Fellowship Application Process

The Borchard Fellowship in Law & Aging affords one year for two law school graduates interested in, and perhaps already in the early stages of pursuing, an academic and/or professional career in law and aging, the opportunity to pursue their research and professional interests.

During the Fellowship period, the Center’s Executive Director and Assistant Director stand ready to assist each Fellow with the further development of his/her knowledge, skills, and contacts. A legal services or other non-profit organization involved in law and aging must supervise a Fellow’s activities and projects. In addition to the Fellow's planned activities and project (unless the Fellow's project includes the provision of legal services), the Fellow must also provide some pro bono direct legal services to older persons under appropriate supervision. A Fellow is expected to provide the Center with monthly activities reports.

The Fellowship is $40,000 and is intended as a full-time position only. The Fellow’s sponsoring agency is responsible for providing employee benefits, workspace, administrative support, computer, telephone, email access, and employer’s FICA payment. Fellows may live and work where they choose in the United States; Fellows must be either U.S. citizens or legal residents of the U.S.

The Fellowship period runs from July 1 to June 30 each year, or for the calendar year beginning the month after the Fellow’s completion of a state Bar examination.

Examples of activities and projects by recent Borchard Fellows include:

• Writing and publication of law review articles on law and aging issues;
• Writing and publication of state specific, consumer oriented handbooks on legal issues affecting older persons;
• Teaching elder law and related courses at law schools where fellows reside;
• Development of a non-profit senior law resource center providing direct legal services and public education;
• Development of an interdisciplinary elder law clinical program at a major public university law school;
• Development of a mediation component for a legal services program elder law hotline;
• Development of an interdisciplinary project for graduate students in law, medicine, and health advocacy to foster understanding and collaboration between professions;
• Development of training materials and statewide trainings for lawyers, judges and other court personnel, and social service providers on new comprehensive state guardianship laws;
• Organizing and/or attending national conferences on law and aging issues;
• Providing supervised pro bono legal representation of older clients;
• Analysis of Medicare policies;
• Development of legal services programs for older clients in consumer law and small claims matters.

Fellowship Application Annual Timeline

• Application submission deadline:  April 15
• Application review process: April 16 through May 31
• Fellows announced:  No later than June 15
• Fellowship period:  July 1 though June 30 (unless otherwise arranged)
• Reports due:  Monthly reports during the Fellowship period; final report no later than one month following the end of the Fellowship period.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a completed online application including an explanation of the applicant’s planned activities and projects, a current curriculum vitae, a law school transcript, a letter of support from the proposed supervisor, and two other letters of support.  Submit your online application here.