Legal Fellow

POSITION TITLE: Legal Fellow

SUPERVISOR: Supervising Attorney of Voting Rights or Beyond Borders

DATE EFFECTIVE: Priority review of applications submitted by July 31, 2026

LOCATION(s): Houston, Rio Grande Valley, Dallas-Fort Worth

TRAVEL: Moderate

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Full-time (Temporary)

SALARY TIER LEVEL: $75,000 - $84,413.16

BARGAINING UNION ELIGIBILITY: Union Eligible

Overview

ABOUT THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT

The Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP) is a community lawyering organization boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts, seeking to advance a vision of a Texas where all communities can thrive with dignity and justice, without fear. For more than thirty-five years, the Texas Civil Rights Project has been a committed partner to community organizers, families, and advocacy groups statewide. Whether through litigation or legal advocacy, the attorneys and advocates at TCRP work to dismantle mass incarceration, fight discrimination in voting and civic participation, and right injustices occurring at the Texas border, all under a race equity lens. TCRP’s lawyers work with coalitions of community-based organizations to identify injustices facing Texas communities and develop systemic solutions using litigation and other legal advocacy tools. For additional highlights about TCRP’s work and to learn more about TCRP, visit www.txcivilrights.org.

TCRP comprises three regional offices across Texas, with over 50 employees and an annual budget exceeding $7 million. TCRP operates under a hybrid work policy, allowing full remote work from anywhere in Texas for some positions and requiring travel and in-person attendance for specified work activities. The in-person activities are typically based out of any of TCRP’s locations: Alamo (in the Rio Grande Valley), Austin, and Houston. Exceptions to in-person requirements may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

POSITION SUMMARY

Every year, the Texas Civil Rights Project sponsors multiple legal fellows. At this time, we are recruiting up to three fellowship candidates:

• Voting Rights and Democracy (up to one fellow applicant to be located in Texas with a preference for candidates interested in living in the Rio Grande Valley or Dallas/ Fort Worth)

• Immigrant Rights and Border Justice Issues

  • One fellow based in the Rio Grande Valley

  • One fellow based in Houston

Because of current staffing and capacity, we are not accepting applications for our Criminal Legal Program this year.

- Skadden Fellowship: Two year fellowship. TCRP will partner with applicants to develop proposals. Looking for students demonstrating strong public interest, commitment and academic excellence.

- Equal Justice Works: Two year fellowship. TCRP will partner with applicants to develop proposals. Looking for students with strong public interest commitment and demonstrated connection to and history of partnering with underserved communities.

- Manne Fellowship: This is a one year fellowship to be awarded directly by TCRP to a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Harvard Law School, or Columbia Law School.

Fellowship applicants are usually required to seek sponsorship approval from a host organization (like TCRP) before applying for fellowship funding. While we are sensitive to time constraints, our process for approving a potential fellow for sponsorship at TCRP is extensive, including application reviews within the organization, interviews, review of past work product and references, and a thorough evaluation of the applicant’s proposed project. This process ensures we only sponsor fellowship applicants who have developed a project proposal that significantly advances our mission of seeking justice for Texas communities, but it also means that we are only able to sponsor a small number of the qualified applicants seeking to work with us. Limiting the number of fellows that we sponsor also allows us to work closely with applicants to develop a strong proposal for funding and to ensure that we have the resources to properly manage and train fellows once they get here.

COMPENSATION:

The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $84,413.16 depending on experience. TCRP also offers excellent benefits, professional development opportunities, and a deep commitment to a meaningful work-life balance.

BENEFITS:

We offer a broad range of benefits, including:

• Four weeks paid vacation (prorated upon date of hire), up to sixteen weeks paid pregnancy and parental bonding leave (following a six month orientation period), paid sick time, and extensive holidays, including a two-week winter break at the end of the year and a wellness week in the summer.

• Employer paid healthcare coverage for you and your dependent children, including medical, dental and vision coverage.

• 401K retirement plan.

• Annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops.
  
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

To be eligible for a fellowship at TCRP, an applicant must meet the following basic criteria:

- Graduation from an ABA-accredited law school by the time the fellowship would begin;

- Completion of the bar exam of any U.S state or territory prior to beginning the fellowship;

- Willingness to work in Texas in city identified in application; and

- Development of a project proposal that fits a priority subject-matter areas in which TCRP works.

HOW TO APPLY:

If you will be able to meet these criteria and wish to complete your fellowship at the Texas Civil Rights Project, please submit the following sponsorship application materials:

1. Cover letter indicating:

- Why you are interested in working with TCRP

- Preferred issue focus from identified priority list

- Preferred location in Texas for duration of fellowship

- An preferences for a proposed fellowship project (optional)

2. Detailed resume

3. Writing sample of no more than 10 pages, preferably related to the subject matter of your proposed project idea.

4. A list of at least 3 references with at least 2 of these being professional references.

Priority review of applications received by July 31, 2026 to allow prompt selection and sufficient time to partner on application if applying for external fellowship such as Equal Justice Works or Skadden Fellowship. At this point, TCRP does not plan to recruit additional fellowship applications for school specific Spring deadline fellowships.

INCLUSION AND NON-DISCRIMINATION

TCRP is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives and contributions of individuals from diverse backgrounds and strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment from candidates of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientation, religions, abilities, and backgrounds. Research shows that while men apply for positions when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women, Black people, people of color and other underrepresented groups only apply when they check every box. If you feel like this is the position for you even though you don’t check every box, please apply — you could be exactly what we’re looking for!

We make reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees who have a disability. If you are in need of an accommodation to apply for one of our positions, contact HR at [email protected].