New England Law | Boston Launches Public Interest Law Summer Fellows Program
The Center for Law and Social Responsibility (CLSR) is excited to introduce the CLSR Public Interest Law Summer Fellows Program. This program supports and encourages our law students who are interested in serving the public interest through their study of the law.
Overview of the CLSR Public Interest Law Summer Fellows Program
Selected students will work with practicing attorneys and organizations with a public interest focus in full-time summer fellowships, with remuneration of $4,000 provided through a New England Law summer stipend. (Full-time work is defined as 10 weeks at a minimum of 35 hours per week). Part-time stipends may also be available. In addition to the fellowship, the program includes orientation sessions conducted by CLSR faculty, students, and alumni, as well as biweekly seminars through the summer and fall semester, to be hosted by faculty, guest public interest attorneys, and summer fellows themselves.
Commitment
The CLSR Public Interest Law Summer Fellows Program begins during the spring semester and extends through the fall semester. After completing their fellowships, summer fellows will be expected to mentor future students interested in public interest law in the following academic year.
Who May Apply
Any New England Law student who is interested in this fellowship and the mentoring obligations above is urged to apply.
How to Apply
With the application form, applicants should submit a one- to two-page cover letter explaining their interest and background in public interest work and identifying areas of law and specific types of placements for which they are particularly suited. Along with the application form and cover letter, applicants should also submit a law school transcript, current resume, and reference list identifying at least two references and the references’ contact information.
To apply, a student should use the application form here. Any problems with the application form should be directed to the Career Services Office.
Securing Placements
The CLSR faculty and staff have contacted a number of potential outside partners and will encourage positive matches between students and practitioners. The ultimate decision on whether to take on a student, however, resides with the potential supervisor. Students are encouraged to identify and pursue their own placements, with the caveat that all placements must be approved by the CLSR co-chairs, Professors Manus and Siegel, before they are included in the CLSR Public Interest Law Summer Fellows Program. This is an experimental program that will be evaluated at the end of the summer, so we encourage interested students to apply this year.
Application Submission
Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis as positions become available and are filled. Students are encouraged to submit applications as early as possible. Applications must be submitted in electronic form through the JobNet on the law school's Symplicity site. Selected students will be contacted for interviews.
For more information about the program, please contact current CLSR Fellow Abbagail Geroux '12 at abbagail.c.geroux@nesl.edu, (617) 422-7434.