Columbia Public Interest Law Fellows Program

[Katalin Fabian]

Grant Title : Columbia Public Interest Law Fellows Program

 Description
The Constitutional and Legislative Policy Institute (COLPI), an affiliate of
the Open Society Institute (OSI-Budapest), in collaboration with the Public
Interest Law Initiative in Transitional Societies (PILI) at Columbia  Law
School, invite applications for the fellowship program. Three lawyers will
be selected from Central and Eastern  Europe and the former Soviet Union for
two years of study and practical work experience. Criteria for selection
 will include the experience of the applicant, the applicant's potential to
contribute to the development of the human  rights or public interest law
field in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and the suitability of
the applicant's  proposed role in the nominating NGO. Fellows will reside a
total of one year in the United States: one semester of  study at Columbia
University and two three-month internships. Fellows will return to their
home countries after the  first year, where they will spend at least one
year working with their nominating NGO on human rights/public  interest
advocacy on a nonprofit basis (providing legal services, litigating test
cases,  training/educating in human  rights, etc.). Upon their selection,
fellows will be required to sign an agreement with COLPI/OSI-Budapest
according to which he/she will commit to two years in the program (first
year in the United States, second year in  fellow's home country working
with the nominating NGO).

 Requirements
 Applicants with a strong commitment to human rights or public interest law,
a law degree, eligibility for legal practice in his/her country and
proficiency in English may apply. Preference will be given to applicants
under 35 years of age.

 Amount
 $1500 monthly stipend for up to 12 months, round-trip coach airfare, $500
one-time text book allowance, medical  insurance while in the United States,
and local salary for second year

 Deadline
 Apr 1

 Deadline Satisfied
 Receipt of application satisfies deadline date requirement.

 Contact
 Edwin Rekosh, Director, Public Interest Law Initiative, (212) 851-1060
 fax: (212) 851-1064
 e-mail: erekosh at law.columbia.edu or pili at law.columbia.edu

 Internet
 http://www.pili.org/aboutpili/internships.html

 Sponsoring Organization
 Columbia Law School
 435 W 116th St
 New York, NY
 10027