | June 30, 2025 | EJW, Skadden, others | CRLA seeks law fellows who demonstrate a strong commitment to working with rural Californians and addressing the primary issues that affect their lives. |
| California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation | Sacramento; Santa Rosa | EJW; Skadden | Farmworkers | |
| Centro Legal de La Raza | Oakland | July 27, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; Justice Catalyst, etc. | |
| Children's Law Center of California | Monterey Park | July 9, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; Justice Catalyst, etc. | CLC is specifically interested in projects that assist youth, young adults, and court involved families facing housing injustice and instability in the Los Angeles area, but will consider all applicants with a desire to work in one of our existing practice areas or locations. |
| Communities for a Better Environment | Huntington Park, Richmond or remote | September 25, 2022 | EJW; Skadden; Other | Environmental Justice |
| Disability Rights Advocates | Berkeley, New York or Chicago | Rolling/ July 22, 2024, Priority | EJW; Skadden | Disability Rights |
| Disability Rights California | Sacramento San Diego Los Angeles or Oakland | July 19, 2021 | EJW; Skadden; Other | DRC invites proposals related to the work of our Advocacy and Community Engagement Practice Group |
| Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund | Berkeley | August 4, 2023 | EJW or Skadden | DREDF works intensively with prospective fellows to develop projects that address critical disability civil rights law issues. |
| Earthjustice | San Francisco | Rolling until August 1, 2020 | EJW; Skadden; Other | Fossil Fuels Program |
| East Bay Community Law Center | Berkeley | Children; Youth | ||
| Equal Rights Advocates | San Francisco | Rolling until August 2, 2021, 5pm PST | EJW; Skadden; other | |
| Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project | Los Angeles | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | Esperanza will prefer projects that address issues affecting immigrants in removal proceedings due to the current immigration policies. |
| Family Violence Appellate Project | Oakland | Reviewed on rolling basis until filled | EJW, Skadden, others | Domestic Violence Survivors |
| Human Rights First (Legal Fellow) | Los Angeles or New York | ASAP | EJW, Skadden, others | asylum-related projects |
| Immigrant Defenders Law Center | Los Angeles | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Others | Immigrant Defenders Law Center happily considers requests to host individuals for fellowships, where the projects align with our areas of expertise and the fellow is able to identify their own outside source of funding. |
| Immigration Institute of the Bay Area | Various Bay Area locations | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Others | Immigration legal services, advice, and representation of low-income clients. IIBA will work with selected candidates to develop and submit proposals for fellowship funding. |
| Impact Fund | Berkeley | June 16, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; Others | |
| Inner City Law Center | Los Angeles | Rolling between April and July 2025 | Skadden; EJW; AmeriCorps | Homelessness |
| Kids in Need of Defense | Los Angeles | EJW | Immigrant Populations | |
| Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area | San Francisco | Rolling | EJW | |
| Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability | Fresno, Bakersfield, or Coachella | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, other | We welcome applications from qualified individuals who are interested in working with us to develop a fellowship proposal relating to any of Leadership Counsel’s topical practice areas |
| Legal Aid Association of California | Oakland | Spring 2021 | Skadden | Legal Aid at Work seeks to protect and expand the rights of low-wage workers, utilizing an array of strategies including impact litigation, direct services, legislative advocacy, and policy work. |
| Legal Aid at Work | San Francisco | June 10, 2024 | Skadden | Applicants are encouraged to propose and discuss project ideas in the program area(s) that they have a strong and demonstrated interest in and which address the needs faced by Legal Aid at Work’s clients. |
| Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Rolling submit early as possible | EJW; Skadden; Other | Will consider proposals in any of their practice areas and looks favorably on proposals with a strong pro bono component |
| Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County | Redwood City | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | Projects should focus on one of Legal Aid’s existing program areas: health, housing, public benefits, domestic violence, immigration, or education. |
| Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice - Fellowship Posting | Los Angeles | Rolling but no later than June 27, 2025 | EJW, Skadden, other | The Survivor Justice Center has particular interest in fellowship project proposals in the following areas:
|
| MALDEF | Los Angeles; Sacramento | Civil Rights | ||
| Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. | Los Angeles | September 11, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; Others | |
| National Center for Lesbian Rights | San Francisco | EJW | LGBTQ Rights | |
| National Center for Youth Law | Oakland, LA, New York, DC or AZ, CO, HI, MA, MD, MI, OR, VA, WI | July 12, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; Soros; Other | Interested in working in one or more of NCYL’s general areas of focus: Education, Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, Health, Mental Health, Commercial Sexual Exploitation, and Immigration. |
| National Housing Law Project | San Francisco | July 16, 2021 | EJW; Skadden; Other | Housing Issues |
