In April 2016, then-UC President Janet Napolitano announced a first-of-its-kind systemwide fellowship program aimed at helping students at UC Davis School of Law and other UC law schools pursue careers in public interest law. UC President Michael V. Drake confirmed that the Office of the President will continue to support this program.
The President's Public Service Law Fellowships award stipends to promising law students at King Hall, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and UCLA. The funding makes summer positions more accessible for students who want to pursue public-interest legal careers but might otherwise - out of financial need - seek private sector jobs.
"Lawyers who serve the public interest can use the power of the law to effect positive change and strengthen our democracy," Napolitano said. "For the benefit of California and the nation, we want to foster the public-service careers of more UC-educated legal scholars."
The summer fellowships will provide up to $4,000 (1Ls) and $4,500 (2Ls) to subsidize summer public-interest law jobs.
The fellowship program will also help make UC a destination for top law school students who are committed to practicing public interest law.
"Public service has long been a hallmark of UC Davis School of Law. Many of our students are inspired by the principles of service espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for whom the law school building - King Hall - is named," said Dean Kevin R. Johnson. “We are pleased to be able to continue a program that allows students to receive important real-world experience while assisting some of the most vulnerable among us.”