Instructions for Fellowship Application
Instructions for Applying to the Fellow Program
Loyola Law School Post-Graduate Fellowships in Public Interest Law are designed to promote the following goals:
- To provide legal services to underrepresented groups that have traditionally lacked full access to legal services. Social justice, human rights, civil rights, and environmental groups are among those included.
- To create new public interest law positions to assist our students in getting their first public interest job and to have these positions then funded by the agencies, in effect creating additional resources.
- To encourage and develop a diverse and qualified group of future public interest lawyers and leaders to ensure the future of public interest law.
The Loyola Law School Post-Graduate Fellowship in Public Interest Law provides a salary of $40,000 per year for the first year and a second-year funding of $20,000, subject to satisfactory completion of the first year.[1] The sponsoring organization, where the fellow is placed, must commit to providing benefits for both years, and to seeking or to providing the balance of the second-year salary.
The fellowships are available to LLS graduates who apply in the year of their graduation or the following year; so, 2008-2009 applications will be accepted from 2007 and 2008 graduates. Applications must be received by April 23rd of the year in which the fellowship will start and should be sent to Loyola Law School, 919 Albany Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015-1211, Attention: Public Interest Law Department. The fellowships will run from the Summer/Fall of each year. Selections will be made and students and sponsoring organizations notified by May 15th.
Fellows must file quarterly status reports with the Faculty Pro Bono Director who will distribute copies to the Committee. Fellows applying for a renewal for the second-year must do so by the same application deadline of April 23rd. If any deadlines fall on a holiday or weekend, the date shall be the next business day.
[1] Fellows are also eligible to apply to Loyola Law School 's Public Interest Loan Assistance Program (PILAP). PILAP provides assistance for repayment of student loans in an annual amount not to exceed 90% of the difference between the graduate's salary and $51,000 (maximum award $12,000). Thus, a Fellow earning $38,500 also may be eligible for up to $11,250 from PILAP. Public Interest Fellows are not guaranteed PILAP awards of any amount.
The selection committee will consist of the Dean of the law school, the faculty public interest director, two other Loyola faculty members, and an alumnus or alumna working in public interest (not from a sponsoring organization).
- The applications will be evaluated using the following factors, among others:
- The project must involve legal representation or advocacy on behalf of individuals, groups, or interests that are not adequately represented by our legal system.
- The position the fellow holds in the sponsoring organization must be a new one that was created for the fellowship, thus adding additional resources to the organization.[2]
- The applicant must have the relevant background, skills, training and knowledge to carry out the project.
- The applicant will be assessed based primarily on commitment to public interest law. This commitment should be clearly demonstrated in previous activities. The applicant's professional, volunteer and academic achievements should indicate that he or she has the relevant abilities to make the proposed project a success.
- The sponsoring organization must possess the financial and organizational stability to implement the proposed project.
[2] Positions that had been in existence prior to the recent funding cutbacks in legal services but are no longer funded shall be deemed as new positions for this program.
The sponsoring organization must be a non-profit entity. The organization must demonstrate that it will provide adequate training and supervision. The organization must provide appropriate professional responsibility insurance coverage and standard employee fringe benefits.
If a second-year renewal is granted, the sponsoring organization must commit to providing the additional funding.
Information for Sponsoring Organizations
Dear Potential Sponsoring Organization:
Thank you for your interest in sponsoring one of Loyola Law School 's graduates who has demonstrated a commitment to working for the public interest. Loyola Law School has developed a post-graduate fellowship program to assist in the provision of legal services to underrepresented groups who have traditionally been unable to access legal services, to create additional resources for public interest law, and to encourage and to develop a diverse and qualified group of lawyers and leaders to ensure the future of public interest law. We are one of a very small number of law schools in the nation to commit our own resources to public interest law by establishing such post-graduate fellowships. With our new Public Interest Scholarships, our Public Interest Loan Assistance Program, and our mandatory pro bono requirement for graduation, Loyola's program seeks to lead the profession toward its highest moral calling.
The applicant must include in the application a letter from the sponsoring organization. The letter must include the following:
- A description of the sponsoring organization, including organizational structure
- A certification of non-profit status and financial information demonstrating responsible management and stable funding
- A listing of the supervisors and contact information
- A description of the type of work done by the organization generally
- A description of the work to be accomplished specifically by the fellow, including a certification that the fellow will occupy a new position created for the project, thus adding additional resources
- A description of the supervision and training to be provided
- A hiring offer which includes an agreement to provide standard fringe benefits for two years, and a commitment to seeking or to providing funding for the second year.
Once again, thank you for your interest in this program. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Sande Buhai, the Faculty Public Interest Director and Clinical Professor, at (213) 736-1156 or Christine Zeimantz, Assistant to the Director, Public Interest Law Department, at (213) 736-1059.