AFL-CIO Law Fellowship
The Legal Department of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (“AFL-CIO”) offers a one-year fellowship that begins each September. The fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for recent law school graduates to work with experienced union-side lawyers on a wide variety of issues. The AFL-CIO is a voluntary federation of 58 national and international unions which represent over 12 million working women and men in the United States. The Legal Department works on a wide range of litigation, policy, regulatory and legislative matters, and assists with organizing campaigns, corporate governance issues, and other AFL-CIO initiatives. The Legal Department also houses the Union Lawyers Alliance (“ULA”), a national organization of union-side attorneys, which issues various publications and holds educational conferences on a regular basis. The AFL-CIO Fellow will work with lawyers in the AFL-CIO Legal Department and with other union lawyers around the country on a wide variety of matters. The Fellow will assist experienced lawyers working on cases and regulatory matters that affect the labor movement and the rights of workers. The AFL-CIO’s litigation caseload includes cases in the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals as well as before the National Labor Relations Board and occasionally state appellate courts. In addition, the AFL-CIO Legal Department frequently presents the views of the labor movement on federal regulatory initiatives affecting workers. The AFL-CIO Fellow will also participate in Union Lawyers Alliance activities, including preparation for attorney conferences, outreach to new labor lawyers and law students, and regular opportunities to attend ULA meetings and conferences. The window to apply is typically between October and December of each calendar year. Go to the ULA hiring hall during this time and scroll down to the section on fellowship and law clerk positions to find the listing. If you are unable to find it or have questions, please contact us at ula@aflcio.org.
George Murphy Public Interest Fellowship
Murphy Anderson PLLC, a Washington, DC-based public-interest law firm practicing labor, employment and whistleblower law, offers the George R. Murphy Public Interest Fellowship to recent law school graduates or judicial clerks who seek experience litigating important public-interest cases at the firm. The Fellowship runs each year beginning September 1. Applications are accepted between October and December. For more information about the application requirements, please visit the ULA Hiring Hall during the application window and look for fellowship listings at the bottom of the page. You may also find information at the firm website: https://www.murphypllc.com/content/about-our-firm.
Bredhoff & Kaiser Greenfield Fellowship Program
This program is named in honor of Bredhoff & Kaiser attorney Douglas L. Greenfield (1959-2020). During his thirty-year career at the firm, Doug earned the admiration of the American labor movement not only for his expertise in employee benefits law, but also for his creativity and judgment. Greenfield Fellows are exposed to the firm’s national practice representing and advancing the interests of working people, and have the opportunity to make immediate contributions on case teams handling matters of substantial importance. They participate as active members of the team and, with appropriate supervision, take on real and increasing responsibility for factual and legal case development. In October of each year, the firm begins accepting applications for one-year fellowships to begin in the fall of the following year. Hiring decisions are generally made in the mid-December through mid-January period. Salary and benefits are competitive. To learn more, please visit https://www.bredhoff.com/recruiting/greenfield-fellow-recruiting.
The Peggy Browning Fund
The Peggy Browning Fund (“PBF”) is a nonprofit organization established in memory of Margaret A. Browning, prominent labor attorney and Member of the National Labor Relations Board. Through fellowships, workers’ rights conferences, networking and other programs, PBF provides unique opportunities for law students to work for economic and social justice. PBF’s programs provide diverse, challenging work and educational experiences in the area of workers’ rights. Their goal is to increase the students’ understanding of the current issues workers face as well as promote the students’ entry into the practice of public interest labor law. Law students who are interested in applying for a PBF summer fellowship should visit the website and note that applications are typically accepted during a period between December and January of each year for the following summer. More information is available at: https://www.peggybrowningfund.org/fellowships/for-law-students/how-to-apply.
National Labor Relations Board Honors Program
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Honors Program is a comprehensive program designed to introduce highly motivated individuals to the field of labor law. The NLRB Honors Program allows select candidates an opportunity to work directly with practicing labor lawyers and technical professionals in its Washington, D.C. Headquarters and Regional Offices. Honors Attorneys will gain valuable experience and benefit from a wide variety of learning experiences. For more information, see the website at https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/careers/honors-program.
Department of Labor Honors Program
The Honors Program of the Office of the Solicitor is designed for attorneys completing law school or judicial clerkships and are interested in a public service career handling a broad range of labor and employment matters. Please visit the program website for more information: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/sol/careers/honors-program/work
Student Writing and Advocacy Competitions in Labor and Employment Law
Click here for a list of writing competitions focused on labor and employment law that offer cash prizes that could assist with the cost of law school. Check with your law school’s or state bar association’s websites for other writing competitions for students.
Scholarship Opportunities for Students Pursuing Careers in Labor Law
The Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies Program launched in July 2014 to commemorate the life and work of Michael Weiner by recognizing and supporting the efforts of students dedicated to improving the lives of workers – characteristics that were embodied by Weiner in his personal life, his studies and throughout his 25-year career with the Major League Baseball Players Association. To be eligible for an award, applicants must be graduate or law students enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the United States and graduating no sooner than the semester following the scholarship award. Applicants must have a demonstrated interest and wish to pursue a career working in the labor movement on behalf of workers’ rights. For more information, please visit the scholarship site: https://www.trust.mlbplayers.com/michael-weiner-scholarship.