Public Interest Bar Fellowship
Legal Aid Association of California · Direct application
Eligibility
About this scholarship
May 2026 California law school graduates who have not yet taken the California Bar Exam may apply for a six-month supervised public interest placement at a qualifying legal services organization. The program expanded in 2026 to include rural California host counties when fellows live and work in those communities.
Fellows receive a $16,000 stipend paid in three installments for 400 hours of work between May/June and November/December while preparing for the bar exam. Host organizations receive $1,500 toward overhead.
Applications open in early April and close April 15, with rolling review; 2026 applications are closed and the 2027 cycle opens spring 2027. Fellows attend monthly cohort sessions and submit midpoint and final reports.
LAAC administers this bridge fellowship, formerly the LSFN fellowship, to build California legal aid capacity.