Unlike PILI's Student Internship program, which uses an online application process, PILI Fellows find their positions the "traditional" way, by contacting agency supervisors via phone, e-mail, mail or fax.  See the PILI agency page for supervisor contact information.

How does it work?
The first step is your sponsoring law firm's. Participating law firms will send a letter or otherwise notify their incoming associates of the option to do a summer post-graduate PILI Fellowship.  The incoming associates, in turn, must notify their firms that they are interested in doing a PILI Fellowship.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.  Some firms limit the number of associates who can be Fellows; others do not.

After your firm notifies you that you may pursue a summer PILI fellowship, you should review the Fellowship opportunities by looking at PILI's agency page, choose which agency or agencies interest you, and then contact those agencies.   Please note: The U.S. Dep't of Health & Human Services/Office of General Counsel does NOT host PILI Fellows. The agency supervisor may arrange for a phone interview.  You and the agency supervisor must come to an agreement. Be careful that you do not "accept" a fellowship with more than one agency. Once the Fellowship is arranged, you (the Fellow), or the agency supervisor should notify PILI of the successful match.

How is PILI involved?
PILI notifies each Fellowship host agency how many Fellows they have been approved  to host in a given summer.  PILI administers the Fellowship Program (along with an Internship program for current law students), but PILI does not pay the costs of your Fellowship, nor does your host-agency; rather, your sponsoring law firm supports the costs of placing you "in residence" at a public interest law agency. During the summer, PILI facilitates an educational lunch-time seminar series on various aspects of public interest law. There are also social events for Fellows and Interns.