Design-Your-Own Fellowship Grant

The Design-Your-Own Fellowship by Equal Justice Works allows lawyers to create personalized projects addressing critical legal needs in underserved communities. Participants collaborate with preferred organizations to develop innovative solutions while receiving substantial financial support, health benefits, and professional training. This program not only enhances access to justice but also promotes diversity within public interest careers, empowering candidates to make meaningful impacts in their chosen fields.

Through the Design-Your-Own Fellowship program, Equal Justice Works seeks to create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. Equal Justice Works Fellows work to ensure equal access to justice and address unmet legal needs among underserved populations across the country.
We are committed to elevating the diverse experiences, backgrounds, and skills of those committed to public interest careers: Equal Justice Works values program participants who are diverse in many respects and, in this diversity, can understand and empower the communities with whom and where they work in new ways.
Fellowship Overview & Benefits
Forge your own path by designing a project that addresses an issue and community you care most passionately about serving Partner with the organization of your choice to propose an innovative legal project Two-year Fellowship term Up to $63,500 in salary support provided to the host organization each year (salary determined jointly between host organization and Fellow and to be no less than that of a similarly qualified and experienced lawyer at the organization) Health insurance, fringe benefits, and up to $5,000 in loan repayment assistance Each fall, join all current Equal Justice Works Fellows in Washington, D.C. for the Leadership Development Training, a training and networking event
All applicants must…
Graduate from an Equal Justice Works Member Law School prior to September 2025Not have held a full-time, permanent, public interest lawyer position previously, including any other major legal fellowship. Applicants coming from bridge/gap fellowships or clerkships, other Equal Justice Works Fellowship Programs, or the private sector are eligible to applyPartner with an eligible legal services organization and work collaboratively on the project designDesign an innovative project that addresses an unmet legal need in an underserved community
Find Your Host Organization
Equal Justice Works does not match Fellows with their host organizations; rather, Fellowship candidates and organizations work together to design the project and complete the application.