Fellowships Offered by the Florida Bar Foundation

Florida Bar Foundation-Funded Fellowships

The Florida Bar Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by Florida lawyers and the Supreme Court of Florida.  The Foundation fulfills its mission "to provide greater access to justice" through various grant projects.  The funding for the fellowships listed below is provided through Florida's Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) Program.

The Florida Bar Foundation Legal Services Summer Fellowship is a program for law students enrolled in Florida law schools who may be selected to work at Legal Services and Legal Aid programs funded by IOTA throughout the State of Florida.  Open to 1Ls, but preferring 2L applicants, this full-time summer employment requires students to apply to the Foundation, choosing their employer preference site placement from a list provided. Selected students are first trained, then sent to work full-time for 10-12 weeks during the summer with excellent pay.  The deadline is generally in late January.

Through a grant provided by the Florida Bar Foundation NSU Law runs a year-round Public Service Fellows Program for second and third year students interested in public service.  Students are paid at the rate of $15/hour for their work and are required to work a certain number of hours, take a classroom component, and attend and participate in group projects, lectures and reporting.  There are two aspects of this program:

1)  Mediation-Fellows are trained to mediate actual cases in the areas of juvenile law and/or provide services for victim/offender restitution cases at the courthouse.  Students may apply after the end of their first year to be trained to mediate these cases and commit to completing 100 hours of service.

2)  General Public Interest-Students who wish to work with a public interest organization in the community may apply during the second semester of their first year and will be placed at an agency providing legal services to low-income or underrepresented communities.  Students commit to completing approximately 200 hours with the organization throughout the entire academic year.