Opportunities
Legal Education Police Practices Consortium Fellowship Program
Drawing on the geographic diversity of the ABA and member schools, the Consortium will advance the widespread adoption of model police practices and initiate other projects designed to support effective policing, promote racial equity in the criminal justice system, and eliminate tactics that are racially motivated or have a disparate impact based on race.
Each participating law school will develop opportunities for one law student to engage as a Consortium Fellow. Fellows will be recruited and identified by each member law school, who will also be responsible for credit and compensation, as appropriate. Assignments are to be undertaken under the guidance of a designated member of the law school faculty and the ABA LEPPC Director.
If interested in participating, please reach out to Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz at mschwartz@pacific.edu.
For questions about the fellowship program, please contact Consortium Director Jessalyn Brogan Walker (she/her) at Jessalyn.walker@americanbar.org.
- Fellowship Enrollment Form
- Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Fellowships/Interships
Baker & McKenzie Diversity Fellowship Program
The Baker & McKenzie Diversity Fellowship is awarded to second-year (2L) law students who are committed to diversity within the legal community. Diversity Fellows are selected after an application process, and each Diversity Fellow receives $10,000.Bay Area Minority Summer Clerkship Program Application (pdf)
Attached is the application for the BAMSCP, sponsored by the Santa Clara County Bar Association. This program places first-year minority law students in summer jobs with legal employers of all types in the bay area. Please contact lawcareers@pacific.edu if you have any questions about this program or would like to speak to a McGeorge student who has participated.
ABA Business Law Section Diversity Clerkship Program
The American Bar Association Business Law Section is committed to encouraging diversity in the Section by fostering a welcoming environment for all lawyers and promoting full and equal participation by all lawyers, including lawyers of color, women lawyers, LGBT lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities ("Diverse Lawyers"). To further this mission, the Business Law Section sponsors the Diversity Clerkship Program. This summer program provides business law clerkship placements for four qualified diverse second year law students. Participating clerks will receive support and mentoring in the business law field and exposure to business practices that many of them lack.
ABA - Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) is a full-time (six-week minimum) summer internship program open to diverse law students who want to do legal research and writing for state or federal judges. Internships are available in several locations in California, Illinois and Texas. In addition, we offer internships in the following cities: Phoenix, AZ; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA (including Camden, NJ); Salt Lake City, UT; and Seattle, WA. Students indicate their geographic preferences on their applications but may not indicate court. The mission of JIOP to provide opportunities to students who are members of racial and ethnic groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the profession. The program also provides opportunities to students with disabilities, students who are economically disadvantaged, women, veterans, and students who identify themselves as LGBTQ+. The length of the internship and the weekly hour requirements are subject to an agreement between the student and participating judge, subject to a six-week minimum. Students are expected to coordinate their schedules with their individual judges and to work the hours (normally 35–40 hours per week) required by each judge. JIOP provides interns with a $2,000 award for their work during the summer.
SCBA 1L Diversity Fellowship Application (pdf)
Attached is the application for the SCBA 1L Diversity Fellowship. This program offers diverse students the opportunity to gain experience in a Sacramento-area private law firm during the summer after their 1D or 2E year. For this program, diversity is defined as “a person of a racial or ethnic group that is under-represented in the legal profession, LGBTQ+, a person with a disability, or a person who is able to otherwise articulate how they are diverse and how their diversity is under-represented in the legal profession.” Please let me know if you have additional questions about the program.
Benesch 1L Diversity Fellowship
Benesch is proud of its commitment to diversity and inclusion, and the firm has created the 1L Diversity Fellowship to enhance our efforts for the recruitment, retention, development, and advancement of diverse attorneys within the firm. Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must be full-time first year law students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, with an expected graduation date of December 2026 or May 2027. Requirements for application include: Exceptional academic performance; Outstanding leadership abilities and involvement in diversity organizations; A commitment to community service; and Strong interpersonal skills.
Allen Matkins 1L Diversity
1L law students who are selected to be an Allen Matkins 1L Diversity Scholar are full participants in the firm’s summer associate program. 1L Diversity Scholar recipients receive enhanced mentoring to ensure they have a successful summer. They are required to spend 10 weeks in our office and are paid the same weekly salary as our 2L summer program participants.
Law Student Fellowship Program, National Bar Institute
The Law Student Fellowship Program was developed to assist law students who are completing professional juris doctor degrees. This is a field where African-American student participation has traditionally been low. The NBI awards law student fellowships annually to qualified students. To be eligible, a law student must have been, among other things, carrying a full-time class load at a U.S. law school; be a U.S. citizen; have at least two consecutive years of full-time law student experience; and intend to practice law in a historically underserved community once legal training is completed. Fellowships range from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the availability of funds. The application period opens February 1st each year.
Northern California Foundation Public Interest Fellowship Application
South Asian Bar Association sponsors fellowships for law students and recent graduates to improve representation of South Asian attorneys in the public interest and government sectors.
Ropes & Gray Roscoe Trimmier Jr. Diversity Scholarship Online Application
This scholarship provides a $25,000 award to outstanding second-year law students to offset the expenses of their legal education, and includes a paid summer associate position following completion of the second year of law school. The funds will be paid out half upon completion of the summer program, and half upon starting as a full-time associate at the firm.
Scholarships
1L Diversity Scholarship
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP offers six scholarships in each office; Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
Barnes & Thornberg Diversity Scholarships
As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we are pleased to offer a 1L Diversity Scholarship summer position in three of our markets, (Chicago, Indianapolis, South Bend/Elkhart). Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must: be a first year (1L) law student in good standing whose background, experience, personal attributes and/or characteristics contribute to Barnes & Thornburg’s diversity, equity and inclusion commitment and goals; must demonstrate excellent academic and personal achievement; must demonstrate tangible commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion generally, relative to Barnes & Thornburg and the broader legal profession; must be enrolled at an ABA-accredited law school.
