"Design-Your-Own" Fellowship Program

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY 

The Bath office of LawNY® seeks to partner with a 3rd year law student, recent law school graduate or practicing attorney shifting careers to apply for the Equal Justice Works “Design-Your-Own” Fellowship program to provide direct legal services to low-income clients, in Steuben and Allegany Counties, regarding their Public Assistance matters (including Safety Net, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Emergency Assistance) and/or Unemployment Insurance Benefits claims. 

Applicants interested in jumpstarting their careers in public interest and applying with LawNY® for the Equal Justice Works  Design-Your-Own Fellowship to serve low-income claimants who have been denied Public Assistance and/or Unemployment Insurance Benefits in Steuben and Allegany County should apply.  If awarded, the Equal Justice Works Fellowship project will be for a two-year term of service to start in September 2026. 

“Through the Design-Your-Own Fellowship program, Equal Justice Works seeks to create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. Equal Justice Works Fellows work to ensure equal access to justice and address unmet legal needs among underserved populations across the country.” 

See
Design-Your-Own Fellowship - Equal Justice Works for more information.  

The deadline to apply for the Design-Your-Own Fellowship is September 18, 2025.
We anticipate recruiting an eligible candidate by August 18, 2025, to apply for the fellowship in collaboration with LawNY® as the host organization.  Acceptance by LawNY® to apply to the Equal Justice Works Design-Your-Own Fellowship with LawNY® does not guarantee approval by Equal Justice Works to fund the fellowship project.  

Equal Justice Works selects applications to interview with the sponsoring organization between November 2025 and April  2026. Fellowships are then awarded on a rolling basis throughout this period. If awarded the fellowship, LawNY® anticipates the fellow will start the Public Benefits fellowship project by September 2026, after taking the July 2026 New York State Bar Exam and moving to the Comment start  Bath Office service area Comment end . 

We encourage applicants with a wide range of substantive legal experience to apply. We expect those who fill this position will grow and adapt their practice to the needs of the community and the organization. The candidate must have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help low-income people overcome crisis situations. 

QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position. 

• Eligible to sit for the New York State Bar Exam by the Summer of 2026 and subsequently eligible to be admitted into practice in New York State, or already admitted to practice law in New York State.


• Demonstrated commitment of service to low-income people.

Equal Justice Works Requirements  

• Candidates must be graduates of Equal Justice Works Member Law School by the start of their Fellowships in September 2026.


• Candidates must not have previously held a full-time, permanent public interest attorney position. Candidates with previous law school or other bridge fellowships are eligible, as these are not permanently funded positions. Those currently or previously involved in other Equal Justice Works programs are eligible to apply for the Design-Your-Own Fellowship. Candidates transitioning from the private sector are encouraged to apply, as are those in the midst of finishing clerkships.


• With the exception of the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowship program, candidates may not have participated in any other major fellowship program, including the Skadden Fellowship, Soros Justice Fellowship, Echoing Green Fellowship, Justice Catalyst Fellowship, and Immigrant Justice Corps Fellowship.

RESPONSIBILITIES
These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position.

• Provides legal services to low-income clients regarding Public Assistance and Unemployment Insurance Benefits matters, including advice, negotiation, administrative advocacy, and litigation.


• Develop and maintain specialized knowledge of administrative law and litigation practice as it relates to claims for Public Assistance and/or Unemployment Insurance Benefits.


• Interacts respectfully with clients and staff from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.


• Collaborates with other LawNY® advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations, and community groups, as well as the courts, administrative tribunals, pro bono volunteers, and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education.


• Cooperates in all Equal Justice Works Fellowship grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing, and compliance review.

ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidate’s ability to succeed in the position. While no single candidate will possess all of the listed qualities, the ideal candidate will likely have many of them. LawNY® encourages each candidate to think about their own personal knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as professional skills and expertise in relation to this list.

• Experience incorporating an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens into legal practice.


• An understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.


• Strong interpersonal skills, including a commitment to providing trauma-informed services.


• Excellent use of Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs such as Lexisnexis and Westlaw 


• Lived experience with our client communities.


• True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients.


• Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of LawNY.

COMPENSATION

The starting salary will be that of a Law Graduate at $65,000. Once you have passed the NYS Bar Exam and you are admitted to practice law in the State of New York, you will be considered a Staff Attorney and will move to a salary of $70,000. Practicing attorneys will be paid a salary equivalent to that of a LawNY Staff attorney with the same level of experience. LawNY is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program(PSLF). 

Equal Justice Works Benefits

• Equal Justice Works Fellows gain firsthand experience working on their chosen issue

areas—perfect for recent law school graduates, or others with public interest backgrounds who have yet to practice.

• Fellows work full-time as employees of their host organization during their fellowship

term, and receive the same salary, health insurance, and benefits as a similarly

qualified lawyer at their host organization.

• Equal Justice Works offers a Loan Repayment Assistance Program to Fellows, up to $5,000 per year based on program qualification.


• Fellows participate in the annual Leadership Development Training each fall and engage in learning and peer-to-peer networking throughout the course of their Fellowship.

LawNY® provides an excellent package of fringe benefits, including:

•  94% Employer paid Medical Premium with 100% Employer paid in-network deductible 


• 100% Employer paid Dental Insurance


• 100% Employer paid Life Insurance


• 100% Employer paid Enhanced Short-term Disability


• 100% Employer paid Long-term Disability


• Vision Insurance


• 20 Paid Vacation days per year


• 12 Sick days per year


• 5 Personal days per year


• 13.5 Holidays plus 2 floating Holidays per year


• 35-Hour Work Week


• Hybrid Work Schedule (new staff are eligible to work from home up to 3 days per week. After 6 months, this increases to 5 days per week with Manager approval, as workload permits)
  

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY® has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean, and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester. 

LawNY®’s mission is to increase access to justice through excellent legal representation, advocacy, and service. LawNY®’s vision is a society where one’s social or economic status does not determine access to justice.

LawNY® has been providing high-quality legal representation for 54 years and currently employs over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community.

LawNY® is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are increasingly committed to creating a law firm where racial equity, diversity, and cultural competency are integral components of our work, from client advocacy to internal operations.

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented groups often apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the desired competencies. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet all the desired competencies.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and three professional references, with current email address and phone number, through LawNY®’s BambooHR platform, found here and at www.lawny.org/Employment. When outlining work experience on a resume, candidates are requested to label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/ internships as such. When outlining your interest in applying for the EJW Design-Your-Own fellowship with LawNY® in your cover letter, please also describe how you meet Equal Justice Works’ fellowship eligibility requirements outlined above and one or two paragraphs outlining your proposal for the fellowship, as well as how your vision for this fellowship application aligns with LawNY’s mission. 

To promote social justice and achieve our mission, LawNY® is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your lived and/or professional experience or background has prepared you to contribute to support a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at LawNY®.

Questions or Accommodations? Contact Michelle Grillone at [email protected]

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is an equal opportunity employer. LawNY® strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups whose background may contribute to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. LawNY® welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, veteran status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other consideration protected by law.

This position is considered Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.