Legal Aid Association of California New Attorney Pipeline

Closing next FAIR Fellowship applications close October 30 in 4 days

Fellowship deadlines

Fellowships and Deadlines

Compare funding, eligibility and application dates for your next step in legal aid.

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Which Kind of Fellowship Do You Need?

Summer funding during law school
Dan Bradley and school-administered funding support summer work while you are a student. Start with summer funding, including Stevens fellowships.
A project you develop with a host
For Skadden and Equal Justice Works Design-Your-Own, find a host organization and develop the project together before applying. The fellowship application and the host relationship are separate steps.
An existing role with an employer
Apply directly for a fellowship such as FAIR. You join an existing program without developing a separate project with a host.
A bridge after graduation
The Public Interest Bar Fellowship supports graduates while they study for and take the bar and begin work with a host. We can help you connect with a host organization.

Compare Fellowship Programs

Find a program that fits your stage and interests.

New to fellowships? Learn how to approach a host, then work through pay, benefits and funding questions.

Funded summer placement

Dan Bradley Fellowship

Who can apply
Law students spending the summer at a LAAC member organization on rural issues or consumer rights
Funding
Up to $12,075 for the summer
Time commitment
A summer at a LAAC member legal aid organization

Ask about summer internships

Requirements and dates

Two-year post-graduate fellowship

Equal Justice Works Design-Your-Own Fellowship

Who can apply
Graduates of a member law school by September 2027, without a prior full-time, permanent public interest lawyer job or major fellowship
Funding
A salary set jointly with the host organization, health insurance and fringe benefits, and up to $5,000 in loan repayment assistance
Time commitment
Two years on a project you design with a host organization

2027 cycle: applications closed September 17, 2026

Requirements and dates

18-month employment-law fellowship

FAIR Fellowship

Who can apply
New attorneys with zero to three years of legal experience
Funding
At least $97,344 a year, plus benefits; bar-study support up to $10,000
Time commitment
September 2027 through February 2029: twelve months at Legal Aid at Work, working remotely within California, then six months at a CELA-affiliated plaintiffs’ firm. The firm placement has its own matching and hiring process

Apply by October 30, 2026

Requirements and dates

Bridge fellowship, before the bar

Public Interest Bar Fellowship

Who can apply
New graduates of California law schools awaiting their first California bar exam
Funding
A $16,000 stipend, paid in three installments
Time commitment
Fellows work 400 hours over roughly six months, May or June through November or December.

Explore hosts and prepare your application

Requirements and dates

Two-year post-graduate fellowship

Skadden Fellowship

Who can apply
Final-year law students, judicial clerks, LL.M. candidates, and graduates within two years
Funding
A two-year salaried fellowship, with help for bar expenses, relocation and law-school loan payments on a showing of financial need
Time commitment
Two years at a public interest organization on a project you design with them

2027 cycle: applications closed August 31, 2026

Requirements and dates

Borchard Fellowship: law and aging

Application Dates

Plan around information sessions and application windows.

  1. March

  2. March 18, 2026 Public Interest Bar Fellowship Information session 3pm via Zoom
  3. March 31, 2026 Public Interest Bar Fellowship Application questions posted A PDF of the questions, so you can draft answers before the form opens

  4. April

  5. April 3, 2026 Public Interest Bar Fellowship Applications open Reviewed on a rolling basis; earlier is better
  6. April 15, 2026 Public Interest Bar Fellowship Applications close 5:00 pm

  7. August

  8. August 31, 2026 Skadden Fellowship Applications close 11:59 pm Pacific

  9. September

  10. September 17, 2026 Equal Justice Works Design-Your-Own Fellowship Applications close Extensions are not granted

  11. Octoberthis month

  12. October 30, 2026 FAIR Fellowship Applications close All materials must be received

See the full program calendar

Jobs and internships

Explore current roles, summer clerkships and school-funded opportunities.

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