Women Defenders Fellowship Program

FELLOWSHIP DESCRIPTION

The Women Defenders Fellowship is the only one of its kind. The Fellowship is designed to assist recent law school graduates who are in the process of taking the California Bar Exam and are interested in employment in the criminal defense community. Women Defenders will be providing at least one fellowship to a law school graduate planning to take the California State Bar Examination and planning to work in criminal defense after taking the exam. The Fellowship will be up to $2,500.00.

The objective of the Fellowship is to provide financial assistance to law school graduates during the financially unstable period of time after they take the California Bar Exam and before they secure permanent employment in the public or private defender community. Traditionally, many law school graduates do not have the financial means to pursue criminal defense work because criminal defense/public defender offices rarely offer paid positions to those who have not yet passed the California Bar Examination. Women Defenders thereby hopes to advance the important goal of achieving diversity in the criminal defense legal profession.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Women Defenders will give priority to Fellowship applicants who meet at least one of the following objective:

Work in state or federal public defender offices in the state of California.
Work for a criminal defense practitioner not in a public defender office and practicing in the state of California.
Creative projects not included in these guidelines will be considered.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please submit the following:

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FELLOWSHIP DESCRIPTION The Women Defenders Fellowship is the only one of its kind. The Fellowship is designed to assist recent law school graduates who are in the process of taking the California Bar Exam and are interested in employment in the criminal defense community. Women Defenders will be providing at least one fellowship to a law school graduate planning to take the California State Bar Examination and planning to work in criminal defense after taking the exam. The Fellowship will be up to $2,500.00. The objective of the Fellowship is to provide financial assistance to law school graduates during the financially unstable period of time after they take the California Bar Exam and before they secure permanent employment in the public or private defender community. Traditionally, many law school graduates do not have the financial means to pursue criminal defense work because criminal defense/public defender offices rarely offer paid positions to those who have not yet passed the California Bar Examination. Women Defenders thereby hopes to advance the important goal of achieving diversity in the criminal defense legal profession. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Women Defenders will give priority to Fellowship applicants who meet at least one of the following objective: Work in state or federal public defender offices in the state of California. Work for a criminal defense practitioner not in a public defender office and practicing in the state of California. Creative projects not included in these guidelines will be considered. APPLICATION PROCESS To apply, please submit the following: A personal statement explaining your interest in criminal defense work. Please also include a detailed explanation of your financial need, including whether your employment in criminal defense while awaiting bar results will be paid or unpaid. A description of the legal services to be provided, the length of the project, and the population to be served. Name, address and telephone number of the legal services provider where you plan to work. Include a letter of confirmation of your employment from the program director or project supervisor. The letter should include information regarding the exact nature of the work that you will be performing, salary (if any), and length of time you have commited to the assignment. One or more letters of recommendation from a former employer or faculty member at your law school.
DEADLINE Applications must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2008. Fellowship recipients will be notified no later than June 2, 2008. Submit your completed application to: Arcelia Hurtado Women Defenders Fellowship Committee Coordinator 1010 Grayson Street, Suite 1 Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 597-5815
DONATIONS Donations to the Fellowship Fund are tax deductible and should be made to: Women Defenders Fellowship Fund.