The University of Michigan Law School and the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) are pleased to announce the Michigan Law Fiza Quraishi Youth Law Fellowship.
This position is open to all interested 3Ls and is a full-time, two-year fellowship. NCYL (www.youthlaw.org) is a nonprofit law firm that amplifies youth power, dismantles racism and other structural inequities, and builds just policies, practices, and culture in support of young people. NCYL staff currently work in the following areas of law and policy with and on behalf of young people: education, juvenile justice, immigration, child welfare, commercial sexual exploitation, adolescent health, reproductive health equity, and mental health. NCYL’s 95 staff members utilize impact litigation, legislative and other policy advocacy, and direct services to ensure children across the country are treated with dignity and fairness.
The fellowship seeks enterprising, motivated applicants committed to improving the lives of marginalized children and youth. Successful applicants will demonstrate they can uphold the incredibly high standards set by former NCYL attorney and University of Michigan Law School graduate Fiza Quraishi. Fiza Quraishi served as a law clerk, law fellow and ultimately staff attorney at NCYL. As a litigator and policy advocate, she won critical access to services and public assistance for children in foster care. Fiza Quraishi was also a visionary who helped create NCYL’s initiative to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children, which has become a national model.
Application
The application cycle for the 2023–2025 fellowship is closed. The 2025–2027 fellowship will open in winter 2025. In order to be considered for the fellowship, you will need to submit your application on Symplicity (Search “Michigan Law Fiza Quraishi Youth Law Fellowship”) by February 19 at 11:59 p.m.
Your application must include:
- a cover letter that indicates any preference for the subject matter of the advocacy you hope to pursue;
- a copy of your resume;
- three references;
- a writing sample;
- and an essay answering the following question (in 750 words or less): Please explain why you want to be a child advocate, how your background/experiences position you to contribute to the field, and why you want to be a law fellow at NCYL.
Selection
Applicants for the Michigan Law Fiza Quraishi Youth Law Fellowship will be considered based on demonstrated commitment to public service and adherence to the criteria in the above description. Finalists will be invited to interview with NCYL. Qualifications include:
- Demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of at-risk youth
- Commitment to working in, and contributing to, a diverse workplace
- Excellent legal analysis and writing skills
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple, complex projects and meet multiple deadlines.
Salary and Location
This is a full-time, exempt position. Salary is competitive at $76,313.00 annually. A geographic salary differential may be applied if the candidate resides somewhere other than the Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, CA, or Washington, DC areas.
NCYL provides a robust benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurances, generous vacation and sick benefits, paid family leave, flexible spending account, commuter benefits, employer contribution to a retirement plan, paid sabbatical, and short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Virginia, Washington DC or Wisconsin.
This position is eligible for 100% remote work through June 30, 2023. It is possible that in July of 2023, NCYL will require people to work in an office, in which case they will need to be in a location where they can commute to a NCYL office regularly (DC, Los Angeles, Oakland or Sacramento).
Questions
If you have questions about the Michigan Law Fiza Quraishi Youth Law Fellowship, you can reach Emily Bretz, Public Interest Director, at [email protected]. You can also contact Shakti Belway, NCYL’s Deputy Director, Program, Policy & Litigation, at [email protected].
Applicants with lived experience within any of our practice areas, and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, are strongly encouraged to apply.
It is the policy of NCYL to provide equal employment opportunities to all Applicants (including Employees) regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law.