| National Immigrant Justice Center | San Diego (or Chicago) | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | NIJC will work with candidates to develop proposals for submission, helping tailor proposals to address important immigration rights issues. |
| National Immigration Law Center | Los Angeles | Late Spring/Early Summer of the year prior to the fellowship start | EJW; Skadden; etc. | Immigrant Populations |
| Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County | Pacoima/Los Angeles | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | Practice areas we support include housing, immigration, family law, health, clean slate/re-entry, education (specifically unlawful school discipline), public benefits, and courthouse-based Self-Help Legal Access Centers. |
| Public Advocates | San Francisco, Sacramento, Southern California | ASAP, no later than June 28 | EJW; Skadden | |
| Public Counsel | Los Angeles | EJW/Skadden - July 1, 2025; others rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | Public Counsel will consider fellowship proposals limited to those that fall within the scope of the following projects:
We do not have an application form separate from those used by the organizations that fund the fellowships. Students who are interested in a fellowship at Public Counsel should send their resume and a brief description of their proposed project directly to the Directing Attorney of the Public Counsel project with which they wish to work. If you have a problem reaching the Directing Attorney or you have other questions, contact Kristen Jackson EMAIL HERE. |
| Public Justice Foundation - Debtors' Prison Project | Remote or Washington, DC | June 12, 2025 (rolling basis until filled after) | EJW; Skadden; Others | We will work closely with the selected candidate to craft an appropriate project proposal focused on a specific area of our work, ideally in a single jurisdiction. |
| Public Rights Project | Oakland, New York, & Boston | ASAP | Justice Catalyst, Skadden, EJW, other | High-impact affirmative litigation by state and local governments |
| Root & Rebound | Oakland, Fresno, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Greenville South Carolina | Rolling by August 15, 2021 | EJW; Skadden; Soros; others | Support and legal advocacy to people with arrest and conviction histories |
| Social Justice Collaborative | Berkeley | Rolling | EJW, Skadden | See website |
| Transgender Law Center | Oakland | Rolling | EJW | Trans Issues; LGBTQ Rights |
| Veterans Legal Institute | Tustin | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | Previous VLI EJW fellows have focused on preventing eviction, VA benefits appeals, assisting survivors of military sexual trauma, discharge upgrades, estate planning, bankruptcy, immigration and staffing legal clinics. |
| Wage Justice Center | Los Angeles | Rolling | Skadden; EJW | Workers’ Rights |
| Western Center on Law & Poverty | Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, other | Project proposals should combine litigation, legislative, and administrative advocacy with community outreach, public education, and other needed services related to housing, healthcare, economic justice, and/or access to justice. |
List of Host Organizations outside California (Listed by State)
Skip to: A C D F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W
| Organization | Location | Deadline | Fellowships | Issue Area(s) Funded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MULTI-STATE | ||||
| A Better Balance | New York, NY Nashville, TN
| June 16, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; others | NYC: paid family and medical leave laws, the fight to guarantee earned sick time to millions of workers across the country, pregnant workers fairness laws, which ensure that pregnant workers are not pushed out of their jobs when they need a modest accommodation to stay healthy, caregiver and lactation anti-discrimination laws, and fair workweek laws Nashville: enforcement and education as well as working to pass paid family and medical leave, paid sick days, and other work/family justice laws across the Southeast and pushing back against policies that harm working families in the region including attacks on progressive local policies |
| ACLU | Various States | Priority deadline varies by state
| EJW; Skadden; others | Various |
| Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) | Various | Rolling | EJW; Skadden | Efforts to fill gaps in legal representation for asylum-seeking families |
| Earthjustice | Alaska; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; New Orleans, LA; Washington,DC; Philadelphia,PA | Rolling until August 1, 2020 | EJW; Skadden | |
| LatinoJutice PRLDEF | New York, NY Central Islip,NY Orlando, FL | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; Other | Criminal Justice Reform, Rights Restoration, Economic Justice Worker's Rights, School to Prison Pipeline |
| NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund | New York, NY Washington, DC | July 2, 2021 | EJW, Skadden, Other | Education, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Voting Rights |
| National Association of Counsel for Children (Scroll to bottom of the staff page for listing) | Denver, CO Washington,DC Atlanta, GA | July 15, 2020 | EJW; Skadden; Other | Children's rights |
| Native American Rights Fund | Anchorage, AK Washington DC Boulder, CO | June 29, 2020 | Skadden; others NO EJW | Indian Law |
Arizona | ||||
| Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project | Various cities, AZ | June 25, 2021, 5pm pst | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, others | Border Advocacy, Children's Rights, Crimmigration, Detained Migrant Women (Cis & Transgender), Detained LGBTQ+ Migrants, Due Process Issues, Mental Health Advocacy |
Colorado | ||||
| Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) | Denver, CO | Preferred deadline is June 1, 2021 - hard deadline is July 15, 2021 | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, others | |
