Fellows

  • 07 May 2013

    Three Ways Are Better than One: Building Public Interest Law in ChinaNews

    Standing on the front lines of public interest advocacy, PILnet’s International Fellows in China are faced with critical questions of strategy. Is legal aid the most effective way to advance the interests of the public, or is NGO advocacy? Or perhaps engaging the private sector through pro bono? Read more

  • 28 March 2013

    PILnet’s Mission and its Method Find a Home in NepalNews

    After more than a decade of brutal civil war in Nepal, a peace treaty was signed in 2006—the same year PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law welcomed its first Nepali advocates to the International Fellows program. Since then, the Fellowship has included leading Nepali human rights lawyers in every class, in the process building an influential cadre of advocates who are deeply involved in shaping the country’s constitution and its legal system.Read more

  • 01 March 2013

    How to ApplyOur Work

    The application process begins with a call for applications, which outlines selection criteria and encourages public interest lawyers from a number of countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa to apply before the March deadline. Nominating NGOs in the applicants’ home countries submit letters of support to ensure that Fellows will have a platform from which to implement their projects when they return home at the end of the fellowship. The review process of applications begins with a panel of former PILnet Fellows assessing a select number of candidates. These reviews are based off of carefully constructed criteria, which allow for objective identification of the most qualified applicants. The selection committee then makes its final decisions, and successful applicants receive their fellowship invitations in June. Applications are generally accepted from January through March of each year. We encourage you to check back during this time for more details on how to apply and/or subscribe to PILnet Listings to receive notifications regarding this and other opportunities and resources. 2013 PILNET FELLOWSHIP DEADLINE: MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 Applications for the 2013 PILnet Fellowship are invited from candidates in Brazil, China, the Middle East and North Africa region, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, and Southeast Asia *For the Middle East and North Africa region, special consideration will be given to candidates in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia *For Southeast Asia, special consideration will be given to candidates from Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law is pleased to invite applications for the PILnet Fellowship for 2013-2014. PILnet will select lawyers from Brazil, China, the Middle East and North Africa region (especially Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia), Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, and Southeast Asia (especially Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam) for eight months of study and practical experience in New York City. The program, now in its sixteenth year, targets future leaders in various fields of public interest advocacy.  During their eight months in the U.S., PILnet Fellows will develop a project designed to further the rule of law in their home countries. The Fellowship begins with a semester of study at Columbia University School of Law and a series of professional development trainings. In the spring, the PILnet Fellows will participate in study visits to various cities in the U.S. and Europe, as well as two-month internships at New York-based public interest law organizations. At the end of the program, the Fellows will return to their home countries ready to implement the rule of law projects they developed during their Fellowships. PILnet will cover the cost of a round-trip coach airfare to the U.S., housing in New York City, a monthly stipend, and emergency medical insurance. Selected candidates for the Fellowship are required to sign an agreement to the terms of the program, stating that they will complete it in full.           I.    Application Instructions Applicants MUST submit the following documents (all non-English materials must be accompanied by an English translation): A completed program application form (application forms can be downloaded here); A curriculum vitae or resume; A nominating letter from the organization where the applicant is employed, supporting the candidate’s application to the program and indicating how the applicant’s participation in the PILnet Fellowship would benefit the organization/institution; Two recommendation letters from individuals familiar with the candidate’s professional abilities. At least one recommendation letter must come from an individual outside of the nominating organization; A description of a rule of law project that the applicant would like to work on during the program, with practical significance to his/her work upon returning home;* A statement of purpose describing the candidate’s motivation for applying to the PILnet Fellowship and how prior professional and academic experiences have prepared him/her to succeed as a PILnet Fellow (1000 words maximum); A copy of the applicant's law school transcript; A copy of the applicant’s bar membership if available; and Information on the nominating organization/institution. *The rule of law project description should be a two- to three-page outline of a project that the candidate would like to develop during the PILnet Fellowship period. This should include: A preliminary description of the rule of law project; Why it is important that this project be executed; How and why the project can succeed; and Who will be engaged in the home country, the U.S., and Europe, in order to improve the quality of the project. Examples of public interest advocacy projects might include but are certainly not limited to: Promoting legal reform to reduce racial discrimination; Improving implementation and enforcement of children’s rights law; and Establishing legal education clinics in universities.           II.    Selection Criteria Evaluation of Candidate: Public interest leadership potential in his or her country; The nature of the candidate's relationship with the nominating organization (minimum of two years working experience with the organization is required); and The candidate’s ability to effectively communicate in English. Evaluation of Rule of Law Project: The quality of the proposed rule of law project and its potential for promoting public interest law and human rights in the candidate’s home country; and The track record of the nominating organization in promoting public interest advocacy. Submission of application materials via e-mail is strongly encouraged, though printed materials may also be submitted via regular mail to the address on the application. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. If an application is submitted without one of the required components, it will be disqualified unless the applicant can justify why s/he cannot obtain the required information. The DEADLINE for receiving applications at PILnet is Monday, March 25, 2013. Please submit your questions and applications to Erin Carll, Program Coordinator, at pilnetfellowship@pilnet.org. Please note that PILnet cannot provide any financial or logistical assistance for accompanying family members, including in securing suitable family housing. Moreover, Columbia University requires evidence of financial support for accompanying family members before it can issue official invitations required for visa applications. Providing proof of the requisite financial support for accompanying family members will be the responsibility of the applicant.Read more

