Law Student Summer Fellowship

Through generous support from the NFCJ, NACDL is proud to offer its Law Student Summer Law Fellowship program. The Fellowship provides opportunities for law students to work with exceptional and experienced criminal defense attorneys. Students receive a weekly stipend for up to eight weeks of summer employment. 

About the Fellowship

Eligible applicants: 1L and 2L students in good academic standing, enrolled at an ABA-accredited law school, and wishing to pursue a career in criminal defense. See the FAQ section for additional information

Stipend: Fellows may earn up to $4,500 for the summer. Each fellow will receive $562 per week for up to 8 weeks of employment with a criminal defense office/practitioner.

NACDL membership is FREE for law students. NACDL offers mentorships and resources that will start your defense career off right. Join NACDL today! nacdl.org/studentformDeadline: Applications for the 2026 Law Student Summer Law Fellowship are now open. Applications are due by 11:59pm (local time) on March 9. Decisions will be communicated by March 31st.

Background and Demonstrated Interest: Selected students will have a demonstrated commitment to criminal justice as evidenced through their coursework, extracurricular activities, pre-law school organizational involvement, employment, or other relevant experiences.

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Supported by NFCJ

The NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice preserves and promotes the core values of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the American criminal justice system.

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Placement: Students may apply to receive funding for either a summer internship they have already secured or can choose from the Fellowship's broad array of potential employers including solo practitioners, firms, and state and federal public defense agencies, located throughout the U.S. The list of potential summer hosts will be regularly updated on this page. 

How to Apply: To apply for a Law Student Summer Law Fellowship, students must: 

  • Log into or create your NACDL account (no membership or fee required)
  • Complete the writing exercise (a link to the writing prompt is below)
  • Complete the online application
  • Upload their resume (not to exceed 2 pages) and writing exercise

  Law Student Summer Fellowship Application


Learn More: Fellowship FAQs


Want to be a Host Organization?  Sign Up Now


Host Organizations

Past Host Organizations include:

  • California: San Francisco Public Defender's Office
  • California: Santa Cruz County Office of the Public Defender
  • California: Solano County Public Defender
  • DC: Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
  • Florida: Public Defender's Office, 15th Judicial Circuit
  • Michigan: Neighborhood Defender Services of Detroit
  • Minnesota: Minnesota Board of Public Defense
  • Missouri: Missouri State Public Defender
  • Mississippi: Office of State Public Defender
  • North Carolina: Mecklenburg County Public Defender's Office
  • New Jersey: Jones & Ortiz, P.A. (Glassboro)
  • Nevada: Clark County Public Defender's Office
  • Nevada: Law Offices of Maximilian A. Stovall (Reno)
  • Ohio: Montgomery County Public Defender's Office
  • South Dakota: Minnehaha County Public Defender
  • Tennessee: Office of the Federal Public Defender (Nashville)
  • Texas: Atascosa Area Advocates Public Defender Office
  • Texas: Bowie County Public Defender's Office
  • Texas: El Paso County Public Defender's Office
  • Texas: Neighborhood Defender Service of Texas
  • Texas: North Hill Country Public Defender's Office
  • Virginia: Chesterfield Public Defender's Office
  • Virginia: Fredericksburg Public Defender's Office
  • Virginia: Roanoke Public Defender's Office
  • Washington: Cowlitz County Office of Public Defense
  • Washington: Spokane County Public Defender's Office
  • Wisconsin: Wisconsin State Public Defender

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