Are you a mid-career lawyer working for a public interest organization or a government agency who would relish the opportunity to guide the career paths of current law students? Do you have a deep passion for your work that you would love to share with others? Would you like to spend three days at The George Washington University Law School, meeting with future change-makers? If this sounds like you, or someone you know, you are a prime candidate for GW Law’s Richey Fellows Program that will bring public interest lawyers to campus and, through community events and one-on-one advising, play a role in igniting a spark for future lawyers to become public interest lawyers.
The application and nomination process is now open for the initial fellows, who will come to the Law School in the 2023-24 academic year. The Richey Fellows Program is named in honor of the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and its funding has been provided by his law clerks and friends.
The purpose of the Program is to bring public interest and government lawyers to GW Law as a resource for students considering non-profit or public sector legal careers. Each semester, two distinguished attorneys from a broad range of practice areas will be invited to provide diverse perspectives about their careers for the benefit of GW Law students. Richey Fellows will be selected from a wide variety of practice areas, including criminal and civil direct legal services, law reform litigation, and public and non-profit regulatory and policy practice.
Expectations
Each Richey Fellow will spend three days on the GW Law campus. Fellows should be prepared to participate in several small or midsize GW Law community events coordinated by the Public Interest and Public Service Law Center. These events may include a panel discussion, an open-ended question period, or a formal presentation. In addition, fellows will meet with small groups of students and interested faculty over lunch or dinner. If circumstances allow, there may also be an opportunity for fellows to speak in classes addressing subject areas within their expertise. Each fellow will receive a $1,500 stipend in addition to having their travel and related expenses reimbursed.
Selection Criteria
We will be searching for attorneys with approximately 10-15 years of experience to ensure that they are both well-established in their respective fields and able to relate to law students. We will select from a wide range of practice areas, employer types, and career paths to provide a comprehensive overview of careers in the public interest landscape.
Timeline
Applications for the program are now available. You may submit an application on your own behalf or nominate a public interest law career professional who meets the above criteria. To nominate someone, please provide their name and email to the Public Interest and Public Service Law Center at [email protected], which will send them an application. The application process will close on June 2, 2023. The selection committee, consisting of faculty, senior staff, and students, will review the applications and make final selections for the following academic year. The chosen fellows will be notified by late June, with the dates of their visits to be determined by mutual agreement.