| Community Economic Defense Project | Denver, CO | Rolling, must be received by July 1, 2024 | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, other | We welcome ideas for this fellowship application, but there is no need to have a fully formed project proposal before reaching out to us! Big picture, this project could focus on:
|
| Native American Rights Fund | Boulder, CO | Skadden - June 30, 2023; Justice Catalyst/Berkeley Law Foundation/other - no later than 8 weeks prior to fellowship deadline | Skadden, Justice Catalyst, Berkeley Law Foundation, others - NO EJW | For the 2023 Skadden Fellowship application cycle, NARF seeks applicants with projects focused on (1) voting rights in Indian Country, (2) environmental and climate issues that impact tribal or traditional lands and waters, and (3) racial equity. Other project areas and ideas are welcome, but may not receive priority |
| The Powell Project | Denver, CO | ASAP | Any funding | |
| Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center | Denver, CO | August 1, 2022 | Skadden, EJW, other | A successful candidate will be able to create a fellowship proposal rooted in their passion and experience, while also seeking to expand or enhance the Children’s Law Center’s existing work and mission. |
Connecticut | ||||
| Center for Children's Advocacy | Hartford, CT | August 1, 2020 | EJW, Skadden, others | Immigrant Youth or LGBTQ+ Youth Advocacy |
Delaware | ||||
| Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. | Wilmington, DE | July 5, 2020 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Public interest |
Florida | ||||
| LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF | Orlando, FL | Rolling | Any | Proposals must fit within LJP's mission and current litigation priorities |
| Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. | Miami, FL | August 5, 2022 | EJW; Skadden | |
Georgia | ||||
| Georgia Resource Center | Atlanta, GA | Rolling/ August 8, 2022 Priority | EJW; Justice Catalyst; others | GRC is particularly interested in a project that focuses on providing post-conviction representation to people serving life-without-parole sentences (“LWOP”) in Georgia, which would expand the current work of GRC. |
| Southern Center for Human Rights | Atlanta, GA | July 10, 2020 | EJW; Skadden | criminal justice |
Illinois | ||||
| ACLU of Illinois | Chicago, IL | August 1 Priority | EJW; Skadden; others | We are currently accepting fellowship applications to support the development of litigation to enforce First Amendment rights in Illinois. We are particularly concerned about First Amendment violations outside of the Chicago area, where individuals whose rights are violated might not feel empowered to speak up, especially when they are in a small minority or a group that is not organized in their area. |
| Ascend Justice | Chicago, IL | July 12, 2024 | EJW; Skadden | Economic Justice Project Family Defense Project Family Law Division Incarcerated Survivors. Independence Project (immigration) Order of Protection (OP) Division |
| Chicago Coalition for the Homeless | Chicago, IL | October 30, 2020 | EJW; Skadden; others | Homeless advocacy |
| The Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc. | Chicago, IL | June 15, 2021 | EJW; Skadden; others | Hate crime, Housing Opportunity, education equity |
| Corporate Accountability Lab | Chicago, IL | Rolling; Opens September 2024 | Justice Catalyst, others | Legal Fellows will assist CAL in pursuing international supply chain transparency, exploring innovative civil litigation ideas, and developing new strategies for human rights and environmental accountability across the globe. |
| Erie Neighborhood House | Chicago, IL | July 31, 2019 | EJW; Skadden; Others | Immigration |
| Illinois Prison Project | Chicago, IL | July 30, 2021 | EJW | Prison reform, criminal defense, human rights |
| Impact for Equity | Chicago, IL | ASAP | EJW; Skadden; Others | The successful candidate will possess a commitment to racial and social justice, creativity, and leadership ability and will be comfortable working independently and within a team on multiple projects of varying complexity. When applicable, our staff will work with the candidate to develop their proposals for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address an important racial or social justice issue aligned with Impact for Equity’s mission and focus areas. |
| Legal Action Chicago | Chicago, IL | July 28, 2021 | Skadden | Not required to have a proposed project to apply |
| Legal Aid Chicago | Chicago, IL | July 16, 2024 | EJW or Skadden | Interest and experience in civil legal services and our client communities, and describe any ideas you may have for a fellowship proposal (note, however, that it is not necessary to have a proposal at this stage of the process) |
| Life Span | Chicago, IL | Rolling | EJW or Skadden | |
| The Network | Chicago, IL | June 30, 2024 | EJW | Potential projects could address one of the following, or be tailored to the applicant’s lived or professional experience: • The intersection of safe housing and economic justice (e.g., credit repair, debt defense and safety considerations, identity theft) • The impact of crime-free housing programs on survivors of gender-based violence • The intersection of safe housing and immigration (language access, housing eligibility denial based on immigration status, eviction defense of immigrant survivors) |
| North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic | Highland Park, IL | ASAP, no later than July 14, 2022 | EJW; Skadden; Others | |
| Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center - Trial Litigation Program | Chicago, IL | June 30, 2021 | EJW, Open Society Foundations, Skadden, Other | We welcome inquiries from individuals interested in pursuing projects across any of our Chicago trial program’s priority areas, which include issues of police misconduct, mass imprisonment, racial injustice, and the criminalization of poverty. |
| Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law | Chicago, IL | June 14, 2019 | EJW; Skadden; Others | Immigrant access, Criminal Justice reform, Economic Justice |
