Fellowship Opportunities - National Agricultural Law Center

Fellowship Opportunities

National Agricultural Law Center Research Fellowship

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED UNTIL 4/5/2024

Interested individuals should submit a current resume, reference(s), an unofficial law school transcript and a writing sample (10 pages or less) to Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Rumley.  More information is available here.  

The National Agricultural Law Center employ numerous research fellows to help conduct legal research and writing projects that meaningfully assist the NALC and its partners in serving state, regional, and national stakeholders in furtherance of its mission as the nation’s leading source of objective agricultural and food law research and information.  Specific areas of research include but are not limited to:

    • Environmental regulation of agriculture;
    • Food safety and food labeling;
    • Agricultural finance and credit;
    • Legal issues of importance to underserved populations, including BIPOC. These issues may include heirs property, access to credit, environmental law/justice and food system equity;
    • Other relevant issues such as agricultural data and technology, land use, farm programs, local and regional food systems and agricultural labor.

Successful applicants will have completed at least their first year of law school and have demonstrated skills and experience in legal research and writing. Applications must include at least one letter of reference that speaks to the applicant’s research and writing skills. Previous experience or background in agriculture is preferred, but not required. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred, but not required. Applicants must be motivated and capable of reliably implementing work projects in a distance working arrangement. This position requires a commitment of at least ten hours a week, with flexibility given for exams and other academic or holiday events.  Interested individuals will be asked to submit a current resume, reference(s), an unofficial law school transcript and a writing sample (10 pages or less).

Applications are accepted in April, July and November of each year, and are advertised on NALC social media.  Please follow those outlets to stay aware of the current postings.

Underserved/BIPOC Communities Research Fellowship

Interested individuals should submit a current resume, reference(s), an unofficial law school transcript and a writing sample (10 pages or less) to Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Rumley

The National Agricultural Law Center is seeking a research fellow interested in conducting legal research and writing projects that meaningfully assist meaningfully assist the NALC and its partners in furtherance of its mission as the nation’s leading source of objective agricultural and food law research and information, specifically providing resources of value to underserved populations, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) farming and ranching communities.  Major areas of research include but are not limited to:

    • Legal issues of importance to underserved populations, including BIPOC. These issues may include heirs property, access to credit, environmental law/justice and food system.

Successful applicants will have completed at least their first year of law school and have demonstrated skills and experience in legal research and writing. Applications must include at least one letter of reference that speaks to the applicant’s research and writing skills. Previous experience or background in agriculture is preferred, but not required. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is preferred, but not required. Applicants must be motivated and capable of reliably implementing work projects in a distance working arrangement. This position requires a commitment of at least ten hours a week, with flexibility given for exams and other academic or holiday events.  Interested individuals will be asked to submit a current resume, reference(s), an unofficial law school transcript and a writing sample (10 pages or less).

Scott E. Fancher Agricultural Law Research Fellowship

APPLICATION PERIOD CURRENTLY CLOSED.

Interested individuals should submit a current resume, reference(s), an unofficial law school transcript and a writing sample (10 pages or less) to Senior Staff Attorney Elizabeth Rumley.  More information is available here

The Scott E. Fancher Agricultural Law Research Fellowship will be made available beginning in the Fall of 2020 to law students studying or pursuing careers in agricultural law or related fields.  The Fellowship will be devoted to agricultural law research and information activities in the row crop industry.

The Fellowship is made in tribute to the memory of Scott E. Fancher who was an outstanding agricultural lawyer in Arkansas and beyond, demonstrating a longstanding expertise and devotion to the row crop agriculture industry. Scott was an alumni of both the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and the University of Arkansas School of Law Graduate Program in Agricultural & Food Law. Additionally, Scott was a farmer, longtime USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director, important contributor to the work and development of the National Agricultural Law Center.