Applying for the Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship

The Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship provides two graduating NYU Law JD students with the opportunity to spend one year working with an innovative human rights organization.

Applications for the 2026-2027 Masiyiwa-Bernstein fellowship with Human Rights First (NYC or DC) and Beyond Legal Aid (Chicago) are accepted through March 6, 2026.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials:

1) a short personal statement (500 words maximum) describing the applicant’s relevant experience, interest in the work of the organization, and future aspirations;

2) two letters of recommendation, including one letter from a current or former professor or other person associated with NYU School of Law and one letter from a supervisor or employer familiar with the applicant’s human rights work or recent work experience;

3) a résumé

4) law school transcript

5) writing sample

Application Instructions

Submit all materials by e-mail to pilc.info@nyu.edu. Recommenders may email letters directly to this email address.

Qualifications

The Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship Selection Committee will review applications and select finalists to be interviewed by the organizations. Factors the committee will consider include:

a) the applicant’s human rights experience (in law school courses, extracurricular activities, summer jobs, and full-time work);

b) the applicant’s leadership capabilities and likely future commitment to human rights work; and

c) the applicant’s interest in and commitment to the organization’s work.

 

Human Rights First Legal Fellowship

Human Rights First has spent almost 50 years leveraging law to safeguard human rights and advance justice in the United States and across the globe. Since our founding, we have consistently advanced laws and policies to challenge official impunity and corruption, protect refugees and asylum seekers, hold violators of human rights accountable, and advance a world where every individual can live with dignity, freedom, and equality under the law. The organization’s trusted capabilities and powerful legacy (originally as the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights) have enabled us to play a broad and impactful role in the human rights movement for decades.

The work of the human rights movement and the role of Human Rights First could not be more necessary – or urgent today. Rising authoritarianism is threatening democratic governments and institutions around the world. The rule of law is being called into question both abroad and in the United States. Emboldened autocratic leaders have become more repressive at home and aggressive abroad. Civic spaces are shrinking, marginalized communities are facing exclusionary policies and physical threats, and human rights defenders are at risk around the world. Solutions are harder as these challenges play out against the backdrop of protracted conflicts, a climate crisis, and a highly politicized environment fueled by misinformation and powerful new technologies. At Human Rights First we are creatively leveraging a combination of law, policy, advocacy, coalition building, and emerging technology to counter these challenges and their risks to human rights and human rights defenders.

Human Rights First is seeking a legal fellow to work with our initiatives in the U.S. and abroad focused on countering rising authoritarianism and threats to democratic institutions and norms, upholding the rule of law and accountability, deploying technology for the human rights movement, and supporting human rights defenders. As a Human Rights First Fellow, you will work with a variety of our legal and policy experts in a role that includes a mix of research, national and international advocacy, litigation, and direct experience working with activists and coalition partners. Potential projects you might be working on include advocating for sanctions against human rights violators, protecting human rights institutions from attack, litigation to protect human rights defenders and challenge hate, research on anti-democratic and extremist activities in the US, working with human rights defenders in conflict zones, assisting our Innovation Lab with the development of AI-powered tools to support the needs of the human rights movement.  This role will be ideal for a fellow who has demonstrated history of innovative thinking and interdisciplinary skills who is eager to be a part of cutting-edge and impactful human rights work.

Beyond Legal Aid Legal Fellowship

Beyond Legal Aid is transforming how lawyers and communities work together. Beyond's model unites lawyers and activists to shift the power of the law to communities directly impacted by injustice: partnering with grassroots organizations to build community-located, community-operated, and most importantly community-directed legal aid programs.  Beyond  supports the empowerment of community members and  leverages the power of organized communities. Through their network of over 20 community-driven programs, Beyond collaborates with over 4000 underserved community members annually on a comprehensive range of legal issues including employment, housing, family, immigration, civil rights, and criminal records—combining legal services with organizing and activism to achieve more impact than lawyers working alone.