Zubrow Fellowship

In 2000, Juvenile Law Center launched the first two-year, post-graduate children’s law fellowship in the country, the Sol & Helen Zubrow Fellowship in Children’s Law, with an endowment from Barry Zubrow, Sol and Helen’s son and Juvenile Law Center board member.

We are committed to building the field of child advocacy, and the Zubrow Fellowship supports dedicated and talented individuals who go on to become leaders and change-makers.

Zubrow Fellows take on a variety of legal tasks and gain a comprehensive understanding of issues in the child welfare and justice systems. Fellows co-author groundbreaking reports, help pass legislative and executive reforms, and participate in major litigation. Fellows participate in all aspects of our work—such as legislative and policy advocacy, providing technical assistance and training, and appellate advocacy—and often work closely with our Youth Advocacy Program.

We are currently accepting applications for the 2025-2027 Zubrow Fellowship. Applications are due by January 17, 2025. You can find the application form by clicking here, or by reading the Zubrow Fellowship FAQ's.

Read The Zubrow Fellowship FAQs.

Who is eligible to apply for the Fellowship?

Zubrow Fellows are emerging leaders who graduated law school within two years prior to beginning the Fellowship. Applicants for the 2025-2027 Zubrow Fellowship should have graduated or anticipate graduating law school or a dual degree program in law between 2023-2025. There is no restriction on what an applicant who has already graduated has chosen to do in time since graduating. Individual questions about eligibility should be addressed to [email protected].

How does the Zubrow Fellowship application process work?

After the application period closes, the hiring committee reviews all applications and selects candidates that best match the position requirements for video interviews. After the video interviews, finalists are invited to a final panel interview. The interview is expected to take place in our Philadelphia office, but may take place virtually. It is generally expected that final interviewees are prepared to accept the Fellowship if an offer is made. Applicants should carefully consider their interest in the Fellowship before applying and/or accepting an invitation for a final interview.

Finalists for the Zubrow Fellowship will also have an opportunity for a phone conversation with a current Zubrow Fellow to ask questions before accepting the final interview. This phone conversation will not be part of the formal selection process.

 Please read all the FAQs before applying.

The Zubrow Fellowship is not a project-based fellowship, and applicants do not need to propose a project. Applicants should be aware of Juvenile Law Center's work and identify their areas of interest. Applicants will be judged on the extent to which they possess the vision, drive, and skills required to create and sustain work to further Juvenile Law Center's mission. No prior post-graduate work experience is required. The Fellow will be expected to begin the fellowship in September of the following year, with the ability to work in the Philadelphia office at least 2 days per week strongly preferred. We will, however, consider candidates who wish to work remotely from other locations.  Staff members at Juvenile Law Center who work remotely will be expected to travel to Philadelphia for in-person staff meetings up to once every other month and may be expected to travel for other work requirements such as appearing in court, attending conferences, or joining in-person community meetings.

Salary & Benefits

The Zubrow Fellowship is a two-year fellowship with an annual salary of $65,000, plus health care benefits, disability insurance, and life insurance. 

Today, Fellowship alumni are leaders in the field, continuously shaping local, state and national conversations about children’s rights. They have established their own organizations, led advocacy efforts at national nonprofits, published groundbreaking academic research, and steered winning advocacy campaigns at the state, local, and federal levels to advance the rights and well-being of children and young people.