Texas Law Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships Grant

The Texas Law Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships, established by the William Wayne Justice Center in 2023, support graduating students to engage in public interest legal work for 12 months post-graduation. This program aims to empower students committed to serving underrepresented communities through legal services. Up to two fellowships will be awarded for full-time positions with public interest organizations starting in Spring 2026, fostering hands-on legal experience and enhancing access to justice.

William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law
The William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law was created in 2004 when the law school joined with Judge William Wayne Justice’s former law clerks and many admirers to establish it in his honor. The Justice Center is a comprehensive resource for students, faculty, alumni, and the community.
The Justice Center inspires, equips, and empowers Texas Law students to serve the public interest.
Education: Teaching students about public interest lawyering and the need to increase access to justicePro Bono: Creating opportunities for the Texas Law community to gain legal skills and serve the public through the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono ProgramProgramming: Informing students, faculty, staff, attorneys, and the community about public interest legal issuesCommunity Building: Fostering a community of support for students and alumni engaged in public serviceFinancial Support: Awarding scholarships and fellowships to ensure that public interest law practice is accessible to and sustainable for all
The Texas Law Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowships program funds graduating students to work with public interest legal organizations and certain international organizations for 12 months in the year following their graduation. Dean Robert Chesney established these fellowships in 2023 to expand support for students committed to public interest work.
In Spring 2026, the Texas Law Postgraduate Public Interest Fellowship program will fund up to two one-year (12-month, full-time) postgraduate fellowships with public interest legal organizations or certain international organizations to provide legal services or law-related work on behalf of underrepresented individuals or groups.
Before applying, applicants must identify a potential host organization and collaborate with them to develop a description of the proposed work, training, and supervision. The proposed work may include an identified project, which can either be a new initiative or an ongoing project of the sponsoring organization, but this is not a requirement. If the proposed work does not require a bar license, the applicant’s JD must provide a demonstrable advantage in obtaining the position and performing the proposed work. The host must commit to supporting the project and providing appropriate supervision throughout the fellowship. Students with questions about potential host organizations or project ideas are welcome to contact Mary Murphy in the Career Services Office or Cooper Christiancy in the Rapoport Center for Human Rights.