Applications are now open for the Women’s Law & Public Policy Fellowship Program (WLPPFP) 2022-23 by Georgetown Law University.
About WLPPFP
The Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program (WLPPFP) offers Fellowships for public interest lawyers from the United States who are committed to advancing women’s rights throughout their careers.
Since 1983, the Women’s Law & Public Policy Fellowship Program (WLPPFP) has enabled a diverse group of public interest lawyers from across the United States to gain invaluable experience advancing women’s rights.
About the Fellowship
WLPPFP’s U.S. Fellows work in Washington, D.C. with a variety of organizations involved in legal and policy issues affecting women, such as domestic violence, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, immigration, education, health care, homelessness, poverty, disability rights, civil rights HIV/AIDS, and international women’s human rights,
The Fellows participate in educational programming such as professional development trainings and seminars on current women’s legal issues organized by WLPPFR and they may also audit Georgetown University Law Center courses related to women’s issues.
Over 270 Fellows have participated in WLPPFP working at over 50 organizations on these crucial women’s rights issues.
The Fellowships are determined each year based upon several factors, including the interests of the top Fellowship candidates, the potential placement organizations and the donors supporting the Fellowships.
Since the establishment of the Program, WLPPFP has been fortunate to be able to place a Women’s Law Fellow each year with the Georgetown University Law Center Domestic Violence Clinic, the National Partnership for Women and Families, and the National Women’s Law Center – three preeminent women’s rights entities in Washington, DC.
WLPPFP also has an endowed fellowship focusing on litigation, the Small, Webber, Spencer Fellowship. The Hillary Rodham Clinton Fellow, placed at the Georgetown Institute for Women Peace & Security, also participates in WLPPFP.
Fellowships Benefits
All Fellowships provide an incomparable opportunity to work with leaders in the women’s legal community, to gain tremendous experience promoting women’s rights, and to sharpen leadership and advocacy skills through in-depth training sessions provided by the Program.
Applicants should indicate whether or not they wish to be considered for Fellowships focusing on specific issues.
Indicating interest in more than one issue will not jeopardize a candidate’s consideration; on the contrary, doing so may facilitate the Program’s ability to match the candidate with a Fellowship.
All but two of the Fellowships are one-year positions, commencing at the beginning of September and running through the end of August the following year.
The Georgetown University Law Center Domestic Violence Clinic Teaching Fellowship is a two-year teaching position commencing at the beginning of August and leading to an LL.M. degree.
Applicants for the Domestic Violence Clinic Teaching Fellowship must be admitted into a bar by December of the year prior to the start of the fellowship (in order to permit waiver into the DC Bar before the beginning of the fellowship).
The Georgetown University Law Center International Women’s Human Rights Clinic (IWHRC) Teaching Fellowship is a two-year teaching position commencing at the beginning of August and leading to an LL.M. degree.
The Domestic Violence Clinic Teaching Fellow and the International Women’s Human Rights Clinic Teaching Fellow both participate in the WLPPFP for the first year of their Fellowship only. Regardless of placement organization, all of the Fellows participate in numerous events throughout the Fellowship year, such as orientation, bi-weekly seminars, skills-building trainings, and other activities organized by the Program. For example, in prior years the Fellows have met with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and other leaders in the legal field addressing women’s rights and related social justice issues.
The Fellows also have an opportunity to audit courses related to women’s rights at the Georgetown University Law Center and to attend other events at the law school. Except for the Domestic Violence Clinic Teaching Fellowship and the International Women’s Human Rights Clinic Teaching Fellowship, no law school coursework is required and no degree will be awarded.
Eligibility
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Must either be a law school graduate or in their final year of law school, and
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Must show a demonstrated commitment to advancing women’s rights throughout their careers.
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Early applications are encouraged. Fellowship selection will be conducted throughout the winter and early spring.
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The Fellowship program sets no cap on the amount of time an applicant has been out of school before they may apply.
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Commitment to women’s rights issues can be demonstrated through undergraduate studies, volunteer work, law school courses and research as well as other extracurricular or paid activities and work.
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Male applicants are encouraged to apply too.
Stipend
How to Apply?
Click here for the application form.
Note: Interested candidates must submit the following:
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The Application Form.
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The appropriate essay questions, depending on whether you are applying for the Non-Clinical Fellowship Placements or the DV Clinical Teaching Fellowship.
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Current resume, indicating your employment history; your education (including participation in any extracurricular activities, clinics, law journals, moot court competitions, etc.); any published materials or other significant original research papers; any special honors, awards, scholarships, or fellowships; your memberships in organizations or community activities, including any leadership roles.
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Two letters of recommendation, which should include each recommender’s contact information, including name, address, telephone number, and a brief explanation of each recommender’s knowledge of your academic and/or work performance. Your recommendation letters may be scanned and sent as e-mail attachments, or mailed or emailed directly from the recommender.
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Official law school transcript. Due to the COVID situation and our limited ability to receive mail at this time, we will accept unofficial transcripts, or scans/emails of transcripts included with your application.
Application Submission
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Applicants for the Non-Clinical Fellowship placements should submit their applications, including Essays 1 and 2, to law [email protected].
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Applicants for the DV Clinical Teaching Fellowship should submit their applications, including Essays 1 and 3 to [email protected].
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If you wish to be considered for both the Non-Clinical Fellowship Placements and DV Clinical Teaching Fellowship, submit your application, including only the essays appropriate to each fellowship, to both of the respective email addresses above.
Deadline
Contact Information
If you cannot find the answers to your questions on our website, please email us at [email protected].
Questions specifically about the Domestic Violence Clinical Fellowships may be directed to the Domestic Violence Clinic at [email protected].
Questions specifically about the International Women’s Human Rights Clinical (IWHRC) Fellowship may be directed to the IWHRC Clinic at [email protected].