Kansas | ||||
| ACLU Kansas | Mission, KS | Rolling, priority before July 5, 2021 | Skadden, EJW, Soros, Justice Catalyst, others | We welcome project applications relating to any of the ACLU of Kansas’s civil rights or civil liberties issue areas. Applicants should review our website for a better understanding of our work. |
Louisiana | ||||
| Louisiana Capital Assistance Center | New Orleans, LA | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, Soros | capital defense |
Maryland | ||||
| Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. | Baltimore, MD | August 15, 2023 | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst | worker rights, immigrant rights We are especially interested in supporting fellowship applications that use a mix of legal and community-based tools to advance migrant justice. |
| Homeless Persons Representation Project | Baltimore, MD | Rolling until July 18, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | medical legal partnership, homelessness |
| Tahirih Justice Center | Baltimore, MD | August 1, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | immigrant women, humanitarian immigration for women |
Massachusetts | ||||
| ACLU of Massachusetts | Boston, MA | Rolling no later than July 19, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; others | ACLUM welcomes applications on any significant issue involving civil rights or liberties. |
| Committee for Public Counsel Services | Somerville, MA | August 31, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | Criminal Justice, Public Defense, innocence litigation |
| Community Legal Aid | Worcester, MA | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | Civil rights, civil liberties |
| Conservation Law Foundation | Boston, MA (or New Haven, CT; Montpelier, VT; Concord, NH; Portland, ME; or Providence, RI) | Applications will be reviewed after July 1 and will select candidates by August 1 | EJW: Skadden; others | Environmental Advocacy |
| Greater Boston Legal Services | Various, MA | ASAP, no later than July 31, 2024 | EJW; Skadden | Various poverty law issues |
| Just Futures Law | Canton, MA | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, others | disrupting the role of surveillance tech in immigration policing, challenging activist retaliation, gang policy accountability, combating ICE & local police collaboration |
| New England Innocence Project | Boston, MA | July 25, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | Wrongful convictions |
Project Citizenship | Boston, MA | No Date, ASAP | EJW; Skadden | Skadden project: Medical-Legal Partnership for immigrant population EJW project: Income fee waivers for naturalization |
| Rian Immigrant Center | Boston, MA | July 28, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; others | The fellowship project will aim to address an unmet need of Rian’s client population. Rian hopes to work collaboratively with the fellow to propose a project that meets one of our demonstrated needs, fits within the parameters of our immigration legal program and also appeals to the preferred interest area(s) of the fellow. |
Michigan | ||||
| ACLU of Michigan | Detroit, MI | July 7, 2024 | Skadden, Sorros, EJW, Justice Catalyst, other | We welcome applications with project proposals relating to any civil rights or civil liberties area. |
| Center for Community-Based Enterprise | Detriot, MI | July 20, 2022 | EJW; Skadden; Soros, others | |
Mississippi | ||||
| ACLU of Mississippi | Jackson, MS | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | We welcome project applications relating to any of the ACLU of Mississippi’s civil rights or civil liberties issue areas. Applicants should review our website for a better understanding of our work. |
Missouri | ||||
| Legal Services of Eastern Missouri | St. Louis, MO | August 11, 2018 | EJW; Skadden | Veterans, civil legal services |
New Jersey | ||||
| ACLU of New Jersey | Newark, NJ | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | We prefer to develop proposed projects that combine legal advocacy and impact litigation, policy advocacy, community outreach, and public education. |
| Education Law Center | Newark, NJ | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, other | Our fellows gain practical experience defending and expanding education rights and racial equity by working on lawsuits, advocating for clients, and engaging with our policy and communications teams on advancing legislation and public education. We will work with successful applicants to develop a project proposal for specific funding organizations |
New York | ||||
| A Better Childhood | New York, NY | August 29, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | Children's rights, juvenile issues |
| Advocates for Children of New York, Inc. | New York, NY | Rolling until March 15, 2018 | Skadden; EJW | Education Advocacy |
| ACLU, Center for Liberty | New York, NY | Rolling/July 1, 2022 Priority | EJW; Skadden; Justice Catalyst; others | |
| ACLU, Criminal Law Reform Project | New York, NY | Rolling/Priority June 9, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; Justice Catalyst; others | CLRP focuses primarily on the “front end” of criminal enforcement systems, such as policing, pretrial practices, and public defense. |
| ACLU Immigrant Rights Project | New York, NY | Rolling/Priority June 5, 2023 | EJW; Skadden | Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy and public outreach, the Project carries on the ACLU’s historic commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of immigrants. |
| ACLU, Legal Department | New York, NY | Rolling/July 31, 2022 Priority | EJW; Skadden; others | the Fellow will be focused on litigating state constitutional rights claims in state supreme courts. |
| ACLU, LGBTQ & HIV Project | New York, NY | Rolling/June 21, 2023 Priority | EJW; Skadden; others | focus on litigation challenging the current wave of anti-trans legislation that has swept the country. |
