All applicants must carefully consult the PSVF Org-Based details and MOU to check for eligibility for themselves and the host organization before January 13, 2025. Prior efforts to secure a PSVF host may include non-PSVF eligible organizations, but all jobs and fellowships listed must show an authentic effort to launch a long-term public interest career for which the candidate is realistically qualified. Sign up for a Fellowship Advising appointment in advance of submission to CARAT.

The International Legal Studies Postgraduate Fellowships fund a recent HLS graduate to clerk or intern in an international or foreign/supernational court or tribunal. Applicants should highlight their demonstrated interest in international or transnational law and how this fellowship would be significant for their career trajectory. If an applicant is unsure regarding eligibility of their host, they are encouraged to contact Andre Barbic (abarbic@law.harvard.edu) at ILS. Applicants are also advised to make a Fellowship Advising appointment.

The DAG Fellowship seeks students and clerks with a commitment to community/movement lawyering demonstrated through clinical work and organizing. Project proposals should highlight innovative, impactful, sustainable social justice change and community buy-in. 

Besides acquiring a host letter from a non-profit organization, applicants should choose 2 letters of recommendation: preferably at least one from Harvard clinical faculty. Sign up for a Fellowship Advising appointment in advance of submission to CARAT. 

Follow these key tips for PSVF Organization-Based Fellowship applications and learn about the PSVF Seed Grant.

Follow these key tips for PSVF Organization-Based Fellowship applications.

Review some of the most common 1L job search questions in our Job Search FAQs, including how to navigate interviews, offers, and other communication with employers. 

Interviews take on particular significance with public interest employers, as they seek to learn about your interest in their mission and your fit with their office. The following resources can help you prepare to put your best foot forward in interviews with public interest employers.

Each year public interest and government employers take advantage of the opportunity to interview students from ABA-accredited Massachusetts law schools for summer and permanent positions through the Massachusetts Law School Consortium (MLSC) Job Fairs (the Fall & Winter Government/Public Interest Programs): one for the fall, and another for the winter. The interviews for the winter program will be conducted virtually on January 23 & 24, 2025. This program is open to ALL JD students (including 1Ls). Learn more about the program, including how to participate, by going to OPIA's MLSC webpage and follow the instructions on how to submit applications.

Interested in learning more about public international law work? The following resources can help you begin your exploration.

For those interested in public international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s Judicial Fellowship Programme offers an opportunity like a clerkship. HLS is one of several law schools invited to nominate a single candidate, and the school provides a stipend to its nominee. Now would be a good time for anyone interested in the position for fall 2025 to gear up to apply. The Court has not yet released its application timeline for the 2025-2026 term, but we expect it to be similar to past years, for which applications were due internally to HLS in early January. Additional details are on the OCS page about the Judicial Fellows Programme.

If you’re interested in learning more about legal nonprofit work, check out the following resources.

The CGS Traveling Fellowship looks for strong research skills and focused, purposeful travel anywhere in the world driven by a clear methodology to address significant questions, conducting studies and practice critical to applicant’s career development. It is restricted to J.D.s and S.J.D.s due to graduate in 2025. One application for the 3 fellowships: Knox is only for a UK/Commonwealth country. Kennedy/Sheldon can go to more than one country. Applicants should choose their 2 letters of recommendation from Harvard faculty. This application requires a Fellowship Advising appointment in advance of submission to CARAT.

Private public interest law firms (PPILFs) are involved in many of the same issues addressed by not-for-profit public interest legal organizations and government agencies – but in a law firm setting. Interested in learning more about PPILFs? The following resources can help you begin your exploration.

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.

Interested in learning more about criminal law internships and careers? The following OPIA resources can help you begin your exploration.

The Harvard Law Review Fellowship supports recent Harvard Law School graduates with a demonstrated interest in serving the public through their work and scholarship. It enables fellows to spend a year working in a public interest-related role at a government agency or nonprofit organization. Each fellow will receive a $65,000 stipend. At the end of the fellowship year, each fellow writes a piece of legal scholarship that draws on the fellow’s work during their fellowship year that is published in the Law Review’s online Forum. Emphasize a project that engages a compelling Theory of Law and a writing sample that illustrates strong research and writing skills. Sign up for advising with Judy Murciano by making a Fellowship appointment. 

Emphasize the need for launching an ambitious but feasible non-profit that is scalable and sustainable to meet an unmet need with a Theory of Change.

As you make your game plan for applying for summer internships, you may be trying to strategize about which applications to submit earlier or later. Though 1Ls can apply to summer jobs on or after December 1, employers’ hiring timelines after that date can vary significantly. Here are some examples of employers with early deadlines.

International Legal Studies (ILS) is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 International Legal Studies Post-Graduate Fellowships. The Fellowships are open to HLS graduates from the classes of 2022-2025.

Applications are due to International Legal Studies by Monday, January 13, 2025. Learn more about the ILS Post-Graduate Fellowships.

A strong resume and cover letter are essential to making a good first impression with a potential summer employer and helping them start to get to know you. The following OPIA resources can help you perfect these documents and present your background and experiences in a way that employers will find compelling.

1Ls interested in summer public interest work are now invited to make a one-on-one counseling appointment with an OPIA adviser to occur after October 15. Any of our generalist advisers can help you begin your job search; you can review adviser bios and schedule an appointment online. Choose one of the “general advising” scheduling options if you are in the early stages of exploration. Alternatively, if you have identified specific interests aligned with one of our more specific appointment options, you can select one of those instead. Please do not email the general OPIA email address or individual advisers asking for an advising appointment, as all 1Ls should be using CSM to schedule appointments.

To help prepare for your advising session, we encourage you to read our e-advising post that provides further guidance on your 1L appointment.