Host a Fellow

Partner with us to host a A2J Tech Fellows at your organization.
a group of students gathered around a table during a working session "The People's digital Platform for Justice" is on the screen in front of them

Hosting an A2J Fellow

Our host sites are community-based organizations committed to addressing unmet needs in their communities by bringing together diverse perspectives and authentically listening to community voices. Partnering with the Access to Justice Tech Fellows Program allows you to host a summer fellow, support innovative legal projects, and directly address critical justice needs within your community.

Key components of our program:

  • Recruitment: We select highly motivated 1L and 2L law students from accredited law schools across the country.
  • Training: Fellows receive comprehensive training in legal technology, project management, and design thinking to prepare them for their assignments.
  • Meaningful Projects: Fellows work on projects that have a lasting impact on your organization and the communities you serve.
  • Ongoing Support: Our program staff provides continuous support to both fellows and host organizations throughout the fellowship.

Fellows are equipped to contribute to a wide variety of projects, such as:

  • Developing Online Legal Resources: Creating self-help tools, informational websites, or interactive guides for clients.
  • Implementing Case Management Systems: Helping your organization adopt or optimize legal tech solutions to improve efficiency and service delivery.
  • Data Analysis and Visualization: Analyzing data to support decision-making and demonstrate the impact of your work.
  • Digital Outreach and Education: Enhancing your organization's online presence through social media, webinars, or virtual workshops to reach a broader audience.
  • Process Improvement: Streamlining workflows and processes using technology to better serve clients and improve organizational efficiency.

About the Fellowship

The Access to Justice Tech Fellows Program is a national initiative that identifies, trains, and matches talented law students with host organizations for a 10-week summer fellowship. Fellows work full-time on projects that utilize technology to enhance legal service delivery and expand access to justice. Fellowship placements are 10-week full-time commitments where fellows are placed at non-profit organizations, legal services agencies, courts, or other entities working to advance access to justice. Fellows work on projects that leverage technology to improve legal services and address critical justice issues and expand access to justice for underserved communities.

  • Developing digital tools for self-represented litigants
  • Designing technology solutions to help vulnerable communities navigate the legal system
  • Strengthening Institutional Partnerships and Networks

Who are A2J Tech Fellows

A2J Tech Fellows are passionate, mission-driven law students with a commitment to bridging the justice gap through technology. Our Fellows are trained in legal technology, design thinking, and project management, preparing them to support your organization's innovative initiatives. Fellows have a wide range of backgrounds, bringing fresh perspectives and skills to address pressing legal challenges.

Meet Our Fellows

What We Ask of Host Organizations?

Project Development: Develop a meaningful work plan that clearly defines specific projects and objkectives that align with the fellow's skills and interests to ensure that the work is mutually beneficial and impactful. Assign engaging, substantive projects that are crucial to your organization’s mission, ensuring that fellows can apply their skills effectively.

Supervision and Support: Assign a dedicated supervisor to guide the fellow throughout the fellowship, offering regular feedback, professional development, and support Create a welcoming atmosphere that encourages learning, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas, respecting and valuing diversity. Ensure the fellow has a suitable workspace, technology, and access to necessary information and stakeholders. Involve the fellow in meetings, organizational activities, and team events to make them feel like an integral part of your team.

Capstone Support: Help your Fellow prepare for the capstone presentation at the end of the program.

Participation in Check-ins: Engage in quarterly check-ins and complete post-program evaluations to ensure ongoing collaboration and improvement.Participate in orientation sessions and periodic check-ins to ensure that the fellow integrates smoothly into the organization and community. Maintain open communication with the fellow and program staff to ensure the success of the placement.

How to Become a Host Organization?

Submit a Host Application: Complete our application to express your interest in hosting a fellow, as well as details about your organization and the proposed fellowship project, including the scope of work, objectives, and desired qualifications. Once submitted, our team will contact you to discuss your organization’s needs and project ideas.

Mentor Matching:
We’ll match your organization with a fellow whose skills align with your project goals and skills of the fellows. We prioritize creating mutually beneficial pairings to ensure the best fit for both parties. You will be notified when a match is made, and you can then finalize the details with the fellow.

Onboarding & Orientation: Your fellow will undergo comprehensive training before starting the fellowship. Our team will guide you through the onboarding process to ensure the fellow integrates seamlessly into your organization.

