Harvard Law School Fellowship 2027 in United States | Fully Funded — Harvard Law School

One published article, a year in residence at Harvard Law School, and a $60,000 stipend to spend it building a career as a legal scholar. The Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship for Law Teaching is a small, tightly focused program, and it is aimed squarely at recent law graduates who see themselves standing in front of a classroom one day rather than only arguing in front of a bench.

Named for a Harvard Law alumnus whose gift once stood as the largest the school had ever received, the fellowship carries real weight in legal academia circles.

About the Scholarship

The Harvard Law School Lewis Fellowship exists for one specific purpose: preparing promising law graduates for a future in legal teaching and scholarship. Reginald F. Lewis, a member of Harvard Law’s class of 1968, and his spouse Loida Nicolas-Lewis funded the program through a substantial gift made before his passing in 1993. Harvard later renamed its International Law Center in his honor, a reflection of how significant that original contribution was to the school.

The fellowship runs for one full year, from 1 July 2027 through 30 June 2028, and fellows are expected to be in residence at Harvard Law School throughout. During that year, the central deliverable is a piece of original scholarship: fellows must produce at least one substantial article aimed at eventual publication. Beyond the writing itself, fellows can audit courses, attend workshops run by the law school, and work with the Lewis Committee to build a research and work schedule that fits their specific project.

Because the program is explicitly framed around diversifying the legal academy, it draws candidates who are serious about an academic law career but may not yet have the publication record a tenure-track position typically requires. A year with dedicated writing time, a $60,000 stipend, and direct access to Harvard’s legal resources gives fellows the room to produce that first significant piece of scholarship without juggling a full-time legal job at the same time.

Being in residence at Harvard also means fellows get exposure to how real legal disputes get handled day to day, not just how they are written about in journals. That mix of practical grounding and dedicated research time is part of what makes the fellowship attractive to graduates who want their future teaching to stay connected to how law actually functions outside the classroom. Applicants comparing paid, single-year US fellowships across different fields sometimes also look at the GEM Fellowship Program for STEM-specific graduate funding, though the Lewis Fellowship remains one of the very few built specifically around a path into law teaching.

The fellowship’s small size is deliberate. Rather than running a large cohort, Harvard Law School selects a handful of Lewis Fellows each cycle, which keeps the program closely tied to individual mentorship rather than a standardized curriculum. Fellows work directly with the Lewis Committee to shape a schedule around their specific research project, and that flexibility extends to how much time is spent auditing courses versus focused writing, depending on what best serves the fellow’s scholarly goals that year.

Legal academia remains a competitive field to break into, and hiring committees at law schools generally expect candidates to arrive with at least one strong piece of published or forthcoming scholarship. The Lewis Fellowship is structured to close that gap directly, giving fellows a funded, low-distraction year specifically built around producing that first credible academic article before they enter the broader teaching job market.

Scholarship Benefits

The fellowship’s financial support is built to let a fellow focus fully on writing and research rather than juggling outside income.

• An annual stipend of $60,000
• Residence at Harvard Law School for the full fellowship year
• Direct exposure to real-world legal practice and dispute resolution
• The opportunity to sharpen legal writing and communication skills over a sustained research project
• Access to Harvard Law School’s libraries, research databases, and academic networks
• A genuine international networking opportunity with faculty, fellow researchers, and legal professionals
• The prestige attached to the Reginald F. Lewis name, which carries real recognition within legal academia
• A chance to build mentoring relationships with law professors and practitioners that can extend well beyond the fellowship year

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to recent law school graduates preparing to enter a career in legal scholarship or law teaching
• Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply
• Selection follows a strict non-discrimination policy covering race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other protected characteristics
• Applicants must hold a J.D., LL.M., or S.J.D. degree
• Candidates must demonstrate genuine passion for legal scholarship and a clear intention to pursue law teaching as a career
• A strong, specific interest in the field of law generally, reflected through prior coursework, writing, or research

Fields of Study Covered

Because the fellowship centers on legal scholarship broadly rather than one narrow subfield, past and current Lewis Fellows have worked across a wide span of legal topics, including:

• Constitutional and public law
• International law and human rights
• Corporate and commercial law
• Criminal law and criminal justice reform
• Legal history and jurisprudence
• Comparative and international legal systems
• Emerging areas of law connected to technology, environment, or public policy

Required Documents

• A detailed CV or resume
• A thorough description of the proposed research and writing project, aimed at eventual publication, maximum 4 pages
• A Statement of Purpose, maximum 4 pages
• Academic transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

1. Log in to the Harvard Law School application portal for the Lewis Fellowship.
2. Complete all mandatory fields in the online application.
3. Prepare and upload all required documents in PDF format, including the CV, research project description, and Statement of Purpose.
4. Enter your HUID if you are a current Harvard affiliate, or your assigned applicant ID string if you are applying from outside Harvard, before submitting.
5. Arrange for two letters of recommendation to be submitted through the same portal.
6. Track the application status through the portal after submission.
7. Submit the complete application, including both letters of reference, before the October deadline.

Selection Process

The Lewis Committee reviews applications with a close eye on the strength and originality of the proposed research project, since the fellowship exists specifically to produce a publishable piece of legal scholarship. A compelling Statement of Purpose that clearly connects the applicant’s background to a genuine interest in law teaching also carries real weight, alongside academic transcripts and the two required letters of recommendation.

Because the fellowship is small and highly specific in its aims, reviewers are generally looking for applicants who can articulate not just what they want to research, but why that research matters to the future of legal education and scholarship.

Tips to Improve Your Chances

• Propose a research topic that is specific and genuinely original, rather than a broad survey of an already well-covered area of law
• Use the Statement of Purpose to connect your past legal work or coursework directly to your intended teaching career, rather than treating the two as separate stories
• Choose recommenders who can speak to your writing and research ability specifically, not just your performance in law school generally
• Keep the research project description tightly focused within the 4-page limit, since clarity and depth matter more than breadth here
• Read a handful of recent Lewis Fellows’ published articles if available, to get a sense of the tone and ambition the committee tends to favor
• Request recommendation letters well ahead of the October deadline, since both letters must be submitted alongside the application rather than trailing behind it

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to already have publications to apply?

No. The fellowship is specifically designed to give recent graduates the time and resources to produce their first substantial piece of legal scholarship, so prior publications are not a strict requirement.

Is this fellowship open to international applicants?

Yes. The Lewis Fellowship welcomes applicants of any nationality, provided they hold a J.D., LL.M., or S.J.D. degree and meet the other eligibility criteria.

Do I need to teach during the fellowship year?

No formal teaching duties are required. The core expectation is producing at least one significant article for potential publication, though fellows may audit courses and attend workshops during their time in residence.

How long is the fellowship?

The Lewis Fellowship runs for one full year, from 1 July 2027 through 30 June 2028, with fellows expected to be in residence at Harvard Law School throughout.

What kind of degree do I need to apply?

Applicants need a J.D., LL.M., or S.J.D. degree, reflecting the fellowship’s focus on recent law graduates rather than those still completing their legal education.

Is the $60,000 stipend the only funding provided?

The stipend is the primary financial support named in the program, and it is intended to cover living expenses for the fellow during the year in residence at Harvard Law School.