About Us
The Fellowship is Ms. JD's program to promote mentoring and professional development to women law students.
Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding rising 3L students as Fellowship recipients. In addition to receiving invitations and financial support to attend a Ms JD NWLSO Leadership Academy Intensive, each Fellowship recipient is paired with a mentor and will complete a project that benefits the community or women in the legal profession generally. Beyond the mentorship, each year, the Fellows tell us that one of the best parts of the Fellowship is meeting the other incredible rising 3Ls. Many Fellows remain friends long after their fellowship year is over.
How to Apply
The process of selecting Ms. JD Fellows is holistic. Fellows are selected based on academic performance, leadership, and dedication to advancing the status of women in the legal profession. The most successful applicants are those that are able to integrate their personal and professional experience to tell a compelling story of why they wish to be involved with Ms. JD.
Before starting your application, please be sure to have the following files available: a copy of your resume, your unofficial law school transcript(s), and a cover letter than answers the following questions: Why would you like to participate in the Ms. JD Fellowship? How have you demonstrated leadership ability, both in and out of law school?
The deadline to apply for the 2023-2024 Ms. JD Fellowship program is April 2, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (PT).
BECOME A MS. JD FELLOW
DEVELOP NEW SKILLS
- Develop a solution to elevate or support women in the legal profession.
- Develop and moderate Ms. JD Community conversations for the benefit of the whole community.
GROW YOUR NETWORK
- Build relationships with current and past Ms. JD Fellows.
- Connect with other like-minded women in law school.
BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
- Ms. JD Fellows receive invitations and financial support to attend a Ms. JD NWLSO Leadership Academy Intensive.
- Add a distinguished experience and honor to your resume and on LinkedIn.
Oumou Keita from Ms. JD on Vimeo.
Jessica Biondo from Ms. JD on Vimeo.
GET TO KNOW OUR SPONSOR
We are honored to have Skadden return as a sponsor for the 2023-2024 Ms. JD Fellowship program.
From its inception in 1948, Skadden has sought to provide clients with a full range of legal services. The firm has built a range of complementary practices, including litigation, tax, and antitrust. Skadden has offices in over 20 locations around the world.
2023-2024 SCHEDULE
The Fellowship Application will close on Saturday, April 2, 2023, at 11:59 pm (PT). Finalists for the Ms. JD Fellowship will be asked to participate in virtual Fellowship interviews that will take place from April 17-25. The 2023-2024 Ms. JD Fellows will be selected and notified by May 7, 2023.
Fellowship Chats
Once a month, Ms. JD Fellows and Mentors will join to discuss topics including impostor syndrome, mental wellness, and the bar exam.
Annual Conferences
Ms. JD Fellows are invited to the attend the NWLSO Leadership Academy Intensive in March of 2024.
Ms. JD Fellowship Projects
Ms. JD Fellows are required to complete a Ms. JD Fellowship Project where they are asked to host an event, workshop, or program on their law school campus.
READY TO APPLY?
Before starting your application, please be sure to have the following files available: a copy of your resume, your unofficial law school transcript(s), and a cover letter than answers the following questions: Why would you like to participate in the Ms. JD Fellowship? How have you demonstrated leadership ability, both in and out of law school?
Application must be submitted by April 2, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (PT).
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TESTIMONIALS
Becoming a Ms. JD Fellow was one of the best opportunities that I have experienced as a law student. Ms. JD gave me the opportunity to gain multiple mentors and to network with like-minded attorneys and other law students across the nation. As a first-generation law student, having the opportunity to be connected to an organization that focuses specifically on the success of women in the legal field opened doors for me that never would have been opened before.
Alana R. Glover
2019 Ms. JD Fellow, University of Baltimore School of Law
One of the accomplishments from my tenure as Chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession of which I am the most proud is partnering with Ms. JD to create the Fellows Program. The Fellows are the future of our profession, and the other mentors and I have greatly enjoyed sharing the accumulated wisdom and insights we have gained during our careers. Hopefully, the Fellows Program has provided a valuable springboard from which all of the Fellows can launch successful careers of their own, and I know that one day they too will “pay it forward” for aspiring young women law students coming behind them.
Roberta D. Liebenberg
Senior Partner, Fine, Kaplan and Black, RPC
THE NEXT GENERATION
The one-year program is designed to foster a commitment to excellence in a new generation of women attorneys, inspired by the generation of trailblazers who paved the way for their success.
FAQs
What is the Ms. JD Fellowship?
In 2010, Ms. JD founded a project in partnership with the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, the Ms. JD Fellowship. The Ms. JD Fellowship as created in order to promote mentoring and professional development for future female attorneys.
What does the Ms. JD Fellowship entail?
Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding rising 3L students (dual degree candidates entering their last year may also apply) as Fellowship recipients. The Fellowship continues until May of 2024, during which:
- The Fellows receive invitations and financial support to attend Ms. JD’s NWLSO Leadership Academy Intensive in March of 2024;
- Each Fellow is paired with a mentor and will meet regularly with their mentor to develop a long lasting relationship.
- Fellows will complete a project that will provide a benefit for their community or for women in the legal profession in general. In 2013, for example, the Fellows published an e-book on succeeding in law school and beyond.
- The Fellows will meet regularly for Fellowship Chats where they will hear from guest speakers on topics such as impostor syndrome, the bar exam, and mentoring.
How are Ms. JD Fellows selected?
The process of selecting Ms. JD Fellows is holistic. Fellows are selected based on academic performance, leadership, and dedication to advancing the status of women in the legal profession. The most successful applicants are those that are able to integrate their personal and professional experience to tell a compelling story of why they wish to be involved with Ms. JD.
I am not a second-year law school student ("2L" or rising 3L). Can I still apply to the Fellowship?
First of all, thank you for your interest in the Ms. JD Fellowship! The Ms. JD Fellowship is only open to rising 3Ls. If you are a 1L, we strongly encourage you to apply next year. We also accept applications from part-time law students or law students who are part of a joint degree program on a case-by-case basis. If you are a part-time or joint-degree law student who is interested in the Fellowship, please email fellowship@ms-jd.org to inquire about your eligibility.
Can you add some information to my application after I have submitted it?
No, we cannot alter or add information to your application form, manuscript, or statement of plans once we have received it (the only exception is if your or your recommender’s contact information changes). Please make sure your application is ready and complete before you submit it. Please do not contact us to let us know one of your manuscripts has been published or received an award; this information will not have any bearing on our decision.
How are applicants selected?
Applications are read thoroughly by a committee. The committee members then score applicants based on a rubric and then discuss the most promising applicants they consider the most suitable for the Ms. JD Fellowship program.
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