About the Firearms Research Center

University of Wyoming College of Law — Firearms Research Center

Position: Law Student Research & Editorial Fellow

Eligibility: Current 2Ls and 3Ls at ABA-approved U.S. law schools

Location: Primarily remote

Time Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Compensation: Unpaid for qualifying pro bono work; $19 per hour for scholarly and editorial work not qualifying for pro bono credit

Term: Flexible

The Firearms Research Center (FRC) at the University of Wyoming College of Law is a nonpartisan academic research center devoted to improving the quality, accuracy, and breadth of firearms-related legal and historical scholarship and making reliable information available to practitioners, policymakers, scholars, journalists, students, and the public.

The Center brings together scholars and experts with differing perspectives and disciplinary backgrounds. Student Fellows are not expected to hold any particular view about firearms, firearm regulation, or the Second Amendment. Prior knowledge of firearms law is not required.

Position Description

The FRC seeks second- and third-year law students to serve as Student Fellows. Fellows will perform substantive legal research, writing, and editorial work on the Center’s legal resources, publications, historical-law projects, and amicus curiae briefs, including briefs prepared for cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Courts of Appeals.

The fellowship offers two categories of work: (1) unpaid legal work that qualifies toward law-school and bar pro bono requirements, and (2) scholarly research and editorial work compensated at $19 per hour. Both provide opportunities to develop legal research, writing, editing, and analytical skills.

Assignments will vary with the Center’s projects and the Fellow’s skills and interests. Student Fellows will work under the supervision of licensed attorneys and receive substantive direction and feedback.

I. Legal Work — Pro Bono/Public Service Opportunities (Unpaid)

Fellows will have opportunities to participate in the following substantive legal projects, which may qualify for pro bono credit under their law school’s requirements:

  • Brief Bank: Researching cases and legal issues, identifying and verifying court filings and briefs, preparing case summaries and descriptions, and helping maintain the FRC’s publicly accessible collection of legal briefs and related court materials.
  • Historical Laws Database: Locating, researching, and verifying historical statutes, ordinances, regulations, constitutional provisions, and other primary legal authorities concerning arms. Work may include investigating enactment and amendment histories, preparing citations, classifying laws, and developing a publicly accessible legal research database.
  • Practice Guides: Researching, drafting, editing, and source-checking Working Papers designed as practical legal guides for practicing attorneys, rather than ordinary academic scholarship. These materials may explain governing statutes, regulations, judicial decisions, litigation procedures, and other matters relevant to legal practice.
  • Legal and Regulatory Updates: Researching, drafting, and editing FRC Forum posts that explain important regulatory developments, judicial decisions, legislative enactments, and other developments in firearms law. These posts focus on accurate, timely analysis of applicable law and its practical implications, for use by practicing attorneys.
  • Amicus Curiae Briefs: Assisting with research, drafting, editing, Bluebook citation, and source verification for amicus briefs, generally in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court or U.S. Courts of Appeals. These projects are undertaken in collaboration with prominent attorneys practicing in the Second Amendment and firearms law fields and offer opportunities to contribute to actual appellate litigation.

These projects involve legal research, interpretation and application of law, legal writing, or work connected to litigation and legal practice. They are distinct from ordinary academic research and publication editing.

Pro bono assignments are unpaid.

II. Scholarly Research and Editorial Work — Paid ($19 per Hour)

Fellows will also have opportunities to assist with the Center’s scholarly publications and other research activities. Work in this category will be compensated at $19 per hour and will not count toward pro bono requirements.

Assignments may include:

  • Scholarly Working Papers: Substantive and technical editing of academic Working Papers, including improving organization, clarity, precision, and presentation.
  • Forum Posts: Editing scholarly essays, commentary, and other Forum contributions that do not constitute qualifying legal or regulatory updates.
  • Citation and Source Checking: Reviewing Bluebook citations, verifying quotations and references, checking factual assertions, and confirming the accuracy of cited sources in scholarly publications.
  • Scholarly Research: Conducting legal, historical, or interdisciplinary research supporting academic publications and other Center scholarship.
  • Other FRC Content: Researching, editing, and preparing educational or informational content for the Center’s website and other publications that does not otherwise qualify as pro bono legal work. Student Fellows are also invited to publish their own writings with the FRC.

The distinction between paid and unpaid assignments will depend on the nature and purpose of the work. For example, editing a practice-oriented Working Paper may qualify as pro bono legal work, while editing an ordinary scholarly Working Paper will be compensated.

Qualifications

Required

  • Current 2L or 3L at an ABA-approved U.S. law school;
  • Excellent legal research, writing, and editing skills;
  • Strong attention to detail;
  • Experience with the Bluebook; and
  • Ability to work independently, communicate reliably, and meet agreed deadlines.

Strongly Preferred

  • Staff or editorial experience on a law journal or comparable legal publication.

Coursework or demonstrated interest in constitutional law, legislation, legal history, administrative law, or firearms law may be helpful but is not required. No prior background in firearms law is necessary.

Time Commitment and Location

Fellows should ordinarily expect to devote approximately 5–10 hours per week, with the duration of the fellowship determined by mutual agreement. The Center recognizes the demands of the law-school calendar and will accommodate examinations and other periods of significant academic obligation.

The position is primarily remote. Fellows may perform their work from their law schools or other locations with appropriate access to legal-research materials and will communicate with their FRC supervisors electronically.

Pro Bono/Public Service Credit and Compensation

Unpaid pro bono and compensated scholarly and editorial work will be separately identified and tracked, consistent with applicable bar requirements and the Student Fellow’s home University’s policies. For approved pro bono assignments, the FRC will maintain records of a Student Fellow’s service, verify hours worked, and provide reasonable supervisor certifications or other documentation requested by the Fellow’s law school.

How to Apply

Please email the following materials to FRC@uwyo.edu with the subject line “Law Student Fellow Application”:

  1. A current CV;
  2. A brief statement of interest or cover email explaining the applicant’s interest in the position and relevant research, writing, or editorial experience; and
  3. A short legal writing sample.

A transcript is optional. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.