Public Interest Careers

The Law School’s commitment to training and supporting students pursuing public interest opportunities has encouraged a large number of graduates each year to pursue careers in the public interest. To support students and alumni in pursuing careers in public interest, the Law School provides:

Financial support, including the Robina Public Interest Scholars Program, summer funding and work study awards, conference and job fair funding, post-graduate fellowships, and the MN LRAP;
Resource support, including a dedicated Assistant Director of Public Interest and a Public Interest & Judicial Clerkship Advisor who assist students and alumni in public service career paths and judicial clerkships, direct programming, recruit employers, and manage summer and post-graduate funding programs;
Skill building support, including the clinical program, Saeks Public Interest Residency Program, experiential opportunities, and pro bono opportunities.

Public Interest Facts & Stats

Summer Opportunities
In summer 2019, 50% of current 2Ls and 36% of current 3Ls worked at government agencies or nonprofit organizations.

Public Interest Fellowships
From 2016-19, nine graduates were awarded prestigious post-graduate fellowships with Equal Justice Works.

Entry Level Careers in Public Service
More than 42% of our employed graduates from the class of 2018 started directly in public interest careers and judicial clerkships, serving in nonprofit, government, and international organizations. Graduates started public interest jobs across the country, including in Washington D.C., New York, California, Illinois, and Minnesota, among other states. Read more about post-clerkship employment.

More information on annual NALP and ABA reporting for government and nonprofit positions is available in the Career Facts & Statistics reports under Where Grads Go.

School-Funded Fellowships

Robina Post-Graduate Fellowships

Robina Post-Graduate Fellowships are supported by the Robina Foundation in recognition of the need for greater funding for recent graduates who want to pursue public interest work. This highly competitive fellowship program provides funding for fellows to work full-time, for one year, in a legal or policy role at a nonprofit or government agency.

Organizations where Robina fellows have worked include:

American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas
American Red Cross, International Humanitarian Law Unit
Earthjustice
Gender Justice
International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
Mid Minnesota Legal Aid
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
National Immigrant Justice Center
Sierra Club
UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency
United Nations, UN Women, Peace and Security Division
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
Guernica Centre for International Justice
Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law

Bridge Fellowships

Bridge Fellowships, sponsored by the Robina Foundation, support recent graduates in paths to public service. Bridge Fellowships provide short-term funding for graduates to work at government agencies and nonprofit organizations—locally, nationally, and internationally—while they search for permanent employment. All fellows work closely with their career counselors to secure quality placements and to best utilize their fellowships to secure permanent work. More than 75% of our Bridge fellows have continued in careers in public service.

Organizations where Bridge fellows have worked include:

NYC Metro Transit Authority
National Health Law Program
Southern Center for Human Rights
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
Housing Justice Center
Minnesota Dept. of Labor and Industry
Mid Minnesota Legal Aid
NFL Players Association
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources
Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office
Advocates for Human Rights
DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
Public defender offices, both locally and nationally
US Courts, including federal district, state appellate, and trial courts