The Fellowship's primary purpose is to contribute to the educational and professional development of young private practitioners who are committed to pro bono service. Another goal is to make a meaningful contribution to the growth of pro bono practice in the Fellows' home law firms and legal communities. We expect the Fellowship to foster the regional network of pro bono practitioners that has begun through the Vance Center's conferences.

LL.M. Pro Bono Fellows receive an excellent legal education, combining courses and seminars at the law school with practical work experience in both private matters and pro bono service. The Fellows are candidates for the Master of Laws (LL.M.) Degree at Columbia Law School, and therefore must be granted admission to the LL.M. Program before being admitted to this Program. After successful completion of their studies, it is expected that the Fellows will work at a U.S. law firm or corporate law department that has an excellent private practice and an exemplary pro bono practice. The Fellow's assignments at their post-graduate placements will include private matters as well as pro bono work, and the Fellows will be paid commensurate with other foreign associates. Upon return to their home countries, the Fellows will assist their firms' participation in an international network of firms committed to the development of pro bono practice.

Click here for profiles of the 2006-2007 Pro Bono Fellows.

Columbia Law School LL.M. Degree Program
The program of graduate studies at Columbia is designed for students who, having earned a basic law degree (the U.S. Juris Doctor [J.D.] degree or its foreign equivalent), wish to pursue a further course of full-time study in preparation for teaching, public service, or the international practice of law. Candidates for the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree are required to spend one academic year (two terms) of full-time study and research in residence at Columbia Law School, commencing only at the beginning of Columbia's academic year (in late August-early September). Participants in the LL.M. Pro Bono Pilot Program must be full-time students and therefore may not work for compensation during their academic year of residence.

Like all other LL.M. students, the Pro Bono Fellows will create their own program of study to meet their educational needs, in consultation with their academic advisors.  The only unique academic requirement for Pro Bono Fellows is mandatory enrollment in the Externship on Pro Bono Practice and Design for four credits.

>>For more information about Columbia's LL.M. program and application instructions, please visit the Graduate Legal Studies website.

Fellowship at a Corporate Law Firm or Corporate Law Department
After successful completion of the LL.M. program, it is expected that LL.M. Pro Bono Fellows will continue to learn about pro bono practice in the United States, through fellowships at U.S. law firms and corporate law departments. The Fellows will do both corporate and pro bono work at the law firms.  The length of the post-graduate placement will be determined by the needs of the host organization and the Fellow, taking into account the Fellow's obligations to the home law firm. The host organizations will pay the Fellows a salary commensurate with those they pay to other foreign associates with similar experience and qualifications.

The ideal applicant will be committed to pro bono service, have at least three years of post-graduate experience in the practice of law, demonstrate leadership ability, be employed at a law firm or corporate law department with a reputation in its community for excellent private practice and a commitment to pro bono service and come from a city or country that has some tradition of pro bono practice. Only students admitted to Columbia's LL.M. program will be considered for the LL.M. Pro Bono Fellowship.

A complete application consists of:

1)      An application to the LL.M. program at Columbia Law School. The LL.M. application must be postmarked no later than December 15, 2007.  Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted.

Information about selection criteria for the LL.M. program and a copy of the LL.M. program application are available at http://www.law.columbia.edu/llm_jsd/app_instr.

2)      An application to the LL.M. Pro Bono Pilot Program. The application for the Pilot Program must be postmarked no later than December 15, 2007. Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted.

The Pro Bono Pilot Program Application consists of:

• A short (1-2 pages, single spaced) essay by the applicant describing the current and previous pro bono work done and goals for pro bono service for the next five years, including a statement of commitment by the applicant to return to his or her home country and to perform a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono service annually after completion of the LL.M. Pro Bono Fellowship.
• A brief (1-2 paragraphs) description of the nature of pro bono in the applicant’s home city or country.
• A letter of nomination by a person at the applicant’s law firm, who can comment knowledgeably about the applicant's leadership abilities, pro bono commitment and plans; and who is authorized to include the required statement committing the firm to allowing the applicant to perform a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono service annually upon return to the firm after completion of the LL.M. Pro Bono Fellowship.
• A letter of nomination by a person who works at a not-for-profit organization or a law school public interest clinical education program, who can comment knowledgeably about the applicant's leadership abilities, pro bono commitment and plans. Ideally, this letter would be written by a person at an organization with which the applicant may perform pro service upon return home after completion of the LL.M. Pro Bono Fellowship.  Persons who work at the applicants’ law firm cannot write this letter.

The application for the LL.M. Pro Bono Pilot Program should be sent to:

Ellen P. Chapnick

Dean for Social Justice Initiatives

Columbia Law School

Box B-26

435 W. 116^th Street

New York, New York 10027

Faxed and emailed applications will not be accepted.

For more information about the LL.M. Pro Bono Fellowship Program, contact Dean Chapnick at chapnick@law.columbia.edu or 212-851-1929.

See the attached invitations to apply, available in both Spanish and English.