2025 POST-GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

CHICAGO LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
http://www.clccrul.org
Job Type: FELLOWSHIP – Host Organization
Practice Areas: Litigation, Policy Advocacy, Direct Legal Services

Job Description
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights seeks rising 3L students or other qualified candidates, such as current judicial clerks or LLM students, interested in pursuing a post- graduate public interest law fellowship to begin August/September 2025.

Organization: Founded in 1969, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee is the region’s preeminent nonprofit civil rights legal organization. We are civil rights lawyers and advocates working to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee provides legal representation through partnerships with the private bar, including over 35 member law firms, and collaborates with grass roots organizations and other advocacy groups to implement community-based solutions that advance civil rights.

Program Areas: We have four primary practice area teams at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee. Our Equitable Community Development and Housing team brings Fair Housing enforcement litigation and provides legal and policy support to community-based organizations and coalitions fighting for equitable investment and against gentrification and displacement. The Education Equity team provides direct representation to youth at risk of losing access to education and works to ensure access to high-quality educational opportunities and equitable resources. Our Midwest Voting Rights Program advocates for racially equitable election laws in Illinois and Indiana, including partnering with incarcerated and returning community members to expand voting rights, and provides election day resources through our Election Protection program. Our Economic Justice team addresses the systemic inequalities in income, wealth, and access to economic opportunities by providing critical support to nonprofits and small businesses working to spur economic development in historically disinvested communities of color. We also work on the issue of solitary confinement and partner with the Northern District of Illinois federal court to promote settlement of civil rights disputes through the Settlement Assistance Program.

Opportunity: We are seeking candidates interested in developing a project proposal focused on one or more of our primary practice areas. We encourage creative approaches to addressing racial and economic inequities through the law and would welcome project ideas that cut across traditional practice areas or involve intersectional issues, as long as the primary focus is consistent with our racial justice and economic opportunity mission.

We seek candidates with a strong commitment to racial equity and social justice, a demonstrated interest or experience in working with communities of color, excellent legal analytical skills, and a strong law school record. Prior experience or demonstrated interest in our subject areas is a plus.

Candidates must possess excellent research and writing skills. Specific responsibilities will include legal research and writing, developing legal strategies, conducting community training and education, assisting with grassroots advocacy and coalition work, and supporting our legal and advocacy work. Additional learning opportunities will include networking, skill development, and subject area training.

Click on the following links to learn more about the Skadden Fellowship, Equal Justice Works Fellowship, and Justice Catalyst Fellowship. You may also want to explore other opportunities through your law school, as several law schools offer public interest fellowship funding for their graduates. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee has a significant history of hosting Skadden and Equal Justice Works Fellows. We also have hosted law-school post-graduate fellows who are sponsored by their law schools.

Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit the following:
• Resume
• Academic transcript (unofficial copy is fine)
• Brief writing sample (no more than 9 pages)
• Cover letter explaining your interest in a public interest fellowship, including a general overview of your project idea(s) or areas of interest.

While candidates are encouraged to propose potential project ideas, they are not required to do so when applying for sponsorship. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee attorneys will work with the selected candidates to develop and hone compelling and innovative proposals that will advance the existing mission of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee and are likely to be awarded a fellowship. Our engagement in this process is robust and supportive, as we want to assist applicants in putting forward a strong proposal.

Interested candidates should send their materials to [email protected] and [email protected] with the subject line: 2025 Post-Grad Fellowship Opportunities. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and encourage applications submitted early in the process and no later than July 15, 2024. For more information and to discuss project proposals, please feel free to contact Chief Counsel, Aneel Chablani, [email protected], or Ami Gandhi, [email protected], Director of Strategic Initiatives and Midwest Voting Rights Program.

Our Commitment to Diversity
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages students of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and people from other historically disenfranchised communities.