Location: Washington, DC, United States
The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is one of the nation's leading national racial justice legal organizations. Formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy, the Lawyers' Committee uses legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of our democracy real. The organization has litigation, public policy, and advocacy programs in Voting Rights, Election Protection, Digital Justice, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Economic Opportunities, and Fair Housing.
About this Role: The Fair Housing and Community Development Project ("FHCD") works to fight housing discrimination and promote equal housing opportunities, using legal strategies, community engagement, and advocacy to ensure fair housing practices and equitable access to resources for Black communities and communities of color. Fellows become involved with substantive legal activities, including co-counseled litigation with prominent law firms — client contact, case investigation, discovery, negotiations, amicus briefs, appeals, and trial practice. Non-litigation activities include legal services to community-based organizations, legislative and public policy advocacy, and public education on civil rights matters.
Fellowship Overview: The Project's current priorities include combatting exclusionary zoning and displacement, defending and advancing key housing justice and civil rights statutes and principles, and defending institutions that direct federal funding into community development. The Project uses a multipronged approach of litigation, policy advocacy, and strategic research and publication, working closely with grassroots housing justice and civil rights movement partners. The Project seeks fellowship proposals advancing its interests in either combatting exclusionary zoning or residential displacement.
What You'll be Doing: Support impact litigation designed to combat policies that perpetuate segregation and disproportionately affect Black communities and communities of color, and engage in related advocacy.
Minimum Requirements and Competencies: JD or anticipated JD by May 2027; a strong and demonstrated commitment to civil rights and racial justice; creative approach to civil rights work and ability to take initiative during project development and implementation; prior experience working with or ties to Black communities and/or communities of color; excellent research, writing, and analytical skills demonstrated through writing samples, internship and clinical experience, and academic records; ability to work cooperatively on a variety of projects and to develop and maintain positive relationships with diverse clients and community organizations; effective written and oral communication in both legal and non-legal settings.
Job Type: Term (2027-2029). Union affiliation: represented by the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union. Accountable to the Acting Co-Chief Counsel. Salary and Benefits: The Fellow will be paid by applying for outside fellowship funding, and the fellowship will only commence if outside funding is granted. If fellowship funding is lower than the Lawyers' Committee salary scale, the organization will pay an additional amount to bring the fellow up to the appropriate salary. The salary for an attorney receiving their JD in 2027 is $76,000. Benefits include healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision), parental leave, 403(b) with employer match, voluntary short- and long-term disability, and an employer-paid monthly cell phone stipend.
Closing date: 2026-11-05
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply online through the Lawyers' Committee career page. Interested candidates should submit a proposal that includes a resume, a personal statement of relevant experience and qualifications for the project, and contact information for at least two professional or academic references. Applicants must also attach a legal writing sample, an official or unofficial transcript, and a short project proposal — all three documents are required for consideration. For reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, contact Human Resources at humanresources@lawyerscommittee.org.
https://lawyerscommitteeforcivilrightsunderlaw.applytojob.com/apply/vzS2pNXD9i/Externally-Funded-Fellowship-20272029-Fair-Housing-Community-Development