Washington College of Law logo
 
American University logo
Equal Justice Foundation

Application Information

The application for the Summer 2009 EJF Grant is currently available in the Office of Career and Professional Development.
When you pick up your application, be sure to sign the sheet indicating that you understand that applications are due at 6pm on Monday, March 30th. NO EXCEPTIONS.

To apply for the grant you must have completed all requirements indicated in the application including:
1) Attending (or received a waiver of attendance) the TWO mandatory information sessions (one held in the Fall and one held this Spring)
2) Volunteering AT LEAST 10 hours with EJF throughout the school year. At least 2 of those hours must have been spent off-campus canvassing

Please read all directions on the application CAREFULLY. Also, please note that THERE IS NO PAGE 4 on the application.

If you have any questions during the application process, please contact Monica Parran at EJF.Selection.Chair@gmail.com

Fellowship Award

The Fellowship award is $4,000. The awards are not tax exempt. Recipients are responsible for all tax implications. Recipients are required to complete all paperwork with EJF, and submit certifying information from their summer organization prior to distribution of the grant award. EJF reserves the right to request repayment should a recipient not meet the eligibility requirements during the grant period.

Eligibility

  1. Full time 1Ls and 2Ls and part-time 1, 2, and 3Ls are eligible to apply.
  2. Applicants must volunteer at least 10 hours with EJF in academic year 2008-2009. At least two of those hours must be done with the Off-Campus Canvassing committee.
  3. Prior EJF recipients are eligible to receive grants this year, however, they are required to volunteer 20 total hours this academic year (this number includes the ten (10) “repayment hours” that must be completed by 2007-2008 grant recipients).
  4. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States (this does not mean that you must work in the U.S.).
  5. Candidates must have an offer in hand from a public interest non-governmental organization or public interest branch of the government by the application deadline. EJF does not fund judicial clerkships, any work with administrative judicial bodies, congressional staff work, or lobbying positions.
  6. Summer work must be substantially legal.
  7. Grant recipients must work 10 weeks for at least 40 hours per week during the summer.
  8. In addition to the EJF Fellowship, recipients may accept up to $4,000 from alternative funding sources.
  9. Recipients must volunteer an additional 10 hours in academic year 2009-2010.
  10. Informational meetings do not count toward the hourly requirement.

Fellowship Selection Process

Fellowship applications are submitted to a selection committee comprised of EJF representatives, student leaders, faculty members, and administrators. Students who submit applications are not permitted to sit on the selection committee. The selection process is blind. In order to maintain the integrity of the selection process, applicants are not to use their name on their applications. The application process and the members of the selection committee are confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What factors are used in determining whether I will receive an EJF Fellowship?

An applicant's commitment to public interest work will be the primary determining factor, as demonstrated by the applicant’s prior work and volunteer experience, personal statement, and future career plans. The committee will also consider the type of placement, giving consideration to those organizations that provide direct legal services.

Students who have devoted significant time to EJF in the year in which they are applying will receive priority in the selection process.

The Committee will make a greater effort to fund second year full-time and third-year part-time students given the importance of these summer experiences in gaining post-graduate positions.

How do I increase my chances of being selected?

Volunteer more than the minimum number of hours required for eligibility.  When the selection committee reviews he applications, we look at the applicant’s commitment to EJF.  If you volunteer for 10 hours in the week before the application is available, it may appear the you made a last minute effort and are not truly dedicated to EJF’s mission.

Remember that most opportunities to ear hours occur before and during the EJF auction.  Please work hard early to complete your hours. 

Hours MUST be earned before the application is made available on Monday, March 16th.

I heard a rumor that applications were rejected because they were missing a resume or had some typos.

Members of the Selection Committee believe that the application process should be taken as seriously as any application for funds, or for a job. Carelessness in completing an application may be seen as lack of thought and/or a sincere desire to fulfill the responsibilities of the Fellowship.

I am a second-year student who has put in more than 10 hours of service to EJF this year and whose application meets all of the stated requirements. Will I receive an EJF Fellowship?

The award of a Fellowship is never guaranteed. The availability of EJF Fellowships is directly related to the amount of money raised and thus available to be awarded. The best way to maximize the prospect of receiving a Fellowship –in addition to submitting a complete and excellent application- is to assist in raising as much money as possible, and to encourage others to do the same.

What happens if I have received a Fellowship but I:

Failure to complete the foregoing requirements will result in an obligation to repay the monies received to EJF and may result in an Honor Code investigation.

Can I split my summer between an EJF approved employer and another position?

EJF Grant Recipients are required to work at the EJF approved position for 10 weeks at 40 hours a week.  Failure to complete this requirement will result in the recipient having to repay the Grant.  Splitting summers is generally discouraged because it requires the student to perform two shorter placements rather than a longer more substantive placement.  That being said, if a student is able to complete the full requirements of both placements within the time available, they are free to do so. 

For the summer position have been offered, I have to accept either payment or credit through the law school. What can I do?

The position for which you are seeking this fellowship must be unpaid. In addition, if awarded this fellowship, you may not accept other fellowship awards or outside funding (including your own organization) that exceed $4,000.

Fellows may not receive academic/externship credit for the hours completed for the fellowship.

I have accepted a Fellowship and have received an in-kind contribution of room and/or board. Must I apply the dollar value of the contribution to my Fellowship?

No. In-kind contributions are a fortunate benefit to one who receives them. However, if asked, you must be able to provide documentation that confirms the contribution was in-kind; it cannot be, for example, cash allotted for housing or for food.

I am a Public Interest Public Service (PIPS) Scholar and/or I received a previous EJF Fellowship; may I apply for an EJF Fellowship?

Whether a student has already received public interest-based financial assistance from WCL, and the amount of that assistance, is a factor in the EJF selection process. The Committee takes previous WCL funding into account when awarding EJF grants because WCL resources should be distributed as widely as possible to encourage public interest activity across the student body. As a result of this policy, PIPS Scholars, as well as 2Ls who already received an EJF grant for their first summer, may be given a lower priority in the selection process. However, this will be only one factor in the selection process, and all students remain eligible to receive an EJF grant. PIPS Scholars and previously-funded 2Ls may be awarded grants over other students based on factors such as the time and effort they devoted to EJF fundraising, the quality of their application, and the quality of the summer placement they obtained.

I have a great summer opportunity clerking for a judge, but it does not pay. May I apply for an EJF Fellowship?

EJF does not fund judicial clerkships, including clerkships for Administrative Law Judges, or any work with administrative judicial bodies, clerkships with generalist courts, Congressional staff work, or lobbying positions.  Specialist courts (i.e. human rights courts) will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

My friends and I are excited about the possibility of working together with an EJF Fellowship at the same organization.

In an effort to promote organizational diversity, EJF will rarely fund more than two students for any one organization.

I have heard that only liberal-minded organizations (and liberal-minded applicants) receive support for Fellowships, and that government agencies are also rarely considered.

There is no “ideological test” involved in weighing the merits of an application. Conservative organizations (and conservative-minded students) will be supported if the work provides legal services and/or policy and advocacy assistance to disadvantaged or under-represented individuals.

 

 
Washington College of Law  -  4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW  -  Washington, DC 20016  -  202-274-4000