Public Interest Law
About Public Interest Law
Yale Law School has a strong tradition of service in the public interest. The work of our clinics, centers, voluntary student groups, and a rich array of public interest-related courses offer students a nearly endless number of opportunities to bring their energy and vision to work for the public good.
Part of The Tsai Leadesrhip Program, the Ludwig Program in Public Sector Leadership helps prepare students for careers in areas such as government, nonprofits, and other institutions focused on serving the public.
Public Interest Activities
Law School centers, clinics, and student organizations enable YLS students to perform public service in activities ranging from legal research and writing to outreach in the New Haven public schools.
After graduation, Yale Law School offers significantly more postgraduate public interest fellowships than any other law school in the country Both externally and internally funded fellowships enable our graduates to jumpstart their careers while serving the legal needs of underserved members of our society.
Public Interest Career Services
Public Interest Career Services are available through the Career Development Office, which offers specialized counseling, as well as a wide array of services, programs, events, and resources for public interest-minded students and alumni in all stages of their career development.
Public Interest Programs & Resources
Launching Careers in Service
Read about how Yale Law School-funded fellowships offer essential support for aspiring public interest lawyers.
Tuesday, August 08, 2023
News
Leadership Program Reading Groups Confront Challenging Questions
Reading groups are an important component of The Tsai Leadership Program and have covered topics like leading in crisis, domestic extremism, identity, and failure.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
In The Press
5 Ways the IRS Funding Boost Is Paying Off — A Commentary by Natasha Sarin
The Washington Post
Natasha Sarin is an Associate Professor of Law at Yale Law School.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Alicia Bannon ’07 recently co-authored “Reflections on Fees and Fines as Stategraft.”
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Student reading groups can provide an intimate setting for challenging conversations.
Monday, July 24, 2023
Yale Law School students, including fellows from the Chae Initiative in Private Sector Leadership, meet with high-level executives during a January trip to New York City as part of The Tsai Leadership Program.
News
Learning to Lead
Monday, April 17, 2023
5:09
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
In The Press
Pandemic Aid for Public Schools Is Running Out. That’s Leaving Districts Under Pressure
Bloomberg
Professor of Law David Schleicher discusses the impacts of the end of federal aid received by public schools due to the pandemic.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
In The Press
How State Capacity Can Help America Build
The American Prospect
A new paper co-authored by Professor of Law Zachary Liscow ’15 shows the cost of underinvesting in government.
Thursday, August 17, 2023
In The Press
5 Ways the IRS Funding Boost Is Paying Off — A Commentary by Natasha Sarin
The Washington Post
Natasha Sarin is an Associate Professor of Law at Yale Law School.
Monday, July 3, 2023
In The Press
The VA Rolls Out Its New Equity Team To Investigate Racism in Benefits Decisions
WSHU
Adam Henderson ’23 comments on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ announcement that it has set up a dedicated team to investigate racial disparities in its benefits decisions — due in part to a case brought by the Veterans Legal Services Clinic.
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
In The Press
Republicans Say They Want To Cut Debt, but Tax Plans Say the Opposite — A Commentary by Natasha Sarin and Mark J. Mazur
The Washington Post
Natasha Sarin is an Associate Professor of Law at Yale Law School with a secondary appointment at the Yale School of Management in the Finance Department.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
In The Press
Air Force Will Reconsider Mental Health In Discharge Process
Law360
Members of the Veterans Leegal Services Clinic including William O. Douglas Clinical Professor Michael Wishnie ’93, Clinical Lecturer in Law Meghan E. Brooks ’19, and several YLS students are mentioned in a story about a case brought against the Air Force by the clinic.
Alumni & Student Profiles
When I came to law school, I never imagined that I would be an advocate and decision-maker as early as my second semester of law school. The clinical program at YLS empowers students to experience lawyering outside of the classroom by interacting with clients and making decisions.”
Michelle Fraling
Class of 2023