From: Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers
Date: February 15, 2024
Subject: Postgraduate fellowships session, 2L Racial Justice Fellowship, and more


Columbia Law School Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (PI/PS)

Meet Alex Hogan!

See him for advice on government careers AND donut-focused running competitions...

(And register for his upcoming Public Interest Monday on prosecutorial discretion!)
Programs and Events

3Ls and LL.M.s...

Each year, we celebrate graduating class members who have shown dedication to public interest and pro bono with a reception. So that we don't miss anyone, please take this honoree category and preferred name survey by 5 p.m. on Mar. 1. The categories apply to your entire time at CLS.

Public Interest Monday:

Applying for Domestic Postgraduate Fellowships

Monday, Feb. 19
12:10-1:10 p.m. in JG 103
Register five days in advance to prevent food waste

Postgraduate fellowships are one of the main entry points into a public interest/public service career, and there are many of them! For 2Ls seeking positions for fall 2025 and 3Ls who will seek a fellowship following a clerkship, it is time to begin your planning.

Community Coffee Hour

Wednesday, Feb. 21
3-4 p.m. in WJW 600
More info

Join the Columbia Public Interest Community for coffee, tea, and cookies every Wednesday. Meet peers interested in public interest, connect with PI/PS Office advisers, and recharge between classes. No RSVP required.

NOTE: There will be no Community Coffee on Feb. 28 due to Admitted Students Day.

Hosted by the Columbia Public Interest Community—part of the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (the PI/PS Office).

Lunch with Dean Smock

Thursday, Feb. 22
12:10-1:10 p.m. in WCW Levien, 10th Floor
Register ASAP

Have lunch with Dean Smock! Chat with your public interest peers, learn more about opportunities at Columbia Law from the dean of the PI/PS Office, and share your ideas for community-building at CLS. Come hungry! Limited seating—register ASAP!

Public Interest Monday:

How to Exercise Prosecutorial Discretion

Monday, Mar. 4
12:10-1:10 p.m. in JG 103
Register five days in advance to prevent food waste

Federal prosecutors, each specializing in a different area of criminal law, will discuss prosecutorial discretion. How can prosecutors be thoughtful, given the broad discretion they are afforded? How do they choose the types of crime to prosecute, evaluate relative levels of culpability, and approach sentencing recommendations?

Upcoming Public Interest Mondays

To prevent food waste, please register at least five days in advance. Registration will be available within the next couple of weeks.
  • Mar. 18: Radical Lawyering in Conservative Spaces
  • Mar. 25: Making the Most of Your 1L Summer

Interested in Social Justice?

Regardless of where you will work after graduation, you should join the Columbia Public Interest Community!
Upcoming Deadlines

Pro Bono

Mar. 1: Deadline for 3Ls to complete 40 pro bono hours and register them on LawNet
Mar. 22: Deadline for 3Ls participating in a spring break caravan to submit an exit questionnaire and request a supervisor’s report
 

Postgraduate Fellowships

Mar. 3: Leebron (LL.M.s only), Global Public Service
Mar. 6: Haas
Mar. 13: LL.M. Pathways
 

Other

Feb. 26: 2L Racial Justice Fellowship
Feb 29: Student Human Rights Action Fund
Mar. 1 at 5 p.m.: Deadline to complete the Public Interest Reception Category and Preferred Name Survey

The PI/PS Office Is Here for You

Make an advising appointment on Symplicity

Marka Belinfanti
Pro Bono, General 1L Advising

Joel Dodge
Postgraduate Fellowships, Public Interest Lawyering

Jean Fischman
Berger Fellows

Emily Harris
Public Defense, General 1L Advising

Alex Hogan
Government

Kerry McLean
Human Rights, Public International Law, HRIP

Tory Messina
Career Transitions, LRAP, Public Interest Law Firms, General 1L Advising

Hasan Shafiqullah
Direct Services, Immigration, Housing, Welfare Benefits, LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Grace Shim
Employment, Housing, Civil Rights, Nonprofit Management, Mediation, General 1L Advising

Full staff list and bios
News and Notes

3Ls, Wondering When You Need to Finish Your Pro Bono to Graduate?

Mar. 1 is the deadline to complete your pro bono requirement and register the hours on LawNet. Questions? Email probono@law.columbia.edu.

Opportunities

Law and Organizing Academy
May 20-23

Build community and learn frameworks and skills at the intersection of organizing, law, and political economy at this retreat. Apply by Feb. 29.
 

Student Human Rights Action Fund
This HRI initiative funds student-led endeavors promoting human rights. Deadline: Feb. 23.

Postgraduate Fellowship Corner

Info Sessions

CLS Fellowships

Download applications

  • Mar. 3: Leebron (LL.M.s only), Global Public Service (J.D.s, LL.M.s)

  • Mar. 6: Haas (J.D.s, LL.M.s)

  • Mar. 13: LL.M. Pathways

Resources

Virtual On-Campus Interviews: Open Spots (J.D.s)

Some public sector employers have openings in their schedule. For available spots, visit OCI on Symplicity. Questions? Email Rebecca Hinde.

Other Funding Opportunities

2Ls Racial Justice Fellowship
Students who intend to pursue racial justice legal work immediately after graduation/clerkship are eligible. Provides $25,000 in 3L fall. Due Feb. 26.

3L Bridge Loan
LRAP-eligible loan for pre-bar expenses. Due May 10.

Tamer Center Social Enterprise Fellowships (Summer Funding)

Funds summer internships that create social and environmental value. Apply starting Mar. 1. 

CLS Funding Resources
Internal and external funding available to or specifically for CLS students.

MAX Scholarship Opportunities
MAX automatically enters students into scholarship drawings if they complete online financial education or attend events.

The Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers (the PI/PS Office) inspires and prepares students and graduates to pursue public service and public interest work throughout their careers anywhere in the world.

Staff List