How to Apply

The Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program welcomes applications from current second-year law students to be Fellows in the Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program during the 2023–2024 academic year.

You can learn about the Program by reading materials on this website. In particular, the website will introduce you to the different named Fellowships and this year’s Fellows. You also can read about the Fellows’ work in the Annual Reports.

Information Sessions

The current Fellows will conduct information sessions about the Program and will be able to answer questions that you might have. They will hold three sessions:

Information Session #1

Wednesday, January 18, 2023, 4:20–5:20 p.m., in Furman Hall, room 120

Information Session #2

Friday, January 20, 2023, 12:20–1:20 p.m., in Furman Hall, room 120

Information Session #3

Monday, January 23, 2023, 12:45–1:45 p.m., in Furman Hall, room 120

Application Materials

Applications are to include the following documents:

1. A cover letter of no more than  two double-spaced pages (approximately 500 words) explaining why you are applying to the Program and any information you would like us to know (for example, about your commitment to civil liberties,  what you would contribute to the Program,  or extenuating circumstances).
2. An NYU-standard resume (i.e., that lists educational background and work experience, with dates and brief descriptions of your responsibilities).
3. A list of names and contact information (telephone or email address) of people at three of your prior jobs or significant pre-NYU extra-curricular activities you think know your work best (and should include at least one supervisor). We will try to speak directly with each person.
4. An unofficial transcript. Please update us with any late-submitted grades from fall 2022.
5. A sample of your legal writing. Use anything that you have written on your own, but please indicate whether a supervisor, co-worker, or professor reviewed the document. Of course, if you mark the document privileged and confidential we will honor that designation.
6. A rank-ordered list of the named Fellowships reflecting your preferences. Some of the named Fellowships are devoted to a particular area of civil liberties. We try to assure that the holders of those Fellowships have an opportunity to work in that area for one semester.  In addition, we try to award those Fellowships to students with experience or interest in that field.
7. A list of your major NYU Law extra-curricular activities and scholarships, including, but not limited to: outside paid employment; senior editorships of journals and leadership positions in student groups; clinic enrollment; Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship; and Merit Scholarships.
8. Include your full name and email address on all materials. Your cover letter and resume must include your full name, pronouns (if desired), telephone number, and email address.
9. We will interview all applicants.  We will reach out on February 7 with a schedule of when we will conduct interviews,  and ask you to give us the specific days and times within that period of when you cannot attend an interview.  Unfortunately,  we cannot schedule interviews outside the announced period.  However,  if necessary,  we can conduct and interview via Zoom.      
10. We will interview finalists on March 2, 2023, at times to be determined. Please include with your application a list of specific times when you are not available to interview on that day. Unfortunately, we cannot schedule interviews on other days. However, if necessary, we can conduct an interview via Zoom.
11. Please submit your application any time beginning January 30 until February 6, 2023, noon, by emailing it to: law.haysprogram@nyu.edu. Your application will be shared with all persons involved in the selection process, and could include the Faculty Directors, current Fellows, and former Fellows.
12. During fall 2023, Professors Martin Guggenheim and Sylvia Law will convene the seminars. During spring 2024, Professor Helen Hershkoff will convene the seminars. Professor Deborah Archer is on leave from the Program beginning AY 2023–2024.