NYU School of Law has been selected as a partner by the Ford Foundation for a new fellowship program that will offer 25 NYU Law students an unprecedented chance to gain experience on the frontlines of public interest law around the world.
Providing up to 100 fellowships in its inaugural year, the Ford Foundation Law School Fellowship Program will connect highly motivated and accomplished law students to substantive, ten-week placements with the foundation’s grantee organizations around the world, working to improve the lives of others through legal analysis, litigation and public policy advocacy. (View application information.)
“This program opens up a new pathway for law students to gain practical and transformative experience working on many of the defining social justice issues of our age,” said Luis Ubiñas, president of the Ford Foundation. “We believe it will offer them invaluable knowledge and understanding that will inform their careers whether public or private, while bringing fresh talent to organizations working to advance fairness and freedom.”
“NYU Law is honored to be part of the Ford Foundation Law School Public Interest Fellowship Program,” said Dean Richard Revesz. “The Ford Foundation has shown a remarkable commitment to public service law and underscores with these fellowships the importance of supporting young lawyers who are dedicated to the public good. This program offers fantastic opportunities for first and second year law students to experience social justice lawyering firsthand.”
The fellowship is currently open to high performing first and second year law students from an initial group of four partner institutions—Harvard Law School, New York University School of Law, Stanford Law School, and Yale Law School—that have a long track record of partnership with the foundation and commitment to public service. The foundation has made an initial commitment of up to $1.75 million for the fellowships for the first year.
“Investing in the next generation of leaders is central to the Ford Foundation’s mission,” added Ford Foundation's Ubiñas. “Higher education will shape our future. This effort continues the expansion of our work with leading academic institutions in the United States and worldwide.”
Those selected for the fellowship will receive $15,000; the first class of students will begin their fellowships in the summer of 2013. Working closely with lawyers and advocates, the students will be exposed to a variety of diverse settings and gain insight into social justice issues.