Meet with a PI/PS Adviser
PI/PS advisers are here to support you on your journey. You may meet with any adviser in the PI/PS Office, but students interested in human rights and public international law are encouraged to meet with the associate director for human rights and public international law, and those interested in public interest opportunities in the United States are encouraged to meet with the associate director of career advising. Advisers provide tailored advice on fields and employers of interest. They can review application materials and help with interview preparation. Advisers can also guide you through the postgraduate fellowship process.
Please schedule an appointment to meet with a PI/PS adviser via Symplicity.
Job Search Resources
Here are some resources that you might find useful in your public interest job search.
- The LL.M. Supplement to the Public Interest Job Search Toolkit provides advice and practical ideas for LL.M.s interested in careers in public interest law. It is intended to be used in conjunction with our Public Interest Job Search Toolkit. Students interested in international public interest work should review the International Supplement to the Public Interest Job Search Toolkit as well.
- Students seeking internships and postgraduate fellowships in New York City can peruse the list of organizations in the New York Public Interest Organization Index.
- Need feedback on your resume and/or cover letter? First, consult the LL.M. Supplement (and the International Supplement if applicable) and update your resume following the guidelines provided. Then make an appointment with a PI/PS adviser or upload your materials to our LL.M. Resume and Cover Letter Portal for review. (Note: This portal will open on October 1, 2025.)
Columbia Postgraduate Fellowships Open to LL.M.s
If you are intending to launch a career in public interest or public service law, either abroad or in the United States, postgraduate fellowships can provide critical training to an LL.M. graduate seeking to pivot in their career or to gain access to new employers and networks. View a list of potential fellowship host organizations.
This fellowship enables a Columbia Law School graduate to spend one year working in human rights in the United States or abroad, in pursuit of a career in human rights law, whether in academic life, at governmental, intergovernmental, or nongovernmental organizations or agencies, or as legal practitioners specializing in human rights work. Open solely to the Columbia Law School students and some Columbia Law School graduates. Please review the application for more information on graduate eligibility.
In recent years, LL.M. Leebron Fellows have worked at organizations such as the African Union, EG Justice, the International Commission for Transitional Justice, International Rights Advocates, and U.N. Women.
This 12-month fellowship supports work with a public service organization, intergovernmental agency, national supreme court, or international court host abroad. Preference is given to employers based in the Pan-Asia region who are engaged in issues of international law and global consequence. Applications involving environmental work in Asia receive special consideration. Open solely to the Columbia Law School students and some Columbia Law School graduates. Please review the application for more information on graduate eligibility.
In recent years, LL.M. Global Public Service Fellows have worked at organizations such as Amnesty International, Access Now, EarthRights International, the Indian Supreme Court Legal Services Committee, and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
LL.M. students who demonstrate serious commitment to, and preparation for, careers as public interest, government, or human rights lawyers are eligible. Recipients work at a qualifying host organization in the U.S. or abroad. The fellowship period is for up to six months. Open to current Columbia Law School LL.M.s only.
In recent years, LL.M. Pathways Fellows have worked at organizations such as the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund, Reprieve, and the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights.
This fellowship supports students from China to pursue public interest legal work in the United States for three to six months. Open solely to current Columbia Law School students.
In recent years, Haas Fellows have worked at organizations such as REDRESS, the International Legal Foundation, ClientEarth, and the ABA Rule of Law Initiative.
This fellowship places recent graduates in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ten-month “traineeship” program. Trainees assist court members with tasks such as research, preparing case files, and drafting documents. Open to current students and graduates.
More information on eligibility and application instructions.
This fellowship funds work in the Office of the Legal Vice Presidency at the World Bank for six months. The World Bank Legal Vice Presidency provides a variety of legal services in various departmental units, including operational project finance in different regions, environmental law, corporate finance, administrative law, and more. Fellows work with World Bank lawyers at the Washington, DC office. Open to current Columbia Law School LL.M.s only.
Information on the 2026 fellowship cycle will be posted on the Columbia fellowships page later in fall 2026.