Placement Fee: To support the fellowship program, we ask host organizations to contribute a placement fee:
Nonprofit and Public Sector Organizations: $2,500
Private Sector Organizations
: $4,000

This fee helps fund the fellow’s stipend and program costs, ensuring the sustainability of the program and its impact. Investment in Future Leaders: Your contribution helps sustain the program and develop the next generation of legal innovators.




Program Timeline

December 1, 2024: Host applications open
February 15, 2025: Priority application deadline
March 15, 2025: Host organizations notified and matched with fellows
April 2025: Host orientation session
May 2025: Fellow orientation and training
June 1, 2025: Fellowship begins
August 7, 2025: Fellowship concludes

Why Host a Fellow?

Amplify Your Impact

Fellows provide dedicated support to help your organization take on new projects that advance justice through technology. They can help your team expand its capacity, implement new initiatives, and bring innovative solutions to your community.

Skills and Fresh Expertise

Our Fellows are trained in cutting-edge legal technology and innovation practices, enabling them to bring fresh skills and knowledge to your organization. Fellows come from a diverse range of backgrounds and professional sectors relating to Governance and Civil Society. Fellows are between the ages of 25 and 40 years old, have demonstrated expertise in their field, are currently employed, and have at least two years of relevant professional experience.

Contribute to the Growth of Future Change-makers

By hosting a Fellow, your organization will play a critical role in developing the next generation of legal professionals committed to social justice and technology-driven solutions.

Benefits as a Host Organization

Collaborative Project Development

You and your fellow will co-create a project that directly addresses a community legal need, leveraging technology to improve access to justice. With their technological expertise, fellows contribute fresh solutions that can help solve key challenges and enhance your organization's services and impact. Fellows can also help address critical legal needs and advance projects that may require more resources or attention than your organization can provide on its own.

Dedicated Fellow Support

Fellows work full-time (400 hours) over 10 weeks and receive a $4,000 stipend from the A2J Tech Fellows Program. They are fully prepared to make an immediate impact on your organization. Fellows work approximately 40 hours per week, Monday through Thursday, with Fridays reserved for program seminars and professional development activities. While the start and end times are flexible, fellows are expected to contribute fully to your organization's projects during this time.

Fellow Responsibilities

Engagement and Initiative: Fellows are expected to take initiative, manage their tasks independently, and contribute beyond the specific projects assigned.

Professionalism
: Fellows will maintain high standards of conduct, collaboration, and reliability throughout their time with your organization.

Adaptability
: Fellows are prepared to adjust their approach based on your organization's needs and feedback, ensuring they are flexible and responsive.

Capstone Project Presentation

At the end of the fellowship, Fellows present their project outcomes, showcasing how their work contributed to advancing your organization’s goals. Hosting a fellow provides an opportunity to identify potential future team members who are passionate about access to justice and legal innovation.

Don’t just take our word for it

Hear from some of our amazing partner organizations who have benefited from the program
Ms. Hall brought her own technological expertise to the ATJ Tech Fellow. Her passion and competence in technology substantially increased our capacity for analyzing real-world data and research and testing the feasibility of select website enhancements. We were able to accomplish much more - with greater confidence in our results- due to the ATJ Tech Fellow.
Alex Clark
Montana Legal Services
"Hosting an Access to Justice Tech Fellow was a rewarding experience. The fellow's contributions significantly advanced our project to develop an online legal clinic, and their enthusiasm energized our team."
Alex Martinez
Director of Legal Services, Justice for All Organization
Our Fellow was a tremendous asset to our intense, week long design sprint for our tech project. She attended our all-day sessions only a week into her Fellowship and despite a 4hr time difference! Nevertheless, her critical and systems thinking skills and her fresh perspective, combined with her 1L familiarity with legal concepts, meant she participated in the sprint process as an equal to the attorneys and tech professionals. ALSC was very pleased with the result and grateful for her contribution and the follow-up work to turn the project's concept into a product shaped by the needs of our client community.
Eric Vang
Alaska Legal Services Corporation
"Our fellow brought fresh ideas and technical expertise that helped us streamline our case management system. We highly recommend participating in this program."
Jennifer Lee
Managing Attorney, Community Legal Aid
"Hosting an Access to Justice Tech Fellow was a transformative experience for our organization. Our fellow significantly impacted our project to develop an online legal resource portal, and their enthusiasm energized our entire team. Our fellow developed a document automation system that saved our attorneys countless hours, allowing us to serve more clients efficiently."
Karen Smith
Director at Community Legal Services
"Our fellow's contributions were transformative. They developed a mobile app that streamlined our intake process, greatly improving our efficiency."
Lisa Nguyen
Director at Community Legal Aid

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