Building Fellowships Info Session

*find, build, apply*

What is a Fellowship? ● offers the opportunity to gain experience in a

particular area of law, by spending a year or two after graduation from law school, pursuing a focused project

● may involve direct representation or research on a particular project

● Generally, the fellowship is funded for a predetermined time period, usually one or two years

Why Should I Apply?

● create your dream job● jump start your career ● don’t wait for a staff attorney opening● build a position at an organization● build networking and community work into

your job● show your skills to your organization and

build relationships there●

What Kinds of Fellowships

Exist?

What Kinds of Fellowships Exist? Organization-Based Fellowships ● administers their own fellowships - decides

what the fellow will do, provides or raises the funding, and pays the fellow a stipend or salary

Apply - as a regular job posting, but can reach out to potential organizations to prepareExample - Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships

What Kinds of Fellowships Exist?

Project-Based Fellowships ● A funder posts the opportunity and provides the

money, but you write a proposal and find an organization with which you can carry it out if selected to receive the money

● Foundations fund proposals that fit specific goals of that foundation

● The fellow finds a sponsoring organization and prepares a proposal for the project with the help of that organization

What Kinds of Fellowships Exist?

Project-Based Fellowships (continued) ● The foundation will then consider the applicant’s

qualifications, the proposed project, the sponsoring organization for which the applicant will work, the organization’s ability to provide space and supervision for the project, and ultimately whether to provide funding

Apply - for the fellowship, through the funder's websiteExample - Equal Justice Works Fellow & Skadden

What Kinds of Fellowships Exist? Firm-Sponsored Fellowships ● Some law firms develop fellowships to

pay a fellow to work on a public interest project for a designated period, with or without a commitment to work with the sponsoring law firm

Apply - These are typically predesigned and posted in the same manner as other jobsExample - Fried Frank Fellowships

What Kinds of Fellowships Exist? Academic Fellowships

● funding to work on a specific project in an academic setting

● some law schools offer a fellowship of tuition and stipend to teach law classes or in a clinic, while obtaining an LL.M degree from the school

Apply - The school designs the fellowships and posts the opening. This usually involves research, and may also involve either working for a department or clinic, or teaching classesExample - Columbia Law School’s Reproductive Rights fellowship

How Can I Apply?

Where Can I Find Fellowships?

PSJD - Application Deadline CalendarPSJD Job DatabaseEqual Justice Works SkaddenPresidential Management Fellows Yale Law School Guide to Postgraduate FellowshipsPSJD Comprehensive Fellowship Guide

How Do I Start a Project Proposal?

Step 1 – Explore past projects

Step 2 - Find contacts

Step 3 - Reach out with a plan

Step 3 - Start a conversation

Step 4 – Submit your proposal for feedback

When Do I Apply?

Project Based FellowshipsStart asap. 2Ls - you need a proposal by the end of the summer (for some, mid summer)

Typical Deadlines ● June - November of your 3L year. Most in

August/September with multiple interviews.

How Do I Succeed?

Successful Fellowship Applications

1 - What are you doing? ● Responding to a pressing need● Fit the fellowship’s goals

2 - Will it be done well? ● Sell yourself - leadership, demonstrated

commitment, knowledge, skills, passion● Sell your host organization - capacity ● Sell your project - SMART - Specific,

Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely3 - Is it worth doing?

Questions? Need Help?

● Reach out to me this summer● Get help with:

○ identifying potential fellowships and host orgs○ building your project○ application materials○ sample applications○ the interview process

Amanda Furstamfurst@umn.edu