| ACLU, Reproductive Freedom Project | New York, NY | Rolling /June 26, 2023 Priority | EJW; Skadden; others | Reproductive rights |
| ACLU, Trone Center for Justice & Equality | New York, NY | Rolling/June 16, 2023 (priority) | EJW; Skadden; others | prospective fellows who are interested in combatting punitive government responses to mental illness and poverty. |
| ACLU, Voting Rights Project | New York, NY | Rolling/June 12, 2023 Priority | EJW; Skadden; others | Our staff will provide guidance to the selected fellowship candidate to develop their proposal for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address an important voting rights issue. Proposed projects for the Voting Rights Project should have an impact-litigation focus, but successful projects also frequently include an integrated advocacy approach (weaving in policy advocacy, public education, etc.) |
| ACLU, Women's Rights Project | New York, NY | Rolling/June 15, 2023 priority | EJW; Skadden; others | We are particularly interested in focusing on the ways in which blacklisting in the form of family regulation and policing limit women’s economic opportunities and autonomy. We also remain open to proposals on any gender justice topic about which you are passionate, particularly those focused on low-income women and girls and issues that disproportionately affect Black women and other women of color. |
| The Bronx Defenders | Bronx, NY | July 1, 2024
| EJW; Skadden; others | To work as Bronx Defenders Legal Fellows, candidates should develop project proposals to do legal work in one of our practice areas while remaining flexible to change based on the needs of our organization and the community we work with. The Bronx Defenders will offer an online information session about our Legal Fellowship on June 14, 2024 from 1:00 PM-2:30 PM EST. Please visit Information Session Link to join. |
| Brooklyn Defender Services | New York, NY | Rolling/July 31, 2020 (priority) | EJW; Skadden; others | Intersection of criminal law and public housing; trafficking and sex work; and post-conviction collateral consequences |
| The Center for HIV Law & Policy | New York, NY | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, Soros, others | HIV Law & Policy |
| Catholic Migration Services | Brooklyn, NY | Rolling through July 23, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | civil rights, immigration and refugee, policy |
| Center for Popular Democracy | Brooklyn, NY | Rolling through July 31, 2018 | EJW; Skadden; others | civil rights, education, environment, immigration, policy |
| Center for Reproductive Rights | New York, NY | Rolling until filled | Skadden, EJW, Soros, others | Reproductive rights, international human rights |
| The Door | Manhattan | June 30, 2023 | Equal Justice Works, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, other | The Door seeks proposals to provide direct legal services to our members and to create opportunities for youth empowerment and organizing. Projects may also incorporate systemic advocacy and impact litigation. We are open to discussing any strong proposal, but are particularly interested in fellowships focusing on immigration or holistic representation of the following populations of migrant youth: runaway and homeless youth, recent arrivals to NYC, youth in foster care, LGBTQ+ youth. |
| Human Rights First | New York, NY | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | Refugee and Immigration |
| International Refugee Assistance Project | New York, NY (preferred - but DC and remote will be considered) | Open until filled, priority to apps submitted by July 7, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; others | Litigation, direct services, class action, civil rights, immigration, refugee |
| LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF | New York, NY | Rolling | Any | Proposals must fit within LJP's mission and current litigation priorities |
| Legal Services NYC | Bronx Branch | Rolling | EJW; Skadden; others | Your application must include a detailed project proposal, which fits within one of the priority areas. Specifically, we are seeking fellowship applicants for our Community Neighborhood Stabilization, Education, LGBTQ Advocacy, Public Benefits and Universal Access to Counsel (“UAC”) Projects. |
| Lenox Hill Neighborhood House | New York | August 30, 2019 | Skadden, EJW, Soros, others | Eviction Prevention and Tenants' Rights |
| Make the Road New York | Various, NY | July 3, 2023 | Skadden, EJW, Kirkland & Ellis, others | MRNY seeks candidates interested in developing a strategic project in the field of workplace justice on behalf of underserved immigrants in the communities we serve. The project will be embedded in our workplace justice legal team and should closely align with the organizing priorities of our membership base. We welcome projects that will address new pressing legal issues facing low-wage immigrant workers and/or that target particularly vulnerable groups of workers in specific industries and sectors and/or geographical areas. We will also consider proposals for workers’ rights projects that seek to take advantage of specific legal strategies, including education and enforcement of new laws and/or new and innovative approaches to asserting workers’ claims. |
| NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. | New York, NY | July 1, 2022 | Skadden, EJW, others | While candidates may suggest any fellowship project |
| National Advocates for Pregnant Women | New York, NY | June 20, 2023 | Skadden; EJW; Soros; other | The Law Fellow will design the project in conjunction with Pregnancy Justice’s staff attorneys and Acting Executive Director |
