What are fellowships?

Fellowships are short-term, full-time public interest positions for new or recent law graduates. Most are offered for one or two-year periods, but they can be as short as six months and as long as four years. Fellowship venues include non-profit organizations, government agencies, law firms and academic settings.

Compensation

Fellowship salaries vary significantly. Some salaries are as low as $25,000, while others are as high as $50,000. Currently, the typical salary is in the high $30,000 range. Fellowship salaries are usually not negotiable. Most fellowships offer benefits such as health insurance and vacation, and many offer loan forgiveness that supplements Georgetown's loan repayment assistance program.

Fellowship categories

Fellowships fall generally into one of three categories: project fellowships, staff attorney fellowships, and clinical teaching fellowships.

• Project fellowships are designed to fund the creation of new, innovative public interest law projects. Applicants must develop a project proposal, usually in conjunction with a sponsoring organization. Skadden and Equal Justice Works are the most well-known project fellowships.
• Staff attorney fellowships are established positions within existing organizations offered either at pre-determined intervals (e.g., every one or two years) or as funding allows. Hundreds of staff attorney fellowships are available every year.
• Clinical teaching fellowships are short-term positions with law school clinical programs. Most combine public interest practice with academic study or teaching, and some offer a degree at the end of the fellowship.

This manual does not cover government honor programs, which are the sole vehicle through which some agencies hire entry-level attorneys. The University of Arizona Government Honor Program Handbook is the best source of information on Government Honor Programs. The Handbook is available online (password protected).