Post-graduate fellowships provide a unique opportunity to create your ideal job and provide guaranteed funding for a one or two-year period following graduation.  Fellows have made great strides in public service and have an incredible impact in the communities they serve.  Fellowship programs can also serve as a launching pad to a long-term public interest career as a significant percentage of fellows remain in the field after the fellowship period ends.  The two best known fellowship programs are Equal Justice Works and Skadden.  Many non-profit organizations seek out candidates to apply to these and other funding organizations.  Most organizations who are volunteering to sponsor a fellowship candidate will set their deadlines in July in order to give them and you time to develop an application packet.  The information the sponsor will need is very similar to, but doesn't need to be quite as detailed at this stage, as the fellowship application materials. Therefore, before contacting one of these sponsors, it is a good idea to have your project idea fully developed so that they can add input and evaluate your candidacy.

With these organization deadlines fast approaching, the next month is a critical time in the project-based fellowship application process.  If you are planning to apply to one of these host organizations for either an Equal Justice Works or Skadden fellowship, you will need to identify both a host nonprofit organization and a project idea that fits within the host organization’s mission.

For a full listing of postgraduate legal fellowship programs and fellowship sponsor opportunities, please visit www.pslawnet.org.  You will also see fellowship sponsor as a new category of employer type on CareerLink.

The application process is lengthy, so budget your time wisely.  Also keep in mind that the process is very competitive, so it should be a collaboration between you, the host organization, and OCPD/OPI to prepare the most competitive packet possible.  Also note, there will be workshops for students with working drafts of fellowship applications in the fall when you return to school.  These workshops will include advice and feedback from WCL alumni and/or faculty recipients of the respective fellowships. Check CareerLink under the events tab for registration information.

If you want or need assistance, please contact the OCPD front desk for an appointment with Christina Jackson, Assistant Director, Public Interest Specialist.