Postgraduate Fellowships
Many of our students will lead lifelong careers as advocates for social justice. The first steps on this career path are challenging, and Penn Law is committed to helping our students succeed. Our support includes connecting students to current practitioners and educating students about the many kinds of employers and substantive areas of law within the public interest community.
We also assist recent graduates by funding a number of public interest fellowships. Each fellowship pays for one graduate to work for a year as an attorney at a sponsoring public interest organization. Our fellowships help recent graduates earn experience as practicing attorneys and build the foundations of a long career as a public interest lawyer.
In addition to Postgraduate Fellowships, funding is available through the new Catalyst Grant Program, which will support those seeking government positions and those seeking to engage in human rights and rule of law work at the grassroots level abroad. More information can be found here.
Our Fellowships
The following fellowships are currently funding alumni in a wide array work:
ACE Rule of Law and Human Rights Fellowship (Penn Law in partnership with Human Rights First, supporting international and public interest work in the areas of rule of law and human rights)
Langer, Grogan & Diver Fellowship in Social Justice (supporting public interest work in the Delaware Valley)
Penn Law Public Interest Fellowship (supporting public interest work anywhere)
S. Gerald Litvin & Dennis R. Suplee Fellowship (supporting public interest work anywhere)
Toll Public Interest Fellowship (supporting public interest work anywhere)
University of Pennsylvania Law Review Public Interest Fellowship (supporting public interest work anywhere)
Application Process & Deadlines
Applications for Project-based Fellowships are due on Monday, April 6th, 2015 by 5:00PM. All applicants will be interviewed the week of Monday, April 20th. Decisions will be communicated to all applicants on Wednesday, April 29th. There is a strong preference for in-person interviews, but arrangements can be made via Skype if necessary.
Applications for Catalyst Grants are due Monday, April 6th, 2015 by 5:00PM. All applicants will be interviewed the week of Monday, April 20th. Decisions will be communicated to all applicants on Wednesday, April 29th.
Applicants who are eligible for both sources of funding may apply for both, and should note that on the application. Applying for both sources of funding will not impact the selection process.
Only students applying for Catalyst Grants may apply for funding before they have secured a placement. To those students, conditional award letters can be provided in order to help them secure a commitment from prospective placements.
The 2015 applications for postgraduate fellowships and catalyst grants are now available here. Completed applications must be submitted online here.
Letters of recommendation may be emailed directly to the Toll Public Interest Center by recommenders who wish to do so. Letters of recommendation should be addressed to:
Toll Public Interest Center Advisory Board
Attention: Lillian Gardiner, Program Coordinator
3501 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
lilliang@law.upenn.edu
Late applications will not be considered.
Contact
Questions about the application process may be directed to Arlene Rivera Finkelstein, Associate Dean and Executive Director of Toll Public Interest Center, at: (215) 898-0459 or arfinkel@law.upenn.edu.
Application Form
Penn Law Postgraduate Fellowship & Catalyst Grant Program Application 2015
Past and Current Fellows
We have funded new lawyers practicing many kinds of law at many kinds of organizations:
Noel Leon: 2014-15 Penn Law Public Interest Postgraduate Fellowship, Philadelphia
Rekha Nair: 2014-15 Toll Public Interest Postgraduate Fellowship, Philadelphia
Sarah Pitts: 2014-15 S. Gerald Litvin & Dennis R. Suplee Fellowship, Philadelphia
Joline Price: 2014-15 Langer, Grogan & Diver Fellowship in Social Justice,
Philadelphia
Christina Reichert: 2014-15 University of Pennsylvania Law Review Postgraduate Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
Valerie Baron: 2013-14 Environmental Integrity Project, Washington, D.C.
Shikha Bhattacharjee: 2013-14 Jan Sahas Social Development Society, Madhya
Pradesh, India
Liz Booth: 2013-14 Community Legal Services, Philadelphia
Asher Levinthal: 2013-14 Bronx Defenders, Bronx, New York
Kathleen Norland: 2013-14 Human Rights First, Washington, D.C.
Joline Price: 2013-14 Pennsylvania Health Law Project, Philadelphia
Sarah Alba: 2012-13 Manhattan Legal Services
Denisse Cordova: 2012-13 FoodFirst Information and Action Network (FIAN)
Jamie Gullen: 2012-13 Community Legal Services, Philadelphia
Megan Rok: 2012-13 Support Center for Child Advocates, Philadelphia
Matt McFeeley: 2011-12 Natural Resources Defense Counsel, Washington D.C.
Abel Rodriguez: 2011-12 Nueva Esperanza, Philadelphia
Benjamin Salvina: 2011-12 Community Legal Services, Philadelphia
Joanna Visser: 2011-12 Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia
Mira Baylson: 2010-11 Defender Association of Philadelphia
Elizabeth Leonard: 2010-11 Disability Rights Advocates, Berkeley, CA
Emily Torstveit Ngara: 2010-11 Nationalities Service Center, Philadelphia
Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg: 2009-10 Community Legal Services, Philadelphia
