Public Interest Law
The Marvin D. Nathan Endowed Fellowship Fund
Comments from Marvin Nathan Fellow, Patrick Elkins - Summer 2003
Endowed by Marlene N. Meyerson to honor and recognize her cousin Marvin D. Nathan, a distinguished alumnus of the class of 1966 of the University of Houston Law Center, the Marvin D. Nathan Endowed Fellowship Fund established with the University of Houston Law Foundation provides an award to a UH Law Center student participating in a Summer Fellowship Program at the Anti-Defamation League, Houston Regional Office.
Headquartered in New York City, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is the premier national non-profit organization that fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry in the U.S. and abroad, combats international terrorism, probes the roots of hatred, comes to the aid of victims of bigotry, develops educational programs, and serves as a public resource for government, media, law enforcement, all toward the goals of countering and reducing hatred. Defending Constitutional Freedoms, especially First Amendment freedoms, is a key part of the ADL agenda through both direct complaint resolution and through court briefs.
The Marvin D. Nathan Fellow will be afforded the unique opportunity to participate both in the Anti-Defamation League’s (“ADL”) day-to-day legal work and its day-to-day Regional Office work, serving constituents in the (Southwest, Texas) Houston, Texas area. The incumbent will be expected to participate in both the legal and policy work of the organization, learning how ADL fights anti-Semitism, racism and bigotry, works to build bridges amongst disparate groups, and safeguards the rights of all people.
Under the supervision of ADL staff attorneys, the Fellow will:
- Engage in legal research and writing under the supervision of ADL attorneys, including assisting in the preparation of amicus curiae briefs, testimony, model legislation, op-ed submissions and ADL Civil Rights Division advocacy pieces and publications when appropriate.
- Work with ADL attorneys to assist regional staff in matters that deal with the law and ADL policy (especially in the areas of religious liberty, employment discrimination and hate crimes).
- Work closely with, and learn from, ADL regional staff in the handling of constituent complaints, implementation of community service projects and coalition building.
The fellowship will last between 8-10 weeks, with the student committing to a minimum of 35 hours per week. The award granted to the student will be $500 per week awarded on a monthly basis during the fellowship.
Comments from the 2003 Marvin Nathan Fellow, Patrick Elkins
“My experience this past summer as the first Marvin D. Nathan Fellow was beyond my imagining. On my first day, I walked into the ADL office here in Houston and was immediately put to work. Congress was then debating the merits of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, and my first assignment was to research a line of cases and write a memo on the WRFA’s affect on those cases. My memo was a basis for the ADL’s decision on whether to support the bill or not. The rest of my short eight weeks with the ADL consisted of similar intriguing and important work. For example, I spent the time taking discrimination complaints and seeking to help those who were discriminated against. I also spent an afternoon listening to Israeli antiterrorism expert Yoni Fighel addressing local antiterrorism task force members. Another morning was spent at a local high school, listening to the students discuss how ADL program had affected their lives. The Fellowship allowed me to not only expand my legal knowledge and hone my writing abilities, but also educated me on national policy issues and build strong ties to the Houston community. If you asked me whether I would recommend anyone else apply for the Fellowship, my answer would be an emphatic yes. A fellowship with the ADL is an amazing experience for any law student, and we at the University of Houston are extremely lucky to have the opportunity that the Marvin D. Nathan Fellowship offers.”
Patrick is willing to answer potential applicant questions. You can contact him at pkelkins@central.uh.edu.
The Marvin D. Nathan Fellowship program is administered through the UH Law Center Public Interest Program. Prospective fellows will compete in a formal application process that includes a personal statement, resume, unofficial transcript and two references. The personal statement of 500 words or less should detail a student’s interest in the ADL and any past experiences that are relevant to the student’s ability to make a contribution to this organization. Information regarding the student’s background, qualifications, or commitment to public service should be outlined in the personal statement.
To be eligible to apply, students must be enrolled in good standing at UH Law Center, have completed 30 semester hours and taken Constitutional Law prior to the fellowship summer. The student selected must satisfactorily pass a criminal background check as requested by the Anti-Defamation League.
Finalists for the fellowship grant may be asked to complete a personal interview with the Fellowship Selection Committee, which is comprised of the Dean of the University of Houston Law Center (or his or her designee) and University of Houston Faculty Members. The Southwest Regional Director of the ADL, and their designee, shall serve as non-voting advisory members of the selection committee.
Following the summer fellowship, the student is required to account for the time with the ADL and to submit a summary detailing the ways in which the fellowship experience will affect the student’s future career.
Deadlines and Dates for 2009
Application Deadline- February 23, 2009
Submit to Student Services Suite 30 5:00 p.m.
Interviews – March 10 or 12, 2009 (Confirming professors and Dean Nimmer)
The review panel will select the top candidates for a personal interview.
Selection – expected by March 13, 2009
We expect to notify the selected individual via phone or email. At that time the student selected must submit information to the ADL for a criminal background check.
Jurisprudence Luncheon – March 31, 2009
The 2009 Marvin Nathan Fellow will attend the Anti-Defamation League Annual Jurisprudence Luncheon.
Please email Dean Tennessee at stennesse@uh.edu