The Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship provides an entry-level lawyer the opportunity to spend two years as a Fried Frank litigator and then two years as a staff attorney with NAACP LDF or MALDEF. At the end of their four-year commitment, our Fellows are encouraged to interview to return to Fried Frank or apply to continue at the relevant civil rights organization. We are proud that a number of our former Fellows hold high-level positions at either NAACP LDF or MALDEF.
The Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship annually selects one Fellow for one organization, alternating each year between NAACP LDF and MALDEF. For the 2020 Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship, we are selecting a fellow for NAACP LDF.
The Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellow will begin their employment at Fried Frank with the Firm's first-year associate class in the fall of 2020.
NAACP LDF Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship
Fighting for Equality and Empowerment for African-Americans and Other Disenfranchised Groups
NAACP LDF has been fighting for the equality and empowerment of African-Americans and other disenfranchised groups since it was founded in 1940 under the leadership of late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. As the NAACP LDF's first director-counsel, Justice Marshall led the campaign against the "separate but equal" doctrine and won the landmark 1954 case, Brown v. Board of Education, which outlawed public-school segregation and began the dismantling of all forms of government-sanctioned discrimination. Despite significant progress toward equality in the past half-century, numerous and complex obstacles remain. NAACP LDF continues its fundamental mission to transform the promise of equality into a social, economic and political reality for all people.
MALDEF Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship
Protecting and Promoting the Civil Rights of Latinos.
MALDEF is the nation's leading Latino litigation, advocacy and educational outreach organization. Founded in 1968 by San Antonio, Texas attorney Pete Tijerina, MALDEF has as its primary objective the protection and promotion of the civil rights of Latinos living in the United States. It seeks to empower the Latino community to participate fully in American society through impact litigation, advocacy, research, community outreach, leadership development and education and the awarding of law school scholarships.
Who Should Apply
Third-year law school students graduating in 2020 and outgoing judicial law clerks who have a genuine interest in both corporate and civil rights litigation.
Fellowship Location
The first two years of The Fried Frank Civil Rights Fellowship will take place at the New York City office of Fried Frank. Thereafter, the Fellow will complete the next two years at NAACP LDF or MALDEF'S locations respectively.
MALDEF litigates in regional offices around the nation in Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Antonio. Based upon your interest and background and the litigation needs of MALDEF, we will work with applicants to determine a mutually agreeable geographic placement. However, all Fellows have the option to work in MALDEF's Los Angeles office, the site of its national headquarters. We will determine a particular placement at the time of your selection for the Fellowship.
Deadline and Application Information
For the deadline and application requirements, please visit the Application page.
For more information, please contact:
Diversity & Inclusion
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson LLP
One New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004
+1.212.859.8000
fellowship@friedfrank.com / lourdes.olvera@friedfrank.com
