Law firm fellowships are a growing, though still small, category of organizational fellowships. They are increasingly attractive to public interest-oriented students for several reasons. First, they offer experience in a for-profit law firm setting, something many new graduates are seeking. Second, they offer both public interest and law firm experience, which can be advantageous for those unsure of the legal sector in which they ultimately want to practice. Third, law firm fellowship salaries tend to be higher than non-profit fellowship salaries, although not always. Finally, some law firm fellowships routinely offer permanent employment after the fellowship.

Most law firm fellowships are offered every year, with one or two positions usually available. The two most common venues for such fellowships are public interest-oriented firms and large corporate firms. Fellowships with public interest-oriented firms are typically based at the firm itself. In contrast, the large firm fellowships usually are housed with the firm for a fixed period and then at a non-profit organization for a similar period. To find law firm fellowships, check the OPICS Fellowship Chart.

Large law firm fellowships
Generally, these fellowships allow associates to split time between a nonprofit organization and the sponsoring firm. The Fried, Frank Fellowships are the most well-known of these fellowships. Fellows spend two years as associates with the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen in New York City, and then two years with either the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) or NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Fellows earn the relevant associate salary while at Fried, Frank, and the going staff attorney salary while with their non-profit employer. At the conclusion of their fellowships, fellows have the option of joining Fried, Frank as a fifth-year associate or, if funding allows, the respective non-profit organization.

The Philadelphia Bar Association’s Public Interest Section also sponsors a firm fellowship program. The Philadelphia Public Interest Fellowship provides participants the opportunity to defer their entry at participating law firms for a year, and spend that year at one of several Philadelphia area public interest programs, including Community Legal Services, the Homeless Advocacy Project, the Education Law Center, the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, the Support Center for Child Advocates, the Juvenile Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and others. During that year, and the subsequent year when participants begin at the law firm, participants will receive half of a first year salary, plus full benefits. In other words, this program presents a unique opportunity to do a year of public interest work while secure in the knowledge that a law firm position is held open. After the first year at the law firm at reduced pay, compensation and benefits will rise to the same level as the rest of the participant's class.

Richmond's Hunton & Williams offers a two-year Pro Bono Fellowship. Fellows spend 70-75% of their time with Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, and 25-30% of their time representing pro bono clients of the firm's Church Hill office. They earn an entry-level legal aid attorney salary, and receive standard Hunton & Williams associate benefits. According to promotional materials, fellows are "fully integrated into Hunton & Williams, with all the normal opportunities available for legal training, associate development, and social participation." However, fellows typically are not offered employment with the firm. Indeed, the fellowship materials state that applicants should be "motivated toward a career in public interest law."

In 1999, Holland & Knight established the Chesterfield Smith Public Interest Fellowship in honor of Chesterfield Smith, the firm's chairman emeritus. Three or more fellowships are awarded semi-annually to candidates during the fall of their second year of law school. Smith Fellows participate in the firm’s summer associate program and upon graduation serve on the Community Services Team for two years in whatever city they are based in. At the conclusion of the fellowship, Chesterfield Smith fellows join one of the firm’s traditional practice areas as an associate.

Public interest law firm fellowships
A small number of public interest-oriented firms offer post-graduate fellowships each year. These fellowships differ from those with larger firms in that fellows usually do not split time between the firm and non-profit organizations. Rather, they work as associates on the public interest matters of the firm. Depending on resources, many firms will hire fellows permanently at the conclusion of their fellowships.
The following firms usually offer public interest fellowships each year:

• Semel, Young & Norum, (New York) - Communications Workers of America
• Crummy, DelDeo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione (Newark) - Civil and criminal practice on issues such as environment, homelessness, and discrimination
• Hall & Associates (Los Angeles) - Litigation and legislative advocacy on environmental, consumer, and civil rights issues
• Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger (San Francisco) Environmental and land use law
• Sturdevant & Sturdevant (San Francisco) - Consumer law class action litigation

Salaries for these fellowships typically range from $40,000-$60,000.