Each year, the Berkeley Law Foundation solicits proposals for public interest law grants by recent law graduates and new attorneys (less than five years from law school graduation). Grants are for a one year period, and applications are generally due in mid-January for a fellowship period starting in the fall of the following year.

The BLF usually awards one or two grants per year to recent law graduates or new lawyers undertaking public interest projects that serve legally disadvantaged or underrepresented groups. We generally view our grants as seed money for projects that will continue to provide much needed legal services for many years.

Applications for the 2012-2013 grant cycle will be due in January 2012.  Applications are reviewed through March 2012, and finalists will receive notice of the offer of an interview in late March, with interviews occurring in early April 2012, and announcement of the yearlong grantee(s) by May 1, 2012.

For more information about the criteria by which the fellowships are awarded, please see the Berkeley Law Foundation – Request for Proposals, 2012-2013.

Have questions about the year-long grants? Email us.