Summer Public Service Fellowships
In recent years, William & Mary Law School has provided over 100 summer fellowships annually. Eligible organizations include private, 501(c)(3) organizations; public interest organizations; legal aid offices; public defenders; prosecutors; and government agencies. Positions with judges and courts are eligible for funding from some sources, but it is unusual for those positions to be funded. Partisan political positions are ineligible for funding.
The fellowship programs include:
- Bell Public Service Fellowships: Funded by a Law School endowment.
- Christopher Wren Association Fellowships: Funded by an association in Williamsburg, Virginia, that promotes life-long learning. Eligible organizations are in the Williamsburg area.
- Dean’s Fellowships: Funded by money allocated by the Dean of the Law School.
- H. Stewart Dunn, Jr. Civil Liberties Fellowships: Funded by the family of H. Stewart Dunn, Jr., a prominent lawyer in Washington, DC, to acknowledge his dedication to the protection of civil liberties. Eligible organizations will contribute to efforts to protect civil liberties afforded U.S. citizens by the U.S. Constitution. In any given year there will be some specific focus on civil liberties afforded by the First Amendment.
- Hendel Family Fellowships: Funded by Philip Hendel, William & Mary Law Class of 1964. Mr. Hendel selects an eligible organization. Students will be notified about the application process.
- Ingrid Hillinger Fellowship: Funded by Philip Hendel, William & Mary Law Class of 1964, in honor of Professor Hillinger, a 1976 graduate of the Law School and a distinguished law professor. Mr. Hendel and Professor Hillinger select an eligible organization. Students will be notified about the application process.
- Pinter Fellowships: Funded by Douglas Pinter, William & Mary Law Class of 1977, for organizations assisting gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender clients and/or for projects dealing with legal/policy issues involving sexual orientation, sexual identity, or AIDS/HIV.
- Virginia Law Foundation Fund for Justice and Education Public Service Internships: Funded by a generous grant from the Virginia Law Foundation. The Virginia Law Foundation promotes through philanthropy the rule of law, access to justice and law-related education. See the VLF website for a list of eligible organizations.
- Virginia State Bar Criminal Law Section Fellowships: Funded by the Virginia State Bar’s Criminal Law Section for Virginia-based organizations involving criminal law/criminal justice.
- William & Mary Public Service Fund Fellowships: Funded from money raised by the student-run William & Mary Public Service Fund. Courts / judges are ineligible for funding.
Please note the following important details about these programs:
1. Organizations interested in assistance from William & Mary law students via our summer fellowship programs are encouraged to notify the Office of Career Services by using one of the forms here or via email, fax, or postal mail.
2. To apply for funding, a student must have a written offer on the organization's letterhead. The offer must explicitly state the amount, if any, the organization can pay the student. It is not sufficient for the offer to say that the position is "volunteer" or "unpaid." Organizations should provide the written offer directly to the student, not to the Office of Career Services.
3. Each program provides maximum fellowships of $3,600. Any funding that the organization provides will be taken into account in determining the fellowship amount awarded. If the organization provides $3,600 or more, the student is ineligible for a fellowship.
4. The application process is very competitive. Each year, the demand for funds exceeds the supply; the Law School cannot fund everyone who applies. In order to fund as many students as possible, successful applicants may receive funding less than the maximum.
5. There are two application deadlines: in mid-November for second-year students seeking “early decision” funding, and in mid/late March for first- and second-year students seeking funds under the “regular decision” allocation process. Exact deadline dates are provided to students at the beginning of each academic year.
