Clinical Fellows in Law (Full-Time)

Faculty Division Clinical Fellowship 2024-2025

The Federalist Society may offer a one-year Clinical Fellowship in Law to talented academically-inclined practitioners.

The Clinical Fellows in Law program offers support to talented academically inclined practitioners who seek to spend one year working full-time in a law school’s clinical program(s) with the goal of entering the legal academy as a clinical professor.

Applicants are expected to identify one or more institution(s) and program(s) with which they are interested in affiliating, describe the kinds of clinical duties they hope to undertake, identify a proposed supervisor and/or mentor, and propose a timeline for entering the clinical teaching market.  Applicants who approach and obtain the approval of their target institution in advance of applying will be in a stronger position to obtain this fellowship.  The Clinical Fellowship will include a teaching component.  It may also include a scholarship component (i.e., a proposed academic paper) if expected by the applicant’s proposed affiliate institution or desired by the applicant (and permitted by the affiliate institution).

A distinguished group of clinical professors will select the Clinical Fellow(s). Criteria considered include but are not limited to the following:

  • Dedication to teaching and scholarship
  • A J.D. and extremely strong academic qualifications 
  • At least two years of experience practicing law in an area relevant to the kind of clinical work the applicant proposes to undertake
  • Commitment to the rule of law and intellectual diversity in legal academia
  • The promise of a distinguished career as a clinical professor 

Benefits

Clinical Fellows receive a $70,000 stipend per year, plus health benefits.  While details will be worked out with the specific affiliate school for each Clinical Fellow, in general Clinical Fellows will be provided with an office and access to research and law journal submission accounts (and any other relevant clinical tools), and will be included in the life of the school. Clinical Fellows are expected not to hold other employment during the term of their fellowships.

Applications

Applicants should submit the following:

  • A resume and law school transcript
  • A statement of the applicant's commitment to teaching law and interest in becoming a clinical professor
  • A proposal identifying institution(s) and program(s) with which the applicant wishes to affiliate, describing the clinical duties the applicant hopes to undertake, identifying a prospective supervisor and/or mentor, and proposing a timeline for entering the clinical teaching market
  • Writing sample(s) with an approximately 30-page limit on the total number of pages submitted (i.e. two 15-page pieces are fine, two 30-page pieces are not).  Shorter is fine too. If possible at least one of the sample(s) should be indicative of skill in the kind of clinical work the applicant proposes to undertake 
  • At least two and generally no more than three letters of support. These should come from people who can speak to your potential as a clinical teacher and should generally include at least one letter from a law professor. A letter from someone who can speak to your practice skills is also important. You may also include additional references with phone numbers

Applications must be received no later than March 15, 2024. 

Applicants will be notified in mid-May 2024. 

 

Please have letters of recommendation sent to Justin Drewer by email (preferred) at [email protected] or in hard copy to:

Clinical Fellows in Law Program
ATTN: Justin Drewer
The Federalist Society
1776 I Street, NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006