NYU Law offers a wide variety of postgraduate fellowships exclusively for its JD and LLM graduates, to help support the launch of their legal careers.
Don't hesitate to reach out to PILC if you have questions or would like more information about any of the opportunities listed below.
Be sure to review PILC's Postgraduate Fellowships page for resources about postgraduate fellowships generally.
Civil Rights
- George A. Katz Fellowship at the Brennan Center for Justice
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In honor of a great lawyer dedicated to building the next generation of public interest lawyers, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz created the George A. Katz Fellowship at the Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice. Every other year, a selection committee awards a two-year fellowship to work with the Brennan Center on litigation, public education, research, and scholarship. The Katz Fellowship is open to graduating NYU students and recent alumni.
Applications generally open in the fall of even-numbered years, and will be posted on the Brennan Center's Careers Page.
Criminal Justice
- Gideon’s Promise Law School Partnership Fellowship (JD only)
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The Gideon’s Promise Law School Partnership Fellowship is a three-year fellowship that provides recent law school graduates committed to a career in public defense with continuing legal education training and guaranteed permanent employment in a partner public defender office upon program completion. NYU Law nominates one fellow to apply each year.
Applications are generally due in August.
Reach out to Emily Kernan with any questions about the Gideon's Promise Fellowship.
Education Rights
- Warren Sinsheimer Children's Rights Fellowship
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The Sinsheimer Children's Rights Fellowship funds one graduating or recently graduated NYU JD or LLM student to work for one year at Mobilization for Justice's Warren Sinsheimer Children’s Rights Program, providing legal representation and advice to parents of students with disabilities seeking appropriate special education services and school placements from the New York City Department of Education.
The application deadline is generally the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Reach out to Katie Neilson with any questions about the Sinsheimer Fellowship.
Government
- New York State Attorney General Antitrust Fellowship (LLM only)
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The Antitrust Bureau in the Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) will host one New York University School of Law LLM graduate to serve as an Antitrust Fellow for a one-year term in the Antitrust Bureau in New York City. The Fellow will work with OAG staff on antitrust matters, be supervised by the OAG and owe a duty of loyalty to the State of New York as their client.
The Antitrust Fellow will receive $45,000, which will be paid by NYU Law School. Please be advised the OAG will not provide additional funding or benefits.
Applications are generally due in the spring.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the Antitrust Fellowship.
- New York State Excelsior Service Fellowship (JD only)
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The NYS Excelsior Service Fellowship is designed to attract the “best and the brightest,” who are called to a career in public service. Excelsior Fellows serve in a variety of capacities within a wide array of agencies including the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Labor, Housing and Community Renewal, the Department of Financial Services, and the Empire State Development Corporation. Alternatively, fellows may be assigned to roles in the Governor’s or Lieutenant Governor’s Office. The fellowship is a two-year program that combines both experiential and professional development opportunities designed to nurture and cultivate the next generation of leaders in New York State government.
Applications are generally due in mid-February.
Reach out to Gail Zweig with any questions about the Excelsior Fellowship.
International Law & Human Rights
- Robert L. Bernstein Fellowship in International Human Rights
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Applications for the 2025 Fellowship are being accepted on a rolling basis through April 2025.
The Bernstein Fellowship in International Human Rights provides an opportunity for a graduating JD or LLM, or a recent graduate to spend one year doing human rights advocacy work at Human Rights in China in its New York office.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the Bernstein Fellowship.
- Arthur Helton Global Human Rights Fellowship
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Created in 2008, the Arthur Helton Global Human Rights Fellowship supports one or more graduating JD or LLM students who have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in international human rights law. Applicants are invited to design legal projects in partnership with a host organization of their choice on timely issues in countries where their efforts are most needed and where there are insufficient resources for human rights protection. The fellowship provides a modest salary for one year and covers health insurance and travel costs for graduates to work closely with their chosen host organization.
Applications are generally due late February.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the Helton Fellowship.
- International Court of Justice Judicial Fellow Programme
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NYU Law nominates at least one graduating student or recent graduate to work for 10 months as an International Court of Justice Judicial Fellow in The Hague. The Court looks in particular for candidates who have excellent results in their law studies, and who have studied, published or worked in international law. The official languages of the ICJ are English and French. Candidates must have excellent reading, writing and speaking skills in at least one of these. A working knowledge of the second official language will be an asset. Clerks work with international judges, conduct legal research, draft memoranda, and listen to oral arguments on issues in public international law.
Applications are generally due in January.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the ICJ Fellowship.
- International Finance and Development Fellowships (LLM only)
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International Finance and Development Fellowships are awarded to full-time LLM students on a competitive basis. They provide outstanding opportunities to gain experience working with international organizations in the areas of finance and development.
Applications are generally due mid-fall.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the IFD Fellowship.
- International Law and Human Rights Postgraduate Fellowships (LLM only)
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The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and the Institute for International Law and Justice select graduating LLM students for 10-12 week summer or fall postgraduate fellowships at leading NGOs and IGOs in the U.S. and abroad. Click here for past LLM ILHR fellowship reports.
Applications are generally due mid-fall.Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the ILHR Fellowship.
- Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship (JD only)
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The Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship provides two graduating JD students with the opportunity to spend one year working with an innovative human rights organization.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship.
Women's Rights
- NYU Reproductive Justice and Women's Rights Fellowship (JD Only)
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The NYU Reproductive Justice and Women's Rights (RJWR) Fellowship provides one year of funding to graduating JDs to work with an organization, in the United States or abroad, doing work that focuses on advancing the rights of women and/or reproductive justice. Applicants must partner with a public interest host organization to develop and submit a project proposal.
The 2025 fellowship application deadline is March 3, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Reach out to Katie Neilson with any questions about the NYU RJWR Fellowship.
General Public Interest Project Fellowships
- Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Service Fellowship (JD only)
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The Kirkland & Ellis New York City Public Service Fellowship is awarded annually to one NYU Law graduate to execute a public service fellowship project for one year in New York City. The project must be one that addresses a serious human need, and must principally and directly benefit New York City resident. Fellows are selected for their personal integrity and potential to make a positive contribution to the community.
The 2025 fellowship application deadline is February 6, 2025.
Reach out to Katie Neilson with any questions about the Kirkland & Ellis Fellowship.
- NYU Public Interest Law Center Fellowship (JD only)
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The NYU Public Interest Law Center (PILC) Fellowship provides one year of funding to graduating JDs to execute a legal project will address and critical legal need, in the United States or abroad. Applicants must partner with a public interest host organization to develop and submit a project proposal.
The 2025 fellowship application deadline is March 3, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
Reach out to Katie Neilson with any questions about the NYU PILC Fellowship.
- LLM Public Interest Fellowship (LLM only)
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Current NYU Law LLM students are invited to apply for the LLM Public Interest Fellowship. Four fellows will be selected to do 12 weeks of work at a host organization. Each Fellow will be provided with a stipend of $7000.
Applications are generally due in March.
Reach out to Carolina van der Mensbrugghe with any questions about the LLM Public Interest Fellowship.