Externally Funded Legal Fellow 2027-2028

About the role#

The Externally Funded Legal Fellow will join the national Legal & Policy team at Local Progress and the Local Progress Impact Lab for the 2027–2028 cycle. This fellowship is designed for recent law school graduates to support the organization’s work on racial and economic justice, including climate justice, affordability, local government revenue generation, and opposing surveillance technology. The fellow will work under the supervision of the Deputy Legal Director to provide resources and strategy to a network of local elected officials across the United States.

What you'll do#

• Support the growth of legal and policy resources for members on a broad array of issues.
• Provide research support to elected officials across various geographies.
• Collaborate closely with Local Progress members to win and defend transformational local policy.
• Provide timely resources and strategy, including drafting ordinances and navigating preemption issues.
• Work as part of the broader Legal and Policy team to build organizational capacity.

What you'll need#

• A Juris Doctor degree, required by the start of the fellowship in 2027.
• Excellent analytical skills for legal and policy research.
• Proficiency in legal research tools, specifically Westlaw and LexisNexis.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently.
• Ability to balance multiple projects, anticipate obstacles, and identify ways to navigate challenges.
• Comfort with written and verbal communication, including the ability to synthesize complex policy considerations into clear summaries.
• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and an interest in local government and policy.
• Awareness of and ability to address issues of power, race, class, and gender within workplace dynamics.

Location & details#

• This is a remote, full-time, paid position based in the United States.
• The fellowship term is for the 2027–2028 cycle.
• Employment is contingent upon securing external funding; the organization will work with applicants to develop projects and apply for fellowship programs.