Public Interest Fellowships go a long way towards helping the Law School's Public Interest Institute meet its goal, which is to integrate ideas of dignity, equality and social justice into the fabric of the Law School and to encourage students to work toward the promotion of these ideals. In achieving that goal, the Law School tries to provide real-life examples of lawyers and advocates who can serve as role models and advisers for students. Your support will help to complement and facilitate this process by allowing students to accept unpaid employment in which they have direct contact with experienced and dedicated public interest lawyers who act as mentors and supervisors.
Through Public Interest Fellowships, students gain exposure to areas of practice and issues with which they are not already familiar, to broaden their perspectives and strengthen awareness. These Fellowships provide tangible opportunities for students to actually be public interest lawyers and leaders themselves and to build on the knowledge and skills they acquire during the academic year. Lastly, but importantly, because the public interest job market is often a challenge to navigate, working in the field as a student is an invaluable asset in the search for post-graduate employment. Indeed, in some instances, these internships can continue into permanent post-graduate employment, in which case the fellowship marks the beginning of a lifetime commitment to serving in the public interest.
The Law School seeks to support as many students who are interested in public interest internships as possible. $7,500 can support two students for one summer.
