Fellows Program:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has the Fellows Program existed?

Since 2003

How many Fellows have there been?

700

What Philadelphia area law schools does the Fellows Program draw from?

Temple, Villanova, Rutgers, Penn, Drexel, Delaware

Is the Fellows Program limited to Philadelphia area schools?

No, there have been Fellows from Howard, GW, Harvard, Columbia, BU, BC, NYU, Emory, Michigan, U. Iowa, U. North Dakota, Duke, UVA, U. Maryland, Penn State, Dickinson, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Roger Williams, Berkeley, U. Pittsburgh, American, Vanderbilt, Washington U. (St. Louis), Northwestern and Cornell, among others.

How many Fellows are there each year?

In recent years, around 40.

I don’t come from the Philadelphia area – am I still eligible?

Absolutely.  PDLG has had Fellows from all over the country.

I’ve read the PDLG eligibility criteria to see if I am eligible and I am not sure. How do I find out?

You can find out from Lois Kimbol, Chairperson of the Fellows Program and PDLG Vice President for Programs; however, the final decision on eligibility is made by the PDLG Fellows Program Committee. Email her at loiskimbol5647@gmail.com to set up a call.

Does the Fellows Program have a grade cut off?

PDLG is primarily looking for students who are getting A’s and B’s in law school. That generally equates to a 3.0 but in some situations, exceptions can be made.

How many law firms hire through the Fellows Program?

While this varies from year to year, about 30.

What kind of firms are they?

Some are global firms with thousands of employees around the world; some are national firms with offices all over the US; some are regional firms, based in the mid-Atlantic states; some Philadelphia area firms.  Most are full service firms, with lawyers practicing in all areas of the law; some are boutique firms with a focus on one primary area.

Who else hires through the Fellows Program?

Again, this varies a bit year to year, but around 10 in-house law departments participate, at companies like Comcast, Aramark, Chubb, Vanguard, GSK, Ikea, FMC,  Independence Blue Cross, Lincoln Financial and Spark Therapeutics.

Do I get to choose where I work?

The matches are made by lottery but all employers commit to fully including their PDLG Fellows in all aspects of their summer programs – providing significant legal work, feedback, training, exposure to senior lawyers and clients.

If I apply to the Fellows Program and get an offer am I required to accept it?

The choice is yours whether or not to accept.  Over the years, however, fewer than a dozen offers have been declined.

Does the Fellows Program guarantee a 2L job?

2L offers are up to the employers and are based on performance.  The Fellows Program does guarantee interviews with several PDLG firms selected by each Fellow, regardless of the law school interview selection process.

How are Fellows’ salaries decided?

Each Fellow makes the same amount of money and works for the same number of weeks as any 1L summer associate at the Fellow’s firm or law department. PDLDG does not set salaries.

Does PDG provide any career guidance to the Fellows?

Yes, in several ways.  We have seminars with the hiring partners at most of our member law firms where our Fellows get information about the firms’ hiring practices straight from the decision makers.  There are also opportunities for discussions with federal and state law clerks about whether to clerk, when to clerk, and how to get a clerkship.  And there are programs on professionalism, maximizing the chances of an offer for the next job and even making the most of networking opportunities.

I have never worked anywhere like a law firm or law department, how will I learn the rules/what is expected/the culture/how to feel comfortable?

Before work starts, PDLG has an all day seminar that talks about everything from the ten deadly sins for summer associates, to what summer associates actually do in law firms and law departments, to professionalism standards, to how to handle any issues, to how to get and use feedback.

When can I apply?

You can submit your application any time between December 1, 2023 and January 18, 2024 but decisions on invitations to interview aren’t made until after January 19 – and your 1L grades are received - so there is no advantage to applying early. Take your exams, take some time off, then apply.

Should I only ask for a recommendation from a class where I did really well?

It is more important to ask a professor who knows you and can say something positive beyond you went to class and did well on the exam. Maybe about your work ethic or your intellectual curiosity or your use of logic or how much your work developed over the semester.

May I talk to previous students who have completed the Fellows Program?

Check back soon for the names of 2L and 3L students who spoke about the PDLG Fellows Program at the presentations about the Fellows Program in early November, and of others who could not participatee but are happy to talk with  interested 1Ls about their PDLG experiences.

 

 

 

Can I be a Fellow if I am on an F-1 visa to attend law school?

No, F-1 students aren’t eligible to be Fellows. Being on an F-1 visa creates significant obstacles with placement. Although you may be eligible for a temporary period of work authorization after you graduate, most employers are unable or unwilling to provide sponsorship for an H-1B visa for work after expiration of your post-completion optional practical training.  If you feel that special circumstances exist to justify an exception to this policy, please let us know.

Who should I contact?

2L & 3L PDLG Alumni Contacts

Kandace Smith – Rutgers
Amon Younker – Rutgers
David Idokogi - Rutgers
Trang Do – Rutgers
India Patel – Rutgers
Steven Liang – Temple
Luis Moreno – Temple
Tithi Patel – Temple
Rhea Prabhu – Temple
Lillian Umetiti – Temple
Nicole Williams - Temple
Giovanna Litz – Villanova
Ben Vey – Villanova
Pooja Patel – Villanova
Mustafa Ghasletwala – Villanova
Juliana Poroye -Penn
Nikia Ganesh – Penn
Lydia Wuorinen – Penn
Reena Chojar – Penn
Mehreen Usman – Penn
James Trollan – Penn
Arlene Amador – Penn
Marco Linares Cordero – Penn
Roslyn Thelliyankal – Drexel
Rita Venant – Drexel
Olivia Thompson – Drexel
Mrrik Noubarentz – Drexel
Dibya Patnaik – Drexel
Codi Royal – Drexel
Drake Broussard – Penn State
Brandon Smith - Cornell