California

The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources is pleased to announce the sponsorship of the California Diversity Fellowships in Environmental Law for the summer of 2012.

The ABA Diversity Fellowships in Environmental Law program is designed to encourage students who bring diversity to the environmental bar to pursue careers in environmental law. The program is open to first and second year law students and third year night students only.

The Fellowship:

• $5,000 summer stipend (8-10 week minimum) for work on legal matters for a government agency or public interest organization working in the fields of environmental, energy or resources law.
• Participation in meetings of the American Bar Association’s relevant committees.
• Assignment of a mentor from the American Bar Association.

Eligibility:

• First or second year law students (and third year night students).
• Members of economically or socially disadvantaged or other underrepresented groups, including, among others, age, ability/disability, sexual orientation, cultural, linguistic, or geographic backgrounds.

Fellowship Criteria:

•  Interest in environmental issues.
•  Academic record (undergraduate and law school).
•  Outstanding personal qualities and leadership abilities.

Application Requirements:

•  A completed application form.
•  A resume.
•  An undergraduate transcript.
•  A law school transcript (except for first year law students).
•  A two-page essay describing applicant’s interest in environmental issues and reasons for wanting to participate in the Fellowship.
• Two (2) references, including one (1) law school professor.

The Application: Please provide detailed answers to questions and required attachments specified in the application. The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources will maintain all information received from applicants in confidence but will share the information with the cosponsoring state entity and prospective employers. The Application is available in Adobe PDF format.

Selection Criteria: Fellowships in Environmental Law will be awarded primarily upon the applicant’s essay, transcript, resume, and application. Members of the selection committee will personally conduct a phone interview the most competitive candidates, to determine who will ultimately be selected to participate in the Fellowship.

Instructions: Please return completed applications along with the required documents to ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, c/o Noemi Alvarez, Section Assistant, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654. Applications should be either typed or handwritten in block letters. Completed applications and all related documents must be postmarked by or emailed no later than January 23, 2012. Successful applicants shall be contacted within three to four weeks of application deadlines.

Deadline: Completed applications and related documents must be postmarked by January 23, 2012.

For More Information Contact: Noemí Alvarez, ABA Section Environment, Energy, and Resources, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654, Phone: (312) 988-5625, Fax: (312) 988-5572, Noemi.Alvarez@americanbar.org