NLF Community Law Fellowship


The 2022-24 NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship is a 2-year public interest fellowship that will be offered at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association in Washington, DC. The Fellowship will focus on anti-hate advocacy and initiatives.

The Fellowship is available immediately. The selection committee will also consider 3L applicants who can work part-time for the first year and complete the Fellowship full-time upon graduation. Candidates upon graduation willing to move to Washington, DC preferred; remote applicants will be considered.

The NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship Program provides funds directly to NAPABA for the Fellowship, including a salary of $45,000 per year with a $10,000 payment to the Fellow upon completion of the Fellowship. NAPABA will supplement the salary with an additional $15,000 per year, in addition to the funding provided by the NAPABA Law Foundation. The total compensation will be $60,000 per year and a $10,000 payment to the Fellow upon completion of the Fellowship. If the Community Law Fellow is a current 3L, the compensation will be adjusted proportionally based on a 37.5-hour work week. Upon graduation, the Community Law Fellow will be compensated as outlined under the Terms of the Fellowship. NAPABA shall be the employer of the Fellow and will be responsible for providing health and fringe benefits.

Deadline November 30, 2022

The NAPABA Law Foundation Partners and In-House Counsel Community Law Fellowship was launched in 2004 to address the need for attorneys working on behalf of the Asian Pacific American populations. Recognizing that many obstacles prevent committed attorneys from practicing public interest law, including the shortage of entry-level jobs, the Fellowship provides an opportunity for a new attorney to gain substantive experience at a nonprofit national or community-based organization during the two-year Fellowship period. In 2014, NLF launched a second two-year NLF Community Law Fellowship, which availability alternates years with the NLF Partners and In-House Counsel Community Law Fellowship recruitment process. 

The NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship Program seeks to develop the public interest law leaders of the future, whether they continue to work in the nonprofit arena or become pro bono advocates in the private bar. The NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship Program was established by a generous gift from Paul W. Lee of Goodwin Procter LLP to The NAPABA Law Foundation. The NAPABA Law Foundation Community Law Fellowship Program is currently funded through the generous gifts of NAPABA members and Friends of NLF. The Program is administered through the NAPABA Law Foundation, which is a charitable organization that awards scholarships, internships and fellowships, runs the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition and presents other educational programs to advance issues important to the Asian Pacific American community. Both Fellows are funded each at $100,000 for the 2-year Fellowship.