  • 19 February 2013

    2013 PILnet Fellowship applicationguidelines/faq

    Application form for the 2013 PILnet Fellowship.Read more

  • 06 December 2012

    In Nigeria, Pro Bono Finds Fertile GroundNews

    The Nigerian state of Lagos is taking significant concrete steps to establish a formal system of pro bono legal assistance. The quickly emerging pro bono program was announced by the attorney general of Lagos at a landmark meeting on 8 November at which PILnet staff joined Nigerian authorities to work out a plan of action with the goal of making the Lagos justice system more accessible. Read more

  • 04 May 2012

    Untangling Islamic Law and Women’s RightsNews

    What is the relationship between Islamic law and the rights of women? Does Sharia justify violence against women… or guarantee their protection? Speaking before a capacity audience at PILnet’s New York office on March 22, four PILnet Fellows—all Muslim women with a deep knowledge of Islamic law—addressed these questions and others as they described the legal status and the daily reality of women in their home countries of Indonesia, Jordan, Nigeria, and Palestine. Read more

  • Keeping the Home Fires Burning in China

    17 February 2012

    Keeping the Home Fires Burning in ChinaBlogs

    “When it’s snowing, you should bring coal to the people.” That’s a well-worn expression in China and one I’ve heard many times in Beijing, even when it’s 90 degrees outside. I’ve been reflecting on that phrase and what it suggests about public interest lawyering since the call went out a few weeks ago for PILnet International Fellows. And I’ve been thinking as well about our closely related national fellowship program in China, which recently graduated its first class of highly promising young public interest advocates. The China Fellows are truly carrying coal through the snow, providing legal assistance to people and organizations in need in uncertain times. Read more

  • 03 February 2012

    2012 International Fellows Applicationguidelines/faq

    The PILnet International Fellows application for the class of 2012.Read more

  • 22 September 2011

    PILnet Fellow Takes Helm of European Roma Rights CenterNews

    Dezideriu Gergely, a 2004 PILnet International Fellow, has been named executive director of the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), a widely respected international public interest law organization based in Budapest, Hungary, that works to combat anti-Romani racism and human rights abuses. In a legal career dedicated to human rights legal advocacy, Gergely has long focused his work on Roma rights, both in his home country of Romania and across Europe. Read more

  • 01 December 2010

    “In-House Legal Teams Partner with Firms to Win Pro Bono Award,” Inside CounselNews

    PILnet’s successful pro bono collaboration with 70 lawyers from Baker & McKenzie, Accenture, Caterpillar and Merck to further PILnet Fellow Sarmila Shresha’s efforts to protect Nepalese women from sexual exploitation was awarded the 2010 Corporate Pro Bono Partner Award by the Pro Bono Institute and Association of Corporate Counsel. Read more