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Young Lawyers Division Fellowships
ABA Senior Bar Initiatives To Attract YLD Members

Several ABA Sections have developed fellowship programs, the goals of which are to provide active young lawyers an opportunity to become involved in the substantive work of the respective ABA Sections, to develop future leaders of that Section, and to enhance knowledge about the work of the Section among members of the YLD. These programs are extremely successful in meeting these goals and have provide a significant benefit to the Sections that have implemented them. To apply for any of these Fellowships, contact the section directly for an application and deadline dates.

  • Section of Business Law. ABA Section of Business Law Seeks Fellows Nominations
    The ABA Section of Business Law is now accepting nominations for its Fellows Program. The goal of the Program is to increase the participation of young lawyers in Section activities. The Section is committed to investing dollars in young lawyers who are expected to participate actively in the substantive work of the Section and to grow into future leadership positions within the Section. The Program is designed not only to develop future leaders of the Section but also to enhance the image of the Section among members of the YLD in order to attract young lawyers into Section membership. The Section will select five Fellows and will fund their expenses to participate in Section activities for two years.

    For more information about the program, including full program information and an application, please visit our website at
    http://www.abanet.org/buslaw/committees/CL715000pub/fellows.shtml

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  • General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section ("GP"). The GP Section established a Diversity Fellows Program in the 1999/2000 bar year. The program is designed to promote ethnic diversity within the Section, recruit members of color, and provide leadership development opportunities within the section for members of color. The Section's Diversity Committee and Membership Board will identify and nominate three lawyers of color who will be appointed by the Chair-elect to funded fellowship positions within the Section effective as of the following bar year. Upon completion of successful active participation in the first scholarship year, these participants will be appointed to regularly funded positions within the Section the following bar year, giving consideration to the Section's existing needs and the participant's preferences based on the first year participation. Selection to the program is based on the individual's achievement and commitment to the Organized Bar and the GP Section. Fellows are required to attend three of the Section's meetings during their fellowship period. Fellows also agree to remain a member of the Section for a two-year period after their fellowship concludes and to participate in the activities and programs of the Section.

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  • The Section of Intellectual Property Law.The ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law's Young Lawyer Fellowship Porgram was created to help encourage young lawyers to become actively and integrally involved in the Sections's meetings and committees. The ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law (“ABA-IPL” or “Section”) is now in the process of seeking new nominees to fill at least three two-year positions. As a proven leader in the Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) or in the Young Lawyers Committee (“YLC”) of the ABA-IPL, you now have the opportunity to join and become a part of a new Fellowship Program. Participants in the Young Lawyer Fellowship Program will be expected to attend the IPL Midwinter Meeting and Summer IPL Conference for two consecutive years, as well as any stand-alone meetings of their committees.
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  • Section of Labor & Employment Law. The Labor & Employment Section's fellows program is designed to give young lawyers who practice labor and employment law the opportunity to become familiar with and actively involved in the Section. Up to three individuals will be selected each year for a two-year Fellowship Program with the Section. Participants will be assigned to a substantive committee within the Section, and will be assigned a mentor. Participants will be expected to attend the midyear meetings for the committee on which the individual is placed as well as an orientation session on the Sunday of the annual meeting. In addition to waiver of the registration fee, participants will be funded by the Section for the midyear meetings, including individual super saver airfare; parking and ground transportation to and from the airport; the conference rate for a hotel room for the duration of the midyear committee meeting or up to $100 per diem, whichever is higher.

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  • Law Practice Management Section ("LPM"). The LPM Section established a fellowship program called the Leadership Mentoring Program. The program is presented by LPM's Diversity Committee and Young Lawyer/Law Student Division. The program was established to develop and mentor young lawyers and ethnically diverse members to be future leaders of the Section. The "Leadership Appointee" will receive funding to attend LPM's Fall and Spring meetings. Each appointee will be paired up with a mentor and will serve on a Section committee, as well as either the Section's Diversity Committee or Young Lawyer/Law Student Division.

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  • Section of Litigation.The Litigation Section Leadership Development Program (the "Leadership Program") enables five young lawyers to become actively and integrally involved in the Section's meetings and committee activities. The Leadership Program participants are required to attend all Section meetings and become an active participating member of one or more committees of the Section. Each participant is required to work on a designated project for the Section. The participants are funded to the Section's meetings. In selecting participants for the Leadership Program, the Section considers prior participation in the Section, prior participation in the YLD Litigation Committee, participation and involvement in other offices or committees in the ABA, determination, commitment and enthusiasm. Preference is given to candidates who, without the scholarship, would otherwise be unable to attend or actively participate in the Section.

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  • Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law. The Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section has adopted a fellows program that calls for four Fellows (two of whom will be minorities) to serve two-year terms with the Section. Each Fellow will be granted an annual stipend of $1,500 in return for which the Fellow will be expected to attend the Spring and Annual meetings, work actively in committees, help the Section work more closely with the YLD, and help recruit more members to the Section. The Section will appoint a mentor for each Fellow. Each Fellow will be assigned to a substantive committee. More Information

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  • Torts and Insurance Practice Section ("TIPS"). TIPS Now! The Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) is pleased to announce the TIPS NOW! Scholarship program that provides leadership opportunities for young lawyers. TIPS NOW! is a leadership initiative that brings young leaders into TIPS. Five to ten Fellows will be chosen each year and will be diverse in terms of practice area (plaintiff, defense and corporate counsel), gender and race, and will have demonstrated involvement in bar association and non-bar related activities. The Fellows will be appointed to funded positions on TIPS standing committees, such as Membership and Long Range Planning. They will help with membership initiatives and will also serve on the TIPS Task Force on Outreach to Young Lawyers. Additionally, the TIPS NOW! Fellows will work together as a committee to produce a tangible work product for TIPS during the course of the year. The Fellows will be required to attend meetings held in conjunction with the ABA Midyear and Annual Meetings, as well as a Fall Conference, typically held in October, and a Spring Conference, typically held in May.

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