Students selected as Liman Fellows secure their own placement, with support available from the Swearer Center and CareerLAB. (See a list of suggested resources for identifying opportunities here.) Summer Fellows have worked on issues such as immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, prison conditions, educational equity, juvenile justice, and marriage equality. Placements can include non-profit organizations providing civil or criminal legal services to individuals, institutions representing particular groups, entities focused on problems of legal and public policy, and law-related media. The fellowship does not provide funding for students to work in for-profit law firms, even those that engage in pro bono work.
In general, the Arthur Liman Public Interest Fellowship program supports work in the United States. On rare occasions, work that has both an international and domestic focus has been supported. On occasion, work with federal, state, or local government, which is targeted at particularly needy populations, has been supported.
The organization and internship opportunity must meet the criteria of our program (Internship over the course of 8-10 weeks, unpaid or low-paid that meets SPRINT summer funding requirements, public interest work, generally with a non-profit organization), and you must confirm your placement if you are accepted into the Liman Fellowship program. Placements are expected to provide a substantial opportunity that should be a student’s primary summer experience.
Incoming fellows are expected to attend the annual Liman Public Interest Colloquium at Yale Law School, held each spring (usually March or April) in New Haven, CT. Current plans are for the 2023 Colloquium to happen in person. Students’ travel from Providence and lodging for the Liman Colloquium are arranged with the Swearer Center, and these expenses are covered by the program.
Summer fellows are required to submit a final report describing their work, due to the Liman Fellowship contact at Brown no later than September 1st, 2023.
The Liman Fellowship may satisfy the practicum requirement for students participating in the Engaged Scholarship Certificate.
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are enrolled in spring 2023 and fall 2023 are eligible to apply for SPRINTs. The program is open to students from any concentration. Students must be available for 8-10-week internships during the summer. Graduating seniors (May '23) are not eligible. International students are eligible to apply but should review SPRINT FAQs about receiving an award from Brown as an international student.
Students who have received summer funding from BrownConnect (LINK, UTRA, Signature Programs) in a previous summer will not receive priority consideration, but are eligible to apply again. Supporting students on Brown University financial aid—particularly students with the highest demonstrated financial need—is the primary priority of the College and available summer funding. Receiving a previous academic year UTRA will not impact your eligibility for a summer SPRINT.
This application is scheduled to open on December 14th, 2023 and can be accessed via Ufunds. To learn more about SPRINT awards, read the FAQs, and apply on UFunds. The deadline for the Liman Fellowship summer SPRINT application is noon Eastern time on February 2, 2023 - applications will not be accepted after this date or time.
Joshua Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Co-Curricular Learning: [email protected]
