Affirmative Leaders Fellowship

Applications for the 2026 cohort will open on April 29, 2026.

In the meantime, you can:

• Receive a reminder when applications open

• Sign up for our info session on May 13 at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT / 11 a.m. PT

• Nominate a fellow

Important dates:

April 29: Applications open

May 13: Public virtual information session

May 29: Early bird applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET / 8:59 p.m. PT

June 11: Applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET / 8:59 p.m. PT

June 24: Fellowships and scholarships offered

July 22: Fellowship full-day orientation

What past fellows say

Alex Keiser, Assistant County Attorney, Harris County Attorney Environmental Division
2025 Affirmative Leaders Fellow

“Since being part of the Affirmative Leaders Fellowship, I’ve been taking a more careful and strategic approach to my cases. It helped me think about when cases need to go straight to litigation, and when a demand letter to try to fix a situation out of court might be a more appropriate start. I also have a better sense of how to engage stakeholders, including the neighbors, community members, regulators, and others who still need to be informed and involved even if they aren’t officially part of the case. What’s more, I loved having access to wellbeing coaching through the program, and have been implementing better energy and time management in my day-to-day work.”

Ben Field, Montgomery County Solicitor
2019 Affirmative Leaders Fellow

“The Affirmative Leaders Fellowship was really important to me as a public servant and my approach to public service. […] Not only to say what tools do we have, how do we do these cases, but what am I trying to achieve by doing these cases? How does this work resonate with my work as a public servant to improve the lives of residents in Philadelphia? It’s a great opportunity. You’re going to meet great people, but you’re also going to learn skills you didn’t have and develop tools that will help you think about how to improve your work for people in your communities.”

Zenia Wilson Laws, Special Counsel for Nuisance Abatement at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
2025 Affirmative Leaders Fellow

“The project management skills that I got out of the Affirmative Leaders Fellowship — such as learning to break initiatives into workstreams and better manage my time — were truly invaluable. It has not only transformed my work as an attorney, but also gave me tools to accomplish passion projects like launching a new Caribbean bar association in DC. Really, it should be called the ‘Affirming Leaders Fellowship’ because it provided such a supportive, validating environment.”

The 2026 program 

The 2026 program will run from August to November, and includes:

• A full-day orientation 
• 6 virtual live sessions, each running between 60 and 90 minutes
• A virtual convening over two days with speaker presentations, networking opportunities with sector leaders, and opportunities to practice affirmative litigation skills
• Access to PRP U — a learning platform with digital content and resources, and additional Public Rights Project trainings and events
• Alumni access to Public Rights Project’s network of public impact litigators and discounts on future trainings and professional development opportunities after fellowship completion
• Optional well-being coaching

Sessions may include advance reading, small group work, and follow-up prompts on the learning platform. Fellows should expect an average monthly time commitment of four to six hours.

Example session topics include:

• Selecting tools and targets
• Building your appellate case
• Managing projects
• Influencing stakeholders and building partnerships
• Making your pitch

Eligibility

The fellowship is best suited for mid-career government attorneys who want to strengthen their leadership capacity and advance to the next stage of their careers.

To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must:

• be a practicing attorney with at least two years of litigation experience;
• be a current employee of a state, local, or tribal government law office; and
• have an active bar membership in the jurisdiction where their office is located.

Please contact us for more information if you would like to participate but do not meet these requirements.

While interest in affirmative litigation will enhance the fellowship experience, it is not a requirement to participate. We select candidates with a wide range of experience and with diverse backgrounds. Participants may range from skilled prosecutors or general counsel seeking to transition to civil litigation to experienced civil litigators transitioning to plaintiff-focused work or moving into government for the first time from the private or nonprofit sectors.

Fellows must remain employed by and stationed at their offices throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Program fees and scholarships

Early bird program fee: $1,000 ($950 discount — ends May 29)

Standard program fee: $1,950

We also offer full scholarships and a sliding scale option. If you require financial assistance, please indicate this need on the program application. 

We encourage you to submit an application regardless of your ability to pay. Please get in touch for more information if you have funding concerns or questions.

How to apply

Applicants must submit a resume, three short essay responses, and a letter of support from their employer.

Download an employer letter of support template

Applications for the 2026 cohort will open on April 29, 2026. The early bird deadline is May 29, 2026. The deadline for all applications is June 11, 2026. If you are interested in being notified when applications open in 2026, please fill out our interest form.