The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources along with the Environmental Law Section of the California Bar Association is pleased to announce the sponsorship of several Fellowships in Environmental Law during the summer of 2011. The ABA Diversity Fellowships in Environmental Law program is designed to increase the diversity of the environmental bar and to foster leadership in the next generation of environmental attorneys. The program is open to first and second year law students and third year night students only.

The Fellowship:

• $5,000 summer stipend (8-10 week internship) for work on legal matters for a government agency or public interest organization working in the fields of environmental, energy or resources law
• Participation in meetings of the American Bar Association’s relevant committees
• Assignment of a mentor from the American Bar Association or California Bar Association

Eligibility:

• First or second year law students (and third year night students)
• Members of economically or socially disadvantaged or other underrepresented groups, including, among others, age, ability/disability, sexual orientation, cultural, linguistic, or geographic backgrounds

Fellowship Criteria:

• Interest in environmental issues
• Academic record (undergraduate and law school)
• Outstanding personal qualities and leadership abilities

Application Requirements:

• A completed application form
• A resume
• An undergraduate transcript
• A law school transcript (except for first year law students)
• A two-page essay describing applicant’s interest in environmental issues and reasons for wanting to participate in the Fellowship
• Two (2) references, including one (1) law school professor

The Application and Attachments: Please provide detailed answers to the application questions and required attachments. The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources will maintain all information received from applicants in confidence but will share the information with the cosponsoring state entity and prospective employers. The Application is available in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format.

Selection Criteria: ABA fellowships will be awarded primarily upon the applicant’s essay, transcript, resume and application. Members of the selection committee will personally interview the most competitive candidates, to determine who will ultimately be selected to participate in the Fellowship.

Instructions: Please return completed applications along with the required documents to ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, c/o Dana Jonusaitis, Section Director, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654. Applications should be either typed or handwritten in block letters. Completed applications and all related documents must be postmarked by or emailed no later than February 25, 2011. Successful applicants shall be contacted within several weeks after the application deadline.

Deadline: Completed applications and related documents must be postmarked by February 25, 2011.

For More Information Contact: Dana Jonusaitis, ABA Section Environment, Energy, and Resources, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654, Phone: (312) 988-5602, Fax: (312) 988-5572, JonusaiD@staff.abanet.org.