| National Center for Law and Economic Justice | New York, NY | July 14, 2023 | Skadden; EJW; Justice Catalyst, others | NCLEJ will work closely with selected applicants to develop project proposals and will provide support throughout the fellowship funding application cycle. Although NCLEJ welcomes new proposals for fellowship projects that fit within NCLEJ’s mission and areas of work, a project proposal is not required to apply for sponsorship. Some potential fellowship project areas may include:
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| National Employment Law Project | New York, NY | Rolling no later than August 1, 2023 | Skadden; EJW; Other | NELP will work with fellow to develop a project that supports federal, state, and local policy and organizing campaigns seeking to promote good jobs and fair access to employment for underpaid and immigrant workforce. NELP is currently focused on a pilot project that promotes community and government collaborations to ensure labor protections. |
| New York Civil Liberties Union | New York, NY | June 16, 2023 | Skadden, EJW, Soros, others | we particularly encourage project proposals that focus on racial justice, criminal justice and police accountability, voting rights, gender equity, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, education equity, privacy and technology, economic justice, and environmental justice. |
| New York Lawyers for the Public Interest | New York, NY | Rolling, no later than July 26 | Skadden; EJW; Other | Health Justice, Disability Justice, and Environmental Justice |
| New York Legal Assistance Group | New York, NY | July 2, 2019 | Skadden; EJW; Other | Variety of areas of civil legal services law |
| TakeRoot Justice | New York, NY | Considered on a rolling basis until August 23, 2021 | Skadden; EJW; Other | |
| Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Inc | New York, NY/Remote | Rolling | Skadden; EJW; Other | Ability to conceptualize and implement a fellowship project that addresses an unmet legal need and aligns with TLDEF's mission and expertise. |
| Unlocal, Inc. | New York, NY | August 21, 2020 | Skadden; EJW | Immigration cases working with youth, families, LGBTQ+ immigrants |
North Carolina | ||||
| Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy | Charlotte, NC | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, others | Government benefits, Health Care Access, Consumer Protection, Immigration Law, Veterans' Benefits, Tax, other |
| Southern Coalition for Social Justice | Duram, NC | Review begins July 24, 2023, rolling thereafter | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, others | SCSJ particularly seeks candidates who are committed to the ideals of racial, social, and economic justice, are interested in working to advance these ideals across the South through creative advocacy, and are committed to learning how to become a civil rights lawyer within a community lawyering model. |
Ohio | ||||
| Advocates for Basic Equality (ABLE) | Defiance, OH Dayton, OH Toledo, OH | July 22, 2022 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Candidates for fellowships are encouraged to develop and bring forward proposals for work in an area of poverty law |
| CAIR - Ohio | Cincinnati, OH | July 15, 2021 | Skadden, EJW, Others | The sponsored fellow will collaborate with the CAIR-Ohio Legal Director and legal team to develop a fellowship project that will expand CAIR-Ohio’s work. CAIR-Ohio is seeking to develop projects related to immigration and racial justice |
| The Immigrant and Refugee Law Center (IRLC) | Cincinnati, OH | July 23, 2021 | Skadden, EJW, Others | seeking candidates that would be interested in putting forth proposals that advance our mission, with an emphasis on advocacy for Special Immigrant Juveniles and Victims of Human Trafficking. |
| Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. | Toledo, OH | ASAP, no later than July 22, 2022 | Any | Candidates for fellowships are encouraged to develop and bring forward proposals for work in an area of poverty law |
| Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, LLC | Cincinnati, OH | July 15, 2021 | Skadden, etc | Poverty law |
Oregon | ||||
| Innovation Law Lab | Portland, OR | August 2, 2019 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Immigration system issues: prolonged detention, constitutional violations, other |
Pennsylvania | ||||
| ACLU-PA | Philadelphia, PA | July 31, 2021 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Immigrant Rights |
| Community Legal Services, Inc. | Philadelphia, PA | June 5, 2024 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Fellows will be placed in one of our 10 practice areas: Employment (including wage theft and criminal records expungement), Energy, Family Advocacy, Health and Independence, Home Ownership and Consumer Rights, Housing, Language Access Project, Medical-Legal Partnership, SSI Disability, or the Youth Justice Project. |
| Education Law Center | Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, PA | Rolling - preference if received by July 5, 2024 | Skadden, EJW, Others | Potential projects under consideration include the following: • Challenge racialized and exclusionary discipline in public schools, including virtual exclusion, failure to provide due process, failure to consider qualifying disabilities, and racist grooming policies, through direct representation and systemic advocacy • Dismantle the policies and practices that lead to push out of Black and brown families, including parental exclusion, discriminatory fines and fees, and criminalization through truancy referrals • Reduce education barriers and promote effective models for students who need mental health and behavioral health supports in schools, with a focus on Black girls • Promote affirmative and safe schools for all students through direct representation and systemic advocacy on behalf of students experiencing bullying and harassment • Promote inclusive early learning opportunities through direct representation and policy advocacy on behalf of young children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care experiencing push out. * Oppose discriminatory school policies targeting gay and transgender students, book bans, classroom censorship and hostile school environments through direct representation, local and state advocacy, systemic reform, and community organizing support |
