Law/ Legal Service Fellowships

The following list includes a sample of post-graduate fellowships in Law/Legal Service. This is not intended to be a complete list but instead should help one get started in their research of gap year opportunities.

Leadership Experience Admission Deferral (LEAD) Fellowship Program
The Columbia Law School LEAD Fellowship Program is an experimental, special, deferred admissions program open to students who are currently completing their junior or senior year. Prospective students who are interested in pursuing a JD degree from Columbia Law School and who also aspire to found, expand, partner with, and/or advance a commercial or nonprofit venture are invited to apply to the Law School through the LEAD Fellowship Program. In addition to deferred admission to the Law School, successful applicants can choose whether or not to apply for a project grant for the deferral period to enable them to finance and pursue a project, venture, or activity during a two-year gap period between completing their undergraduate studies and commencing their studies at the Law School.

Partners for Justice
Partners for Justice trains non-attorney Advocates to provide clients with case navigation and wraparound support, while helping public defenders protect people from incarceration and other legal penalties. How it works:

Partners for Justice trains non-attorney Advocates to provide clients with case navigation and wraparound support, while helping public defenders protect people from incarceration and other criminal penalties.

Recent college graduates are selected as Advocates for a two-year term. Advocates are trained by the Partners for Justice team in preparation for their term. Advocates are placed as employees in a host Public Defender’s office, where they receive local training and daily supervision and support. Advocates support Public Defender clients and community members, building a network of local services, community organizations, and civil attorneys. Public Defenders and Advocates work together to reduce jail time and improve case outcomes for more people, disrupting the cycle of poverty and incarceration.