Legal Fellow

Roderick MacArthur Foundation • Washington, DC

10d • $0 - $70,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center (MJC) invites rising third-year law students and recent graduates to apply for sponsorship for externally funded legal fellowships in two of the organization’s offices. Selected applicants will work together with MJC attorneys to develop and submit proposals for public interest law fellowships, such as the Equal Justice Works Fellowships, Justice Catalyst, Skadden Fellowship, and law school-specific fellowships. Applicants will have a chance to select their preferred fellowship locations during the application process. The MacArthur Justice Center Legal Fellow must have a demonstrated interest in public interest, social justice, and civil rights. Applicants must be passionate about the MJC mission, eager to learn, and ready to participate as a cross-organizational MJC team member. Applicants must also manage a one or two-year externally supported project of interest to both the Fellow and MJC. The MJC Legal Fellowship is designed to facilitate learning for recent law school graduates and to support the work of MJC. The Legal Fellow must conduct their work under close supervision and direction of an Office Director, Senior Counsel, Supreme Court and Appellate Counsel, or Attorney, including where the Legal Fellow is focused on a particular project. A Legal Fellow is not lead counsel but may be afforded significant responsibilities such as drafting briefs and presenting arguments under close supervision.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree and J.D. required from an ABA accredited law school.
• Experience in civil rights litigation or criminal legal system reform
• Ability to conduct complex legal analysis and fact-finding
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work both independently and within a supportive team environment
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to follow through on assignments independently, to manage several projects and deadlines at once, and to be flexible in the event of changing priorities and deadlines
• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills
• Detail-oriented and a commitment to completing tasks quickly and thoroughly
• Ability to work creatively and effectively as part of a cohesive team to develop new legal initiatives
• Ability to engage with clients and others in the community
• Experience using computer systems and willingness to learn internal programs
• Meticulous record and time-keeping skills
• Ability to create a working environment that is inclusive, equitable and welcoming, and a willingness to honor the diverse experiences and perspectives of MJC staff and clients.
• Admission to the relevant state bar, or eligibility for admission upon hiring.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Products, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, Excel, and Outlook required
• Legal Fellows must reside in the geographical location of their office.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency with Adobe Pro and case management and trial presentation software, such as Relativity, CaseMap, and Clio preferred

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a project of focus for the Fellowship
• Participate in all stages of MJC litigation in trial or appellate courts, including: Case development, screening, and/or investigation; Client outreach and coalition building; Client communications; Analyze and manage documents, in the record and/or as part of discovery; Engaging in written discovery and taking depositions; Legal research, analysis, and brief-writing; Trial, hearing, or oral argument preparation and presentation; Supporting settlement efforts, where appropriate; and Collaborating with co-counsel and conducting meetings/conferences with opposing counsel.
• Collaborate with other MJC Fellows and staff to share learnings
• Work with and support interns and law students in the office
• Participate in meetings and trainings
• Support office functions, events, and hiring
• Build and sustain relationships and professional networks
• Attend MJC organization-wide meetings and regular office planning meetings
• Participate in organization and office-wide trainings

Benefits

• MJC’s 2027-2028 Legal Fellows will be paid $70,000/annually.
• Each Fellow is required to secure at least $50,000 of external funding annually in support of their fellowship.
• If a Fellow’s source of funding is more than $50,000 but less than $70,000, MJC will provide a supplement.
• If a Fellow’s source of funding is greater than $70,000 and the funder requires compensation above $70,000, the Fellow will be paid at the rate determined by the grant agreement with MJC.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level