The Florida Bar Foundation 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Application is Now Available

The Florida Bar Foundation’s 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship application is now available on-line.  Please note that the application deadline date is January 21, 2010.   Applications submitted after January 21, 2010 will not be considered.

Information about the Florida Bar Foundation’s 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Program, including the 2010 Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Program brochure, 2010 Program Placement List, and other application materials may be accessed on the Student Portal.

The Florida Bar Foundation’s Legal Aid Summer Fellowship Program is a great opportunity for law students to work at a Florida legal aid program for eleven weeks during the summer to get hands-on experience while solidifying their commitment to practicing public interest law upon graduation.  

Important Application Information:

Applications will only be accepted via the on-line application form located on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/). Because the Foundation generally receives more than 400 student applications for the 40 available Summer Fellowship positions, they are not able to conduct interviews with students before selecting the top 40 student applicants.  When making selection determinations, they rely on the information provided by the students in their application and in their accompanying attachments such as resumes and writing samples. 

Selection Criteria:

Among the several factors to be considered in the selection of successful applicants are:

Ø        The depth and breadth of the applicant’s commitment and experience in working with the low-income community;

Ø        The applicant’s passion, insight and personal commitment to public service and pro bono work;

Ø        The applicant’s background and personal story, including his or her minority status, cultural diversity and poverty experience;

Ø        The applicant’s future career goals and employment objectives;

Ø        The thoughtfulness, care and clarity the applicant puts into completing the application; and

Ø        The applicant’s writing skills and academic achievements.

Where Can the Application be Found:

The on-line application and other materials can be found in several places on the Foundation’s website (http://www.flabarfndn.org/), by looking in the News from the Foundation section and the Grant Programs section of the homepage (see attachments).  

The on-line application can also be found on the Foundation’s website by following these steps:

1) click on the Grant Programs tab at the top of the homepage,  

2) scroll down to Law Student Assistance,

3) click on the Law Student Assistance button, and then

4) click on the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program button.   

Applicants will need to review and print out the 2010 Program Placement List (found at the Legal Services Summer Fellowship Program webpage) before submitting their application.  Students may list up to 4 program placement preferences on their application. 

Who To Contact:

For additional information or brochures, or if you have any questions during the student application period, the contacts at the Florida Bar Foundation are Clara Bevington (cbevington@flabarfndn.org) or Jennifer Wimberly (jwimberly@flabarfndn.org).  They can be reached by phone at: 407-843-0045.