| Juvenile Law Center | Philadelphia, PA | July 22, 2020 | Skadden, EJW, Others | decarceration |
| Philadelphia Legal Assistance | Philadelphia, PA | July 14, 2022 | Skadden, EJW, Others | We welcome any project that would enhance the current work of any of our substantive units, especially with an emphasis on racial equity. Additionally, if you have areas of particular interest or project ideas, we encourage you to state them in your letter. |
| The Public Interest Law Center | Philadelphia, PA | July 9, 2021 | Skaden, EJW, Others | The Law Center will consider a strong proposal in any of our six areas |
South Carolina | ||||
| Charleston Legal Access | Charleston, SC | No date listed | Skadden, EJW, Others | Wage theft |
Tennessee | ||||
| A Better Balance | Nashville, TN | No date listed | EJW; Skadden; others | workers rights, family rights |
| Youth Law Center | Tennessee | June 30, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; others | project related to access to civil legal aid for juvenile justice impacted youth in Tennessee |
Texas | ||||
| ACLU of Texas | Houston, TX | Rolling until filled | EJW; Skadden; others | Civil Liberties, Civil Rights |
| Catholic Diocese of El Paso - Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services, Inc. | El Paso, TX | August 24, 2018 | EJW | Immigration Law |
| Lawyers for Good Government | Texas or DC (but location not required) | Rolling | Skadden; EJW; Other | L4GG will consider well-researched and impactful projects touching on any areas of L4GG’s focus |
| Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) | Multiple Locations, TX | no date listed | EJW; Skadden; Other | Immigration Law |
| Texas Advocacy Project | Austin, TX | September 13, 2023 | EJW; Skadden; Other |
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| Texas Fair Defense Project | Austin, TX | July 15, 2022 | EJW, Skadden, other | Project focused on the criminalization of homelessness in Texas |
| Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid | Various | August 1, 2024 | EJW, Skadden, Soros, other | TRLA will also support selected applicants through the fellowship application, including developing a proposal and the interview process |
Vermont | ||||
| ACLU Vermont | Charlottesville, Richmond, or Falls Church, VA | Apps reviewed starting July 4, 2021 and considered until filled | EJW; Skadden; Other | immigrant advocacy, public benefits, affordable housing, consumer protection, employment, health, education or juvenile justice |
Virginia | ||||
| Legal Aid Justice Center | Charlottesville, Richmond, or Falls Church, VA | July 15, 2024 | EJW; Skadden; Other | Civil Rights & Racial Program, Housing & Consumer Justice Program, Worker Justice Program, and Racial Equity |
| National Housing Law Project | Richmond, VA | July 18, 2018 | Skadden; EJW | Various |
| The Human Trafficking Institute | Merrifield, VA (or remote) | Rolling but encouraged to apply early | Skadden; EJW; Justice Catalyst; Other | HTI will work with the fellow to develop a project that will make them a competitive candidate for post-graduate fellowship funding |
Washington | ||||
| Fair Work Center | Seattle, WA | July 15, 2022 | Skadden: EJW; Others | Fair Work Center staff will work closely with candidates to explore project proposals that align with their interest as well as advance unmet needs of low-wage and vulnerable workers. |
| Legal Voice | Seattle, WA | August 10, 2018 | Skadden; EJW; Others | Advancing economic justice - esp. rights of women & LGBTQ |
Washington, DC | ||||
| ACLU, National Prison Project | Washington, DC | Rolling/June 15, 2022 (priority) | EJW; Skadden; others | Our staff will work with candidates to develop their proposals to external funders for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address an important civil liberties issue for incarcerated people. Proposed projects often combine litigation and advocacy with community outreach and public education. |
| Advancement Project | Washington, DC | August 1, 2021 | EJW; Skadden, others | Fellows would work on Rights Restoration, Mass Incarceration + Policing Issues, Immigrant Justice or Education Justice and should state their area of interest and preferred fellowship in the cover letter when applying. |
| The Arc | Washington, DC | Rolling, priority for those received by July 1, 2024 | EJW, Skadden, other | The Arc is looking to host a Fellow and develop a fellowship project to engage in new and ongoing education outreach, advocacy, and litigation centered on ensuring the rights of students with disabilities to receive an education in the most integrated setting with the supports and services needed to thrive. |
| Ayuda | Washington, DC | Rolling | EJW; Skadden, others | Ayuda has multiple areas of expertise and need. |
| Bread for the City | Washington, DC | July 31, 2021 | Skadden; EJW | Bread for the City is seeking a fellowship applicant to expand its provision of legal services by providing immigration services |
| The Campaign Legal Center | Washington, DC | July 21, 2023 | Skadden; EJW; other | CLC is seeking applicants interested in all of our issue areas: campaign finance, voting rights, redistricting, and ethics. |
| Children's Law Center | Washington, DC | June 28, 2022 | Skadden; EJW | The project proposal should be focused on one of Children’s Law Center’s practice areas within the medical-legal partnership |
| D.C. Law Students in Court Program, Inc | Washington, DC | Rolling until position is filled | Skadden, EJW, Soros, other | Landlord-tenant, housing, other justice reform |
| DC Volunteer Lawyers Project | Washington, DC | June 15, 2023 | EJW or Skadden | DCVLP is specifically interested in candidates for the following potential projects:
