Legal Fellowship

2025 Legal Fellowship Sponsorship – (for term beginning Fall 2026)

Advancement Project Education Fund is seeking applicants to sponsor for post-graduate legal fellowships (Skadden, Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst, and others).  Fellows would have the opportunity to work on issues related to Voter Protection, Rights Restoration, Educational Justice, and/or Mass Incarceration + Policing.  Applicants should state their area(s) of interest and preferred fellowship project(s) in the cover letter when applying.  Fellows work closely with experienced civil rights attorneys and are provided intensive training.  For more information, please go to www.advancementproject.org. 

Description of Role 

Advancement Project is an innovative legal, communications, and advocacy action organization that develops, encourages, pioneers, and widely disseminates innovative ideas and models that inspire and mobilize a broad national racial justice movement.  With office in Washington, D.C., Advancement Project supports communities in their struggles for racial and social justice in service of a realized multiracial democracy.  If selected, an applicant will be assisted in formulating a project proposal.  We are particularly interested in candidates who are interested in supporting litigation, legislative advocacy, and narrative change efforts in the following areas: 

• Combatting the mass incarceration, deportation, and policing of immigrant communities (including efforts to expand the school-to-deportation pipeline in K-12 schools) using litigation, legislative advocacy, and narrative change efforts at the local, state, and federal level;
• Combatting policies that increase criminalization and incarceration of communities of color while supporting the adoption and implementation of new safety models and other criminal legal system reforms; and 

• Protecting our democracy, supporting the political rights of our movement partners and the communities they serve, and combatting attacks on the ability of voters of color to access the ballot and to elect a candidate of their choice. 

Minimum Qualifications 

We are seeking applications from a student entering their last year of law school, or a recent graduate who expects to complete a clerkship in the summer of 2026.  Candidates should possess excellent legal writing and research skills.  Candidates must have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice, social movements, and/or civil rights. Experience in policy, advocacy, litigation, and/or community organizing is a plus.  We are looking for thoughtful, creative, and energetic candidates with a genuine desire to address and dismantle oppressive systems that impact the lives of communities of color and poor people.  Fluency in Spanish is also a plus. 

Total Rewards 

This is a paid fellowship opportunity. 

How To Apply 

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter that identifies a specific area of interest and explains the basis for your interest.  Please include a resume, writing sample, and list of three references.  Materials should be submitted using Bamboo.  For questions/concerns, please contact John Powers at jpowers@advancementproject.org. 

Applications are due by September 6, 2025 

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR WRITING SAMPLE WITH YOUR COVER LETTER AS ONE DOCUMENT. 

Advancement Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer