Application Process

The Center for Legal Studies at Northwestern University invites graduate students to become Graduate Fellows in Legal Studies (GFILS). Legal Studies offers programming for graduate students in disciplinary departments whose interests include the study of law, legal institutions, and legal processes broadly construed.

We encourage participation from graduate students in all social science disciplines, business, and the humanities. JD/PhD students are welcome and encouraged to be Fellows, but the program is not limited to those pursuing a JD. Graduate Student Fellows in Legal Studies will receive announcements about events, our graduate/faculty reading group (quarterly), along with research and writing working groups and are expected to help plan and participate in those events. GFILS receive preference for travel funding to Legal Studies conferences (Law and Society Association; Conference on Empirical Legal Studies; Law, Culture and Humanities) if they are on the program and presenting a paper. GFILS will also be notified about Graduate Assistantships for undergraduate Legal Studies courses as well as calls for papers.

Please click here for the 2011-2012 application