Constitutional, Civil Rights, & Democracy

Student Opportunities

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At NYU Law, students are encouraged to take advantage of all the Law School has to offer, from working directly with faculty on their research, to getting involved with our centers, to participating in clinics and student organizations. Here are some opportunities for those specifically interested in constitutional, civil rights, and democracy law:

Student Groups and Journals

Student groups include the American Constitution Society and the  Federalist Society. Journals include the Journal of Law & Liberty and the Review of Law and Social Change.

Scholarships and Programs

The Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties Program awards fellowships to a small group of third-year students committed to civil liberties and offers them special internships, usually two during the academic year, for civil liberties and other human rights organizations on litigation, legislation, and other legal assignments. Founded in 1958, the Hays Program is the first and principal program of its kind in the United States. The directors and fellows of the program have engaged in extensive research on civil liberties issues, participated in litigation and legislative work in cooperation with the ACLU and other organizations dedicated to individual rights, and undertaken special projects and conferences on topical constitutional issues. The program has trained close to 250 lawyers. 

The ASPIRE Scholarship aims to produce cybersecurity specialists who understand information-security issues from a multidisciplinary perspective. It provides a full-tuition law school scholarship for students interested in cyber and information security and dedicated to careers in state, local, or federal government.

The Academic Careers Program offers individual counseling, support, information, and special programming to those interested in teaching law. Among other opportunities, the program offers a scholarship clinic for members of the Law School community pursuing scholarship and publication, and a job camp allowing potential professors to present their work and practice interviewing.

The Furman Academic Scholars Program gives JD students an early start on a career path in legal teaching. Furman Academic Scholars, who receive full tuition and summer research funding, create individualized programs of study tailored to their intellectual interests.

The Furman Academic Fellowship Program provides NYU Law graduates with a stipend, other material support, and time to produce a work of serious scholarship.

The Public Interest Law Center offers a wide variety of funding opportunities and career planning programs to students and alumni, resulting in the most comprehensive public service infrastructure of any law school in the nation.

The Masters of Laws LLM is designed for students who wish to take full advantage of NYU’s extraordinarily wide range of course offerings and the diverse research interests of our faculty. Unlike students in the specialized LLM programs, candidates pursuing theMasters of Law LLM degree are not limited to a specific number of classes in one field, and they have the freedom to choose courses that match their interests.