Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowship

The Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowships were established in 1997 by the Open Society Institute's Center on Crime, Communities & Culture (now called the Criminal Justice Initiative). The fellowships are designed to encourage innovative approaches to crime prevention, strengthen successful criminal justice programs already in place, and promote nonpartisan debate on complex criminal justice issues such as juvenile justice and prison reform.

Two types of Justice fellowships exist: the Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowship (formerly known as the postgraduate fellowship) and the Senior Fellowship. In addition, Soros funds several other fellowship programs that span a range of disciplines, including law. The Justice Advocacy fellowship is the more viable route for most law graduates, because senior fellowships require a high degree of expertise. Justice Advocacy Fellowships are available to individuals who have received a postgraduate degree in law or other discipline within the previous seven years.

The Criminal Justice Initiative expects to award approximately six Advocacy Fellowships in 2007. However, because it is a small program with a specialized focus, it does not receive as many applications as Skadden or Equal Justice Works. Thus, if you have a project related to criminal law or justice, you should definitely consider applying.

Each fellowship is for an eighteen month term and offers a salary of up to $37,500 per year plus $2500 for professional development, $2500 toward health benefits, $1200 for relocation and a maximum of $6,000 per year in loan assistance.

Applicants will be notified by early November whether they have been selected as a finalist. Twenty-five finalists are then invited to New York to interview with a panel of legal scholars, practitioners, and former fellows. Final decisions are made by early December.

Projects funded
As with Skadden and Equal Justice Works fellowships, Soros Justice Advocacy applicants need to secure sponsorship from an existing organization, such as a prosecutor's office, public defender, or a nonprofit organization. The organization can be domestic or overseas. Unlike Skadden and Equal Justice Works, the Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowships can be used to fund individuals already employed by the organizational sponsor, provided that the project "does not duplicate the organization's existing programs.

Selection criteria & evaluation
According to application materials, selection is based on: (1) the competence and commitment to the project of both the individual applicant and the sponsoring organization; (2) a "realistic assessment" of the project's goals; (3) the need for the project; and, (4) the "responsiveness of the project to the needs of the population served." While grades are one consideration in the process, the program places far more emphasis on applicants' commitment to criminal justice and the potential of projects to succeed and have significant impact.

Soros interviews are known to be intense and play a substantial role in the final selection of fellows. Those selected for interviews should learn as much as possible about their interviewers, who are esteemed scholars and practitioners in the criminal justice field. Prior to the interviews, finalists receive biographies of their interviewers, but further research is advisable. Finalists must also prepare a strong defense of their project ideas. Soros interviewers are known to ask very detailed and probing questions about the substance and potential impact of projects.