The Cleary Gottlieb Fellowship Program places NY-based associates at legal services organizations for one year, providing critically needed legal work to underserved communities. Throughout the application process, applicants work closely with Cleary’s pro bono practice leadership to identify host organizations that match their interests and skills.
What Do Fellows Do?
Cleary Fellows work in a broad range of practice areas, emphasizing the development of litigation-focused skills. Our fellows primarily work for legal services organizations dedicated to immigration (direct representation, impact litigation), criminal defense (public defender, criminal trials, appeals and post-conviction), civil rights (environmental and racial justice), and family law (domestic violence, orders of protection, and custody/visitation issues).
Fellows have worked at a broad range of host organizations, including ACLU-NJ, The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Federal Defenders of New York, the International Refugee Assistance Project, The Legal Aid Society, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, the Office of the Appellate Defender, and Sanctuary for Families.
Applicants are encouraged to think actively about the type of host organization that would be a good fit and how their year of public service will inform their careers upon returning to Cleary.
Are Fellows Still Part of Cleary?
Fellows are employed by the firm but work at their host organizations for one year doing work only for the host organization.
Fellows stay connected to the Cleary community throughout their fellowship through CLEs, social and professional networking events, and our ongoing Cleary Fellowship Speaker Series.
What Happens After a Fellowship Ends?
At the end of the one-year placement, Fellows rejoin their associate class with respect to salary and seniority.
Learn more about Cleary’s pro bono practice here.