Justice Catalyst Fellowship. Harnessing the interdisciplinary approach of Professor Hanson’s Systemic Justice Lab, target how your innovative solution to a community-informed, access to justice problem can be addressed for the greatest sustainable and scalable impact that shifts power dynamics (economic and political) and fuels a clear Theory of Change. Regional work may be nationally magnified. Watch the latest info webinar. Applicants are highly encouraged to submit a prospectus by September 30, 2026. Final full application is due on December 1, 2026. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

Interested in summer public interest work? Make a one-on-one counseling appointment with an OPIA adviser to occur after September 9. Any of our generalist advisers can help you begin your job search; you can review adviser bios and schedule an appointment online in CSM.

During your first year at HLS, there are many ways to get involved with the public interest community, including becoming part of the Public Interest Law Collective (PILC). The PILC is a student-led effort designed to provide support and uplift students with a strong desire to use their legal education in service of the public good.

To join, take 10 minutes to fill out the registration form by September 17.

OPIA will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day.

OPIA invites current JD students at all class levels to participate in the Alumni Mentor Matching Program for the 2026–2027 academic year. The program connects students with experienced public interest attorneys who can share guidance, insights, and support as students navigate law school and explore public interest careers. To request a mentor, fill out the registration form, letting us know of your interests and career goals. 

Sign-ups for advising appointments with public interest attorney mentors visiting through the Wasserstein Fellows Program are now available! All students can take advantage of this remarkable opportunity to receive guidance from current practitioners in a wide variety of fields.

Learn all about the 2026-27 Wasserstein Fellows and sign up for an appointment!

Please note that some deadlines vary by host country. Check the national deadline for your host country to determine which internal deadline you must meet. Project proposal should be endemic to the host country, detailed in methodology, and positioned as a “novel contribution to the field” driven by “why” and “how” questions for critical analysis. Besides the three letters of recommendation for a Fulbright (preferably 2 of the 3 from HLS Faculty), you will also need a Letter of Affiliation from the host country (faculty from an institute of higher learning/NGO), a language form from someone who has taught the host’s official language, and a Campus Evaluation (this fellowship requires a discussion with Judy Murciano in an advising appointment or during drop-in office hours). Submit your drafts for review well in advance of the internal deadline. 

The ACLU runs multiple different organization-based fellowships for specific targeted litigation (Brennan First Amendment/National Security, Technology, and Privacy; Karpatkin Racial Justice Fellowship is now 2 yrs, etc.). Familiarity with their ongoing litigation and latest policy advocacy, as well as highlighting your writing and research skills, are key for integrating into their team hiring. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment. 

The 2026-27 DOJ Honors and SLIP application window has opened and will close at 11:59 pm on September 8th.  Note that this year’s application is on a new platform.  While most aspects of the application remain the same as in past years, there may be some small differences, and due to the short application window, we don’t have time to fully update our online Guide to reflect the new platform. You may still find useful information in our Guide, but you should also be sure to consult DOJ’s application tips, and always defer to DOJ’s advice when there are any inconsistencies.

The Equal Justice Works Career Fair is the largest public interest legal career fair in the country, bringing together more than 250 public interest employers and over 2,500 law students and recent graduates for prescheduled interviews. The 2026 Equal Justice Works Career Fair will be held virtually from October 8-9. Registration is now open!

Bidding for the fall Massachusetts Law School Consortium (MLSC) Government and Public Interest Interview Program is now open and closes on Wednesday, September 9, at 12 p.m. ET.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is looking for a two-year (Aug./Sep. 2027–Aug./Sep. 2029) Constitutional Litigation Fellow who is committed to civil rights, impact litigation, and upholding core First Amendment protections. Your work will include defending the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people, and racial and religious minorities against religion-based discrimination and oppression. And you will fight to keep religion out of government—including through challenges to religious activities in public schools, public financing of religious institutions, and government-sponsored religion in the public square.

Jonathan W. Cuneo COSAL/Justice Catalyst Fellowship

The COSAL enforces anti-trust laws to promote class equity by holding large corporations accountable and stemming anti-competitive practices that harm consumers and small businesses. Applicants must contact one of the preferred law firm host(s) before applying. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment.

EJW Fellows seek to meet the unmet legal needs of marginalized communities in a wide range of issue areas highlighted on their website. Project-driven, the EJW application prioritizes: 1) a clearly defined problem of significant magnitude; 2) an ambitious but feasible means to address the problem with an impactful, creative/innovative concrete strategy; 3) a sustainable and scalable solution; 4) a series of opportunities for engaging the sponsoring firm/corporation in the project. EJW proposals can often serve as a template for many additional fellowships throughout the year. Recommendations sent directly to the EJW portal must be received a week before the deadline. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment. Please check the EJW site for relevant info sessions and Guide. 

Don't Forget! Bidding for V-PIIP resume collection runs through September 10th at 12pm ET. Find the current employer list here. To submit your bids for any of these employers, go to the Recruiting Programs tab in Symplicity CSM and selecting the 2026 V-PIIP Resume Collection session.

Skadden Fellows address civil legal services for low-income individuals to foster economic security and provide access to justice for marginalized communities. Whether you are conducting direct legal services or working on impact systemic change, it is critical to identify clients’ legal needs first and address the racial justice lens of your work overall. Host organizations may attach to their sponsorship letter community and/or media support for the targeted issue. Former and current Fellows can also contribute additional supporting letters for your work. Please consult the Skadden Application page for important dates. Sign up early for mock interviews with Judy Murciano by selecting Fellowship Advising when making an appointment. Semi-finalists often design colorful one-page handouts for their interviews.

Missed out on registering for a virtual chat with a public interest employer? Not to worry! We have extended the registration period for organizations scheduled to conduct a virtual chat between August 10-11. Register here

Bidding for V-PIIP virtual interviews is closing in a few days. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to interview with public interest employers hiring for summer and post-graduate positions!

Tell us about your summer experience by completing your summer job evaluations in CSM. Please do so by September 11, 2026. 

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Learn more about the prosecutors' offices and public defender agencies recruiting through V-PIIP. Review these resources to help you prepare your applications.