Diversity Law Fellow

Closing Date: 20th March, 2024

Description:

A Nonprofit Organization is pleased to consider applicants for its Archibald Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Fellowship through the WVU College of Law and other accredited institutions. The Fellowship program enables a selected law student to receive funding to work for LAWV during the summer of 2024. This is the fourth year of the Fellowship. The program provides opportunities for a law student to work within LAWV, a legal services organization, to develop her/his interests and skills in public interest law and to foster diversity in Legal Aid programs.
LAWV encourages students from diverse backgrounds to become Legal Aid lawyers, with the goal that over time legal aid organizations, including LAWV, will better reflect the diversity of the population our organizations serve.
The Archibald Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellowship:
Duration: A 10-week Fellowship beginning May – July 2024
Fellowship Pay: $6,500 and reimbursement of work-related expenses
Location: Placement within one of LAWV's twelve regional offices. LAWV supervisors will work to match the student's location preference with the capacity of that office to support the Fellowship's supervision, mentorship, and project work oversight.
Supervision: Supervision will be by the local office Supervising Attorney with support from an assigned local office attorney.
Mentorship: Mentorship will come from the leadership of the Mountain State Bar, West Virginia's African American bar association, or from other mentorship opportunities as appropriate for the interests of the DEI Fellow.
LAWV will also support and create opportunities to engage with the greater legal community.
Selection Criteria:

• Background that is diverse or underrepresented (including but not limited to diversity arising from the applicant's sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, color, race, religion, ancestry, national origin, familial status, marital status, mental or physical disability, or genetic information), as well as students from backgrounds that may have presented obstacles to accessing the legal profession, such as family financial hardship while growing up, being the first in one's family to go to college, or geographical circumstances such as coming from a rural or inner-city background that limited social interaction with lawyers, or students who otherwise demonstrate a commitment to fostering diversity.
• Demonstrated or compelling financial need
• An interest in Legal Aid programs or public service. Interest is not limited to previous work or Volunteering in the field.

Eligibility Criteria:
Open to all law students attending accredited school.

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