Blackstone Legal Fellowship is not a culmination . . . it’s a beginning.
Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a leadership training programme that brings together exceptional Christian law students and prepares them for careers marked by integrity and excellence. It is based in the US and run by our global partner Alliance Defending Freedom. Since 2000, Alliance Defending Freedom has trained nearly 2,000 law students from over 225 law schools in 21 different countries. If you’re an Areté graduate and law student, you might be eligible to participate in additional training at Blackstone Legal Fellowship.
The Fellowship begins with a nine-week summer leadership training programme (June – August). This includes three weeks of seminars on topics such as legal philosophy, practising law with integrity and excellence, career development, and cultural engagement. Interns also spend six weeks in legal internships across the world, when they work with non-profits, governmental entities, or boutique law firms, among others.
The nine-week programme is a beginning, not a culmination. Interns emerge with a professional network, enduring friendships, and knowledge that will serve them throughout their careers. Those selected to become Fellows at the end of the summer also receive ongoing training, resources, and support through an international community.
The Programme
Phase I
Interns gather for two weeks of lectures, seminars, and discussions. These are designed to challenge conventional wisdom in legal education and present a principled, analytical framework for understanding natural law principles, constitutional interpretation and jurisprudence, the history of Western civilization, and the influence of international human rights law. The curriculum also includes daily worship and a devotional series focusing on personal and ethical challenges related to legal practice.
Phase II
Interns complete a six-week legal internship to advance their career objectives. They obtain positions at a wide variety of organizations, including non-profits, NGOs, governmental entities, and specialized law firms.
Phase III
The final week of training is focused on career development and cultural engagement. The curriculum is designed to give practical career advice and help interns develop a larger vision of their professional calling. Interns return to law school equipped with deeper knowledge, stronger convictions, and access to a vast professional network that will continue to grow throughout their careers.
Beyond the Summer
True to its name, Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a Fellowship. Throughout the nine-week programme, and well beyond its conclusion, interns develop relationships with other Christian law students that will endure for years to come.
Selection to Blackstone Legal Fellowship
Blackstone interns are selected through a rigorous and competitive application process that’s designed to build a diverse class with strong leadership potential in all areas of private practice and public service.
For all these reasons, Blackstone Legal Fellowship is not a culmination . . . it’s a beginning.
Testimonials
I left Blackstone surrounded by incredible Christian lawyers pursuing God and His truth so passionately.
– Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom, Blackstone Fellow 2015
Because of Blackstone, I know I am not alone and I have the necessary resources and support to help revitalize the legal system through the defense of religious freedom.
– Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro, Mexico, Blackstone Fellow 2014
Blackstone has given me the tools to promote religious freedom and a just society by utilizing fundamental and rational theories.
– Uppsala University, Sweden, Blackstone Fellow 2015