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EarthRights International | Washington, DC | July 26, 2024 | Skadden; EJW; Justice Catalyst; others | 1 Support EarthRights’ Climate Justice Project and help develop and implement legal strategies related to climate and environmental justice in the United States. 2 Through this project, EarthRights is working with marginalized communities on the frontlines of climate change or environmental harms to build resilience and hold government, companies, and financial institutions accountable. |
| Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) | Washington, DC | Apply early | Skadden, EJW, Soros, Other | Civil Rights Civil Liberties, Intellectual Property |
| Fair Elections Center | Washington, DC | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, Other | Litigation against barriers to voter registration and voting |
| Georgetown Law - Center on Privacy & Technology | Washington, DC | Rolling | Skadden; EJW; Soros; Justice Catalyst; others | We will work closely with the chosen candidate to develop a fellowship proposal that aligns with the Center’s mission and vision, as well as the candidate’s own interests, and will provide a high level of support to the candidate throughout the application process. |
| Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | Washington, DC | July 26, 2024 | Skadden; EJW; Soros; Justice Catalyst; others | One or more of the following projects: Voting Rights, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Educational Opportunities, Public Policy, Fair Housing & Community Development, or Digital Justice. |
| Lawyers for Good Government | Washington, DC or Remote | ASAP | Skadden; EJW; Justice Catalyst; others | L4GG will consider well-researched and impactful projects touching on any areas of L4GG’s focus, including rapid response delivery of legal services, immigrants’ rights, climate change and environmental justice, racial justice, and reproductive rights. We are open to local, regional, or national projects. |
| Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC | Rolling basis, apply early (Closed for 2022) | EJW; Skadden | seeking proposals for projects based in one of our four existing practice areas |
| Legal Counsel for the Elderly | Washington, DC | June 28, 2021 | EJW or Skadden | We intend to select two applicants for sponsorship. Third year law students interested in housing preservation and/or protections for homeowners may wish to pursue these fellowship opportunities. |
| Muslim Advocates | Washington, DC | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, other | Civil rights, civil liberties, litigation, policy |
| NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund | Washington, DC | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, Other | Education, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Voting Rights |
| National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum | Washington, DC | No date listed | Skadden; EJW | Reproductive rights & health; economic justice; immigrant rights |
| National Center for Transgender Equality | Washington, DC | Rolling | Any outside funding | transgender; LGBT, Health Care, privacy, Civil Rights |
| National Health Law Program | Washington, DC | August 1, 2020 | EJW | Health Law |
| National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty | Washington, DC | August 1, 2020 | Skadden, EJW, Other | Homeless advocacy |
| National Student Legal Defense Network | Washington, DC | ASAP but no later than July 1, 2018 | EJW, Skadden, other | Projects focused on student loan borrowers |
| National Veterans Legal Services Program | Washington, DC | ASAP | EJW or Skadden | Veterans issues |
| National Women's Law Center | Washington, DC | July 26, 2023 | EJW, Skadden, other | NWLC’s Workplace Justice program team invites fellowship project proposals that fall within our key policy priorities, including efforts to:
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| Neighborhood Legal Services Program | Washington, DC | July 12, 2021 | EJW, Skadden | Family law, family law, public housing rights and preservation, barriers to pandemic recovery for DC renters, public benefits, predatory lending or credit repair, impact of fines and fees on low-income |
| Open City Advocates | Washington, DC | July 27, 2020 | EJW, Skadden, Other | Juvenile justice |
| Poverty and Race Research Action Council | Washington, DC | None specified | EJW, Skadden, Other | Fair housing, environmental justice, education |
| Public Justice Foundation - Debtors' Prison Project | Washington, DC | June 12, 2025 | EJW, Skadden, Other | We will work closely with the selected candidate to craft an appropriate project proposal focused on a specific area of our work, ideally in a single jurisdiction. |
| Reprieve U.S. | Washington, DC or Remote | Rolling until filled | EJW, Skadden, Other | Death Penalty, Secret Prisons, Extrajudicial Executions |
| Rights Behind Bars | Washington, DC | Rolling | EJW, Skadden, Soros, Other | |
| Second Look Project | Washington, DC | September 1, 2020 | EJW, Skadden, Justice Catalyst, Soros, Other | Projects directed at helping fight the effects of mass incarceration in Washington, DC |
| School Justice Project | Washington, DC | August 27, 2021 | EJW or Skadden | Candidates may apply for this position with or without a specific project in mind. |
| Tzedek DC | Washington, DC | Rolling | Skadden, EJW, others | Tzedek DC seeks a Fellow to partner with on a proposal to address the medical debt issue through three different means—direct legal services, policy reform, and community education. |
| Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs | Washington, DC | Rolling, priority by July 11, 2021 | Skadden; EJW; Soros | We are particularly interested in fellowship projects that center racial justice, have a systemic or broad-based dimension, and incorporate litigation into the theory of change. |
| Veterans Education Success | Washington, DC | July 31, 2018 | Skadden, EJW, others | Economic Justice, Veterans, education, public policy |