Path-breaking approaches that improve the lives of those denied access to justice

The Fellowship

Justice Catalyst administers one-year, potentially renewable, project-based fellowships for graduating law students, or graduates up to two years out of law school. The Fellowship supports innovative social impact work at nonprofit organizations as well as unions, plaintiff-side/public interest law firms, and government agencies.

JONATHAN W. CUNEO COSAL/
JUSTICE CATALYST FELLOWSHIP

We also run a fellowship focused on plaintiff-side antitrust litigation.

Applications

There is a two-part fellowship application process:

  • Part 1 (Optional) – Prospectus submissions are closed for this cycle. Responses rolling in through early November.

  • Part 2 (Required) – Application submissions are closed for this cycle.

Application submissions are closed for this cycle.

How it Works

  • All applicants must:

    • Graduate from an accredited U.S. law school with either a J.D. or LL.M degree within 2 years of applying for the fellowship

    • Partner with an eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, plaintiff-side or public interest law firm, union, or tribal, local, state or federal government agency and work collaboratively on the project design

    • Design an innovative legal project that has strong potential to catalyze structural and broad scale (aka high-volume) change within the U.S.

  • VIEW RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

    Before you start your application, we encourage you to review our Justice Catalyst Fellowship Application page which contains detailed instructions as well as forms to submit (1) a prospectus and (2) a full application. It will walk you step-by-step through all you need to know to submit a successful application, from prospectus through interview.

    We encourage you to submit your prospectus and application as early as possible to ensure a smooth process.

    VIEW OUR JUSTICE CATALYST FELLOWSHIP DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

    If you have any questions about the application’s content, please contact us at fellowships@justicecatalyst.org.

  • CONSIDER ISSUES THAT RESONATE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR GOALS, AND A MAJOR CHANGE NEEDED IN THE WORLD

    Justice Catalyst’s philosophy is problem-centric. Successful fellowship projects start with a problem in the world and identify the novel and potentially transformative ways to resolve it. Justice Catalyst Fellows address some of the most crucial legal issue areas facing communities in the U.S. today, with an emphasis on antitrust, consumer rights, decarceration, economic justice, labor, workers’ rights, corporate and government accountability, and projects that support and advance access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

    Note that the Justice Catalyst Fellowship program has no subject area restrictions: We welcome projects focused on any and all issue areas. The fellowship program is primarily U.S.-focused but we occasionally support projects based outside of the country with a close nexus to the U.S.

    To learn more, meet our current and former Justice Catalyst Fellows to see what issues they’ve tackled!

  • It is up to prospective Justice Catalyst Fellow candidates to match with a Host Organization that will serve as your employer during your Justice Catalyst Fellowship. You’ll collaborate with your Host Organization to design the project and submit your application. Host organizations can be established legal organizations or an organization looking to hire its first lawyer.

    Remember, your Host Organization could be a:

    • 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

    • Plaintiff-side/public interest law firm

    • Union

    • Tribal, local, state or federal government agency

    There are many ways you can find a Host Organization:

    • Contact organizations where you have previously interned or would be interested in working

    • Speak with your law school career services office

    • Search job boards and directories like the Public Service Jobs Directory (PSJD), the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), Idealist, and others

    View a list of current and former Host Organizations

  • WORK WITH YOUR HOST ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP YOUR FELLOWSHIP PROJECT PROPOSAL

    Considerations for developing a successful Justice Catalyst Fellowship proposal:

    • Illustrate clearly the problem/need your project will address, including both data points and stories

    • Make it clear that your project proposal is inspired by speaking with actual people and organizations already working with the issues and/or community your project seeks to impact

    • Explain your theory of change, i.e. the logical connection between your proposed project activities & approach and the problem they seek to address

    • Tell us about the potential impact of your project, with an emphasis on possible structural and/or broad scale (aka high volume) change

  • The Justice Catalyst Fellowship has a two-part initial application process, which entails submission of (1) a Prospectus (optional), and (2) an Application (mandatory).

    VIEW OUR JUSTICE CATALYST FELLOWSHIP DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

    After you submit your application, it will be reviewed by a committee of national experts, thinkers and doers in the field applicable to your project. High-scoring applications are selected to interview with Justice Catalyst in January and February. Fellowships are awarded by March 1.

  • Join the Justice Catalyst Alumni Network

    After your Justice Catalyst Fellowship ends, you will become an alum of the program – joining a network of over 100 creative public interest lawyers carrying out path-breaking approaches to social justice lawyering that have real-world impact and improve the lives of those denied access to justice.

    Learn More

Questions?

97%
of Justice Catalyst fellows remain in public service positions following their Fellowships

32
law schools represented

Fellowship Overview and Benefits

  • Begin your legal career by undertaking a boundary-pushing project that addresses a pressing problem in the U.S.

  • Partner with a nonprofit organization, government agency, union, or plaintiff-side/public interest law firm to propose an innovative legal project

  • One-year Fellowship with potential of up to one additional year of renewal

  • $73,000 in salary support provided to the host organization each year

  • Potential for additional monetary support for the project or for the Fellow to launch a new nonprofit or initiative coming out of their Fellowship term

  • Health insurance & fringe benefits provided by host organization

Justice Catalyst Fellowship Approach

Justice Catalyst activates path-breaking approaches to social justice lawyering and affirmative litigation that have real-world impact and improve the lives of low-wage workers, the poor, and the marginalized. What we look for in Fellowship projects:

Groundbreaking, creative ideas

Real-world, large-scale impact
that improves the lives of those denied access to justice

Early-stage projects
that are boundary-pushing in the pursuit of systemic, transformative solutions to major injustices

Priority areas of work

We get excited about proposed projects across a broad spectrum of topic areas and each year we award fellowships focused on varied and diverse topics. We particularly welcome applications in our priority areas of work.

Note that the Justice Catalyst Fellowship program has no subject area restrictions – we welcome projects focused on any and all issue areas. The fellowship program is primarily U.S.-focused but we occasionally support projects based outside of the country with a close nexus to the U.S.

Justice Catalyst Fellows

fellowships@justicecatalyst.org

Justice Catalyst Partnerships is a registered 501(c)(3) organization
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