Arthur Liman Public Interest Law Fellowship

The Arthur Liman Public Interest Law Fellowship provides stipends to undergraduates working in domestic public interest law positions for the summer. Named in honor of Arthur Liman, a Harvard College and Yale Law School graduate who spent years practicing law in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, the fellowship enables undergraduates to spend a summer exploring the nonprofit legal field.

Following the review of written applications and one round of interviews, the evaluation committee will award fellowships. The committee will announce these awards in March, when final funding is confirmed.

Download the 2010 Arthur Liman Public Interest Law Fellowship application (in PDF format or in MS Word format). Applications will be due on December 11, 2009.

Public Interest

Public interest subject matter address:

Civil rights and liberties

Prisoners’ rights

Consumer protection

Housing: landlord/tenant issues, shelters, homelessness

Family & children: child custody & support, child abuse & neglect

Education: school law, school safety

Criminal defense & prosecution

Migrant and farmworker law

Disability law

Environmental protection

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Identifying an Organization

Students are eligible to apply to the program without an identified organization, but all students must find an organization with which to work before they are eligible to receive funding. The best organizations are those that conduct work in which the student shares an interest and are concerned about the professional development of students. When talking to a future supervisor make sure that:

There will be interesting and substantive work for you to do;

You can picture yourself adapting to the organization’s culture; and

You will report to a supervisor who will provide you with guidance and support.

Organizations can be identified by www.idealist.org, www.guidestar.org or through recommendations from former recipients, House pre-law tutors, counselors at OCS, and staff of the Center for Public Interest Careers, among others. You are eligible to apply without an identified organization, but preference will be given to individuals who have made an effort to develop a relationship with an organization.
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Internship Requirements

The internship must provide the student with a progression of learning experiences throughout the course of the summer. Interns should act as more than information gatherers or general office administrators; they should gain significant exposure to issues of law. The internship should develop the student’s analytical thinking and research skills, and should leave the student with a richer understanding of how the legal system works.

A student must complete at least ten weeks in the internship between May 31, 2008 and September 9, 2008; priority will be given to full-time work. Following completion of the internship, the student will write a reflective paper that examines how the internship affected the student’s understanding of public interest law and the student’s future academic and career plans. The student will also reflect upon the internship at a campus discussion after completing the internship.
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Eligibility

Students must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors in the fall semester following the internship, which must provide the student with a progression of learning experiences throughout the course of the summer. Interns should act as more than information gatherers or general office administrators; they should gain significant exposure to issues of law. Students who perform internships in the following fields are eligible for consideration:

Client-oriented, direct service case work and litigation, both civil and criminal

Enforcement work and other litigation for governmental agencies

Alternative dispute resolution, such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration

Policy-making legislative and regulatory reform

Policy-oriented class action and impact legislation

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Selection Criteria

The Review Committee will evaluate applications with preference toward applications that:

Focus on public service work that has a clear and significant legal focus. All else being equal, the more fully the internship engages the legal system, the more favorably the committee will view the application;

Demonstrate the applicant has carefully researched the internship site; and

Demonstrate the applicant has thoughtfully considered how the internship would support the applicant’s academic and career interests.

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Additional Information

For additional information or questions about this program, please contact Amanda Sonis Glynn at asglynn@fas.harvard.edu. You may also find more information about the Liman Colloquium at the Yale Law School Web site.

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