Missouri Justice Fellowship Program

About Our Fellowship Program

The Missouri Justice Fellowship is a two year fellowship program designed to bring quality legal representation to our under-served, rural areas of Missouri. Candidates may apply during their third year of law school for consideration to the program.

Fellows will gain hands-on trial experience as they manage their own caseload and defend their clients through each step of the criminal case. By bringing quality legal representation to underserved communities in Missouri, fellows will demand justice for the indigent accused. Fellows receive two weeks of hands-on, intensive trial training with ongoing training and CLE opportunities throughout fellowship.

The fellowship term is August 2026 through July 2028. Placement in underserved communities as determined by MSPD. Fellows must remain open to placement statewide. Fellows of the 2026 class may be placed in following locations: Chillicothe, Farmington, Jackson, Kennett, Kirksville, Hannibal, Lebanon, Moberly, Poplar Bluff, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Union or West Plains.

Applicant Qualifications

Our program is open to any candidate licensed to practice law in Missouri or sitting for the Missouri Bar Exam in July 2026. We are looking for candidates with an interest in public criminal defense, a passion for social justice, and an ability to work in a fast-paced environment. We are accepting applications now.

Further Information

To be considered for the August 2026 Fellowship Class, please complete an online application on the MO Careers job board here. For any questions about our fellowship program, contact Hannah Vaughn in Human Resources at Hannah.Vaughn@mspd.mo.gov.