Looking for a 2025 Host Organization? We’re here to help.

Applications for the 2025 Design-Your-Own Fellowship are open until 11:59PM ET/8:59 PM PT on September 10. Visit here for more details about the Fellowship, and to access resources and information about the application process. 

The Equal Justice Works Design-Your-Own Fellowship program serves a dual purpose: to jumpstart the careers of aspiring public interest lawyers, and to build crucial capacity at legal services organizations nationwide. Equal Justice Works does not match candidates and their host organizations; instead, both parties collaborate closely to design a project and apply for the Fellowship together. If you are a 2025 Fellowship candidate who does not yet have a host, check out our round-up below for organizations seeking partners. If you are a host organization still seeking prospective Fellows and do not see your solicitation listed here, email us at [email protected] to add or remove your listing. 

*Note: this list is not comprehensive, and the postings it shares are subject to change. Please communicate directly with prospective host organizations for up-to-date information on partnership plans. 

ACLU of Massachusetts | Boston 

ACLUM works on cutting-edge civil rights and civil liberties issues. We have undertaken groundbreaking litigation and advocacy on incarceration during COVID-19, free speech, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice, reproductive rights, transgender rights, open government, police accountability, government surveillance, racial justice, and other issues. If funded, fellows will work with ACLUM’s legal director, managing attorneys and staff attorneys on trial-level and appellate work. Fellows may also work with staff members on non-litigation advocacy, such as public education, legislative work, public speaking, community organizing, and investigation. 

Bread for the City | Washington, DC

Bread for the City’s family law team represents survivors of domestic violence seeking assistance with matters such as custody, child support, divorce, and civil protection orders. Bread for the City is looking for a fellowship candidate interested in developing a project within this practice area. We are open to different proposals to address the family law needs of D.C. residents who are survivors of domestic violence. We are particularly interested in proposals that include collaborative or restorative justice projects aimed at providing alternative options for parties.

If selected, Bread will work very closely with you to design the final project proposal to match your interests with the needs of our clinic and the target community with the requirements of the funder.

Chicago Volunteer Legal Serivces | Chicago 

CVLS is comprised of 2,100+ volunteer attorneys who donate free services to thousands of low-income Chicagoans annually. Postgraduate fellowships are wonderful opportunities for law firms to support CVLS while gaining something in return. Fellowships, which usually last between six months and two years are sponsored by a firm or legal organization, allow a new attorney to work at CVLS before starting as an associate. Firms that send fellows to CVLS receive back seasoned attorneys and make a lasting impact on Chicago by expanding legal resources in underserved communities. 

Disability Rights Advocates | New York, Chicago, or Berkeley 

Fellows at DRA gain unparalleled experience and are provided with immediate opportunity to participate in all aspects of public interest litigation. Past DRA fellows have gone on to successful careers, most in public interest law. Fellowship Attorneys are full-time positions and report to DRA’s Supervising Attorney. 

Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services | Pittsburgh  

This fellowship opportunity allows Fair Shake Environmental Legal Service to work collaboratively with a candidate to identify unmet legal needs within environmental law that you are passionate about to build your dream job. The project must have a geographic focus within the Appalachian Basin. 

Georgia Legal Services Program | Georgia

Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) seeks to host one Equal Justice Works Fellow for the Fall 2025 Fellowship term. A Language Rights Fellow will work with GLSP’s Race Equity Team and other GLSP attorneys to identify and challenge racial and national origin discrimination against persons who are English Language Learners, sometimes called persons who are Limited English Proficient. The Fellow’s project will cover counties outside of metro Atlanta but will be located in GLSP’s downtown Atlanta office. The Fellow will develop new advocacy strategies to help ensure that English Language Learners have meaningful access to courts and government services such as public benefits, health care, and housing. The Fellow will represent a limited number of clients on language rights issues. The Fellow will develop and provide GLSP advocates training and materials on language rights and racial and national origin protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Fellow will assist GLSP offices with outreach to communities with a significant number of English Language Learners by developing materials and relationships with other community partners serving these communities. The Fellow will build on GLSP’s record of successfully representing Georgians who have been denied meaningful access to courts and government services. The Fellow will be based in Atlanta but will engage with communities and clients outside of metro Atlanta. 

Greater Boston Legal Services | Boston  

GBLS is interested in collaborating on a project with prospective Fellows on issues impacting predominantly low-income communities. The people who seek our assistance most often are women and children who need protection from abuse; families and elderly who face eviction from their homes; the homeless who have been denied temporary or permanent shelter; and single parents who have been inappropriately refused welfare, food stamps, or medical benefits.  

Impact for Equity | Chicago  

Impact for Equity seeks to host a dynamic and dedicated advocate as a Legal Fellow. The successful candidate will possess a commitment to racial and social justice, creativity, and leadership ability and will be comfortable working independently and within a team on multiple projects of varying complexity. When applicable, our staff will work with the candidate to develop their proposals for submission, helping tailor the proposal to address an important racial or social justice issue aligned with Impact for Equity’s mission and focus areas. 

Legal Action Wisconsin | Wisconsin 

Legal Action of Wisconsin’s mission is to deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need. We have hosted a number of fellows who did vital projects for the firm.  

Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice | Boston  

We focus on three primary policy areas: access to justice, educational justice, and youth homelessness. The project proposal may include some combination of policy analysis, legal research, know-your-rights trainings, coalition building, community education and outreach, advocacy, and/or pro bono involvement. We encourage creative approaches to addressing systemic inequities through the law and welcome project ideas that build on our previous work and dig into the intersections between policy areas. We are particularly interested in projects that can be piloted in one or more of Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities, such as Lowell, Lawrence, Malden, Springfield, or Worcester. 

Open City Advocates | Washington, D.C.  

Open City Advocates provides youth-centered legal defense and holistic advocacy for young people after sentencing in the DC juvenile justice system and works for systemic improvements to the juvenile justice system, both locally and nationally, to better the lives of marginalized children and youth. OCA will consider any projects related to our mission, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss and develop project ideas with the applicant. 

Public Counsel | Los Angeles

This year, Public Counsel will consider fellowship proposals limited to those which fall within the scope of the following projects:

• Children’s Rights Project – application info here
• Community Development Project – application info here
• Opportunity Under Law (impact litigation) – application info here

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund | Remote  

TLDEF seeks applications for sponsorship of an organized, adaptive, and motivated Legal Fellow to join its growing Legal Program. The fellowship combines furthering TLDEF’s legal work and mission with learning the skills necessary for successful impact litigation and legal advocacy. The Legal Fellow should be: passionate about transgender legal advocacy; committed to centering the needs of TLDEF’s transgender clients and stakeholders; intellectually curious; collegial; and familiar with and respectful of gender diversity.   

To read more about the Design-Your-Own Fellowship at Equal Justice Works, click here.