Summer Public Interest Funding Program

The University of Chicago Law School is committed to supporting a range of summer public interest employment opportunities by providing a guaranteed award of $6,000 to both first- and second-year law students.

Through the generosity of the Bernard Heerey Family Foundation, the Heerey Fellowship Program provides financial support to fund the majority of first year summer fellowships. In addition, the Chicago Law Foundation and a web of other generous donors further allow the Law School to commit public interest summer funding to support first- and second-year law students, including the support of students in international service positions.

Here are some examples of where our students worked in recent summers:

Domestic agencies:

  • ACLU
  • Alliance Defending Freedom
  • Center for Health Law Policy and Innovation
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Equip for Equality
  • Federal Trade Commission
  • Lawyers for Children
  • Legal Assistance Foundation
  • Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  • The Public Defender Service for DC
  • Securities and Exchange Commission
  • United States Attorney's Office
  • United States Air Force

International agencies:

  • Centre for Applied Legal Studies
  • Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
  • International IDEA
  • Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre
  • Korean Public Interest Lawyers Group
  • The Peace Institute