2008 NAACP Law Fellow Program
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. The principal object of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all minority group citizens. As part of its mission, the NAACP seeks to enforce federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights and to educate persons about their constitutional rights.
Throughout its history, the NAACP has provided attorneys the opportunity to make significant, historic contributions to the field of civil rights law. Past NAACP attorneys include, Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker-Motely, Robert Carter and Nathaniel Jones. The NAACP hopes to inspire attorneys to enter the field of civil rights law and to provide broad exposure to various strategies utilized by grass roots civil rights organizations.
The NAACP Law Fellow Program is designed to give students who have completed at least one year of law school the opportunity to work for the summer at the NAACP Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. Those selected for the program will:
- Work with civil rights attorneys on relevant issues concerning criminal justice, education, housing, voting rights and environmental justice;
- Read and prepare a research paper regarding strategies to advance the civil rights struggle;
- Attend the NAACP National Convention and Continuing Legal Education Seminar;
- Examine and evaluate citizen complaints of civil rights violations;
- Increase opportunities for minority lawyers to obtain judicial clerkships;
- Interact with civil rights leaders and attorney advocates;
- Review and obtain approval for direct action.
Law Fellows will be selected based on a number of factors including: recommendations; interest in civil rights law; and academic performance. Selected participants will be awarded a stipend of $5,000 to offset living and travel expenses while participating in the program. Fellows will be responsible for securing their own housing and transportation for the duration of the program. Fellows may also seek funding from outside sources to supplement the stipend. Based on funding, an additional fellowship opportunity may become available for a law school graduate to work with the NAACP Legal Department.
Questions concerning the program should be directed to Saundra M. Grice at (410) 580-5798. The application is available at http://www.naacp.org/legal/fellows/index.htm or by emailing sgrice@naacpnet.org. A complete application packet shall include:
- Completed application
- Law School Transcript
- Letter(s) of Recommendation (from one or two professors)
- 50-100 word essay describing your interest
By no later than March 20, 2008, please forward completed application to:
Angela Ciccolo
NAACP; Interim General Counsel
4805 Mount Hope Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
(410) 580-5792
(410) 358-9350 (fax)
Stefanie L. Brown,
National Director
NAACP Youth & College Division
