University of Chicago Law School 2013 Postgraduate Public Interest Law Fellowship
The University of Chicago Law School offers a limited number of competitive, one-year, postgraduate public interest law fellowships. These fellowships are open only to J.D. graduates of the University of Chicago Law School’s Class of 2013 who are taking a July 2013 bar examination.
The University of Chicago Public Interest Law Fellows will serve full-time at eligible public service host organizations for a term of one year (twelve months), beginning no later than November 2013. Eligible host organizations may include nonprofit public interest law organizations and governmental public service entities. However, judicial clerkships, judicial internships/externships, work on political campaigns, and positions at a university (including research assistants, university counsel, or clinical positions) are not eligible for this program.
Applications are considered by The University of Chicago Law School’s Public Interest Law Fellowship Selection Committee. In reviewing each application, the Committee will consider several factors, including the applicant’s demonstrated record of commitment to public service; the applicant’s public service experience during and before law school; evidence that the applicant plans to pursue a long-term career in public interest law; academic achievements; and professional references. In addition, the Committee will strive to assess the mission, goals, history and accomplishments of the proposed host organization, and to evaluate the community need for the proposed fellowship and its potential impact on the host organization.
Applicants must identify and secure the agreement of an eligible host organization and include proof of that agreement in their application, as detailed below. Questions concerning organization eligibility should be directed to Susan Curry.
Each fellowship includes financial support of $40,000 for the Fellowship year. Fellows must provide periodic progress reports, including a final report at the end of the fellowship year.
A complete application must include six items:
1) Your resume or CV.
2) Your proposed plan for the fellowship year. Together with the sponsoring organization, you must either develop a new project or identify ongoing work or an ongoing project upon which you will work. This plan should clearly identify your host organization; the name and contact information of your immediate supervisor in the host organization; and a short statement of the entity’s organizational purpose and mission. The plan should also include (1) a short overview of the project (no more than two paragraphs); (2) a brief explanation of the need for the project; (3) the project’s goals, along with the steps you will take to reach these goals; and (4) any anticipated obstacles and responses to those obstacles. Please include a proposed timeline for the year.
3) A short personal essay. This should describe (1) your prior experiences in public service or public interest law, as well as any of your prior experiences that have demonstrated or encouraged your commitment to public service; and (2) your aspirations for future public interest work. This should be no longer than 500 words.
4) Your law school transcript(s).
5) At least two professional references. You should not list your proposed agency supervisor among these references. Rather, your references should be current or former professors or an employer (preferably a direct supervisor) or someone familiar with your recent job experiences and/or legal work. Note: You do not need reference letters; you need only to list those references.
6) A short letter from your host organization confirming its commitment to host you. In addition to providing any general materials about its work, the sponsoring organization should provide (1) a general statement of its organizational purpose and mission; (2) a statement of its interest in and commitment to the project, along with any general plans for the Fellow’s training or professional development; and (3) the name of the Fellow’s immediate supervisor and plans for supervision, along with the supervisor’s experience in the substantive area of the fellowship project.
Applicants with questions about their eligibility or the eligibility of their proposed project(s) or host organization should contact the University of Chicago Law School’s Director of Public Interest Law & Policy, Susan Curry, at (773) 702-4558.
Applications will NOT be considered on a rolling basis. Complete applications must be submitted by March 22, 2013, 5:00 CST. No late applications will be accepted.
Submit e-mail applications to the Law School’s Public Interest Fellowship Selection Committee in care of: Susan J. Curry, Director of Public Interest Law and Policy, Suite 306K.