Legal Fellow (Fall 2026)

Job Description

Job Title:                  Legal Fellow

Job Type:                  Full-Time/Exempt

Duration:                  2 Years

Reports To:              Senior Staff Attorney

Job Location:          Hybrid; Up to 3 days/week in NYC office

Start Date:               September 2026

Salary Range:

Annual salary is based on experience pursuant to the organizational pay scale. Candidates with relevant specialized degrees, skills, or experience may qualify for higher pay grades. Please note that Pregnancy Justice will not provide independent internal funding for fellowships. The difference between external funding and the Pregnancy Justice pay scale will be paid by Pregnancy Justice.
(Full pay scale available upon request)

• 0-1 years relevant experience: $78,625
• 1-2 years relevant experience
• 2-3 years relevant experience: $98,218 

Benefits Include:
Medical, dental, and vision Insurance, group term life and AD&D Insurance; FSA; commuter benefits; 403(b) retirement plan with matching; annual paid time-off (20 vacation days; 10 sick days; 8 remote work days; 5 personal days; 12 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday; end of year office closure Dec. 25-Jan. 1); 4 months of paid family leave; professional development funding.      

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Organizational Overview:

Pregnancy Justice advances and defends the rights of pregnant people, no matter if they give birth, experience a pregnancy loss, or have an abortion. We advance our mission in four ways: by providing criminal defense, by advocating for legal and policy change, by publishing cutting-edge research, and by equipping partners in the field with analysis, training, and narrative framing. Our efforts to defend against pregnancy criminalization and other punitive treatment are guided by the principles of reproductive justice, which are defined by SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective as “the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” 

Since its founding more than 20 years ago, Pregnancy Justice has worked deeply with state and national partners, across movements (e.g., reproductive rights and justice, public health, drug policy reform, criminal legal system and racial justice, and prosecutorial accountability) and across disciplines (e.g., academic, legal, medical, organizing, narrative change) to achieve its mission. 

For more information about Pregnancy Justice, please visit https://www.pregnancyjusticeus.org/

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Pregnancy Justice seeks rising 3Ls and recent law school graduates to submit a fellowship proposal for a project with Pregnancy Justice that supports our mission and will be co-designed with Pregnancy Justice senior staff attorneys and the Legal Director. A candidate will be selected to pursue an externally funded fellowship housed at Pregnancy Justice with Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst, and other similar fellowship funders. The following job functions are the general expectations for a legal fellow and may shift depending on the project proposal.

 

Essential Job Functions  

Criminal defense representation and affirmative litigation:

• Conducting legal research and drafting in support of ongoing criminal defense and affirmative civil litigation cases; amicus briefs; and claims and defenses in developing potential litigation;  
• Executing the finalizing of briefs, including identifying all necessary local rules and filing requirements, drafting supporting motions and affidavits, editing, cite-checking, bluebooking, and formatting;
• Engaging in client-facing work, including conducting intake interviews, making referrals, and identifying potential cases;
• Drafting model affidavits;
• Reviewing medical records;
• Reviewing discovery; and
•  Identifying and working with experts.

Supervision of Legal Interns:

• In collaboration with HR, coordinate the intern hiring process and help develop a training program to introduce interns to Pregnancy Justice’s mission and history; and
• Supervise legal interns. 

Experience & Qualifications

• J.D. degree by Spring 2026 and completion of bar examination in New York or admission to the bar of another state.
  
• Work experience in social justice, gender justice, racial justice and equity, public health, or related fields or experiences a plus;
• Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research, analysis and writing;
• Demonstrated experience bluebooking and editing citations;
• Self-motivated with ability to take initiative and work independently;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, time management, attention to detail, and interpersonal skills;
• Experience with client communication a plus;
• Ability to undertake occasional travel;
• Familiarity with a variety of research, database, and project management applications; and
• Proof of eligibility to work in the United States is required.

Common Requirements for All Positions:

• Ability to meet deadlines;
• Ability to interact with all staff in a professional manner;
• Proactive problem-solving and troubleshooting;
• Proficiency in office software and tools, including but not limited to MS Office Suite, and Zoom;
• Full fluency in English is required. Fluency in Spanish or another language is a plus.
• Ability to work outside of regular office hours when necessary;
• Ability to work in our NYC office up to 3 days per week.

Other Critical Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Applies big-picture thinking to achieve long-term outcomes, while also focusing on the details of short- to mid-term implementation.
• Decisiveness: Consistently makes decisions in a timely manner, supportive of Pregnancy Justice’s mission, core values, and strategic objectives, demonstrating sound judgment.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with various and diverse individuals and groups and is able to receive, synthesize, and apply direction from senior attorneys and the legal director, with a willingness to actively listen and invite different views and opinions to build alignment in support of a common goal.
• Commitment to Learning: Applies a growth mentality to their development.  Promotes a culture of learning by modeling inquisitiveness and an openness to viewing mistakes as an opportunity to learn and improve.
• Nimbleness: Demonstrates comfort with ambiguity, needing to be flexible and adaptable, consistently reassessing priorities to make sound decisions and take strategic risks in furtherance of our mission and priorities. 

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

The work is primarily performed in an office setting and/or remotely, with offsite meetings and events. Occasional travel will be required. Suitable candidates must be able to read, write, and interpret documents and perform highly detailed work. This is largely a sedentary position that requires the employee to sit, stand, walk, and bend, and may occasionally require moving files and other equipment. The Legal Fellow works full-time, typically between the office hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

As operational needs allow and with supervisory approval, staff are able to sign off early on Friday afternoons, typically at 1 pm for a 9 am start, or 2 pm for a 10 am start, so long as deadlines and operational needs are met. Court deadlines and operational demands of the organization will sometimes require employees to work longer hours, including nights and weekends.

 

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for pregnant people and people with disabilities, including in the application process. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, please send an email with the subject line “Reasonable Accommodation Request” to HR@pregnancyjusticeus.org.

Commitment to Inclusive Hiring Practices

Research indicates that members of marginalized communities tend to underestimate their qualifications and only apply when they meet all of the criteria in a job posting.  We also know that a confidence-gap and impostor syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates, so please don’t hesitate to apply – we’d love to hear from you. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application and how your talents and experience can bring value to this role.

Pregnancy Justice is an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, sex, gender, pregnancy, national origin, citizenship, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, physical characteristics such as height and weight, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pregnancy Justice recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce. 

To Apply:

All applications must be submitted via the link below:

https://pregnancyjustice.bamboohr.com/careers/37?source=aWQ9MTg%3D

 

Applications must include all of the following:

• Cover letter that includes a few sentences about the fellowship(s) to which you seek to apply and the basic idea of a fellowship proposal for the work you would like to pursue at Pregnancy Justice.
• Resume
• Law school transcript
• One (1) writing sample written exclusively by the applicant (maximum 10 pages)
• Complete contact information

Interview Process

The interview process for the legal fellow position is designed to be thorough, transparent, and reflective of our values as a mission-driven nonprofit. Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a multi-step process that includes:

1. Initial Interview – A virtual conversation with the Legal Director and Senior Vice President focused on your interest in the fellowship and your fellowship proposal, relevant legal experience, and alignment with our mission and values.
2. Panel Interview – A more in-depth interview with members of our legal staff. This stage explores your legal reasoning, experience working with impacted communities, and your commitment to reproductive justice and public interest law.
3. References – Finalists will be asked to provide professional or academic references who can speak to your legal skills, work ethic, and commitment to equity and advocacy.

We aim to create a process that is respectful of your time and experience while allowing us to understand how you would contribute to our legal team and broader organizational mission.

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but applications received on or before July 1, 2025, will be prioritized.