Disability Law United (DLU) invites candidates to apply for sponsorship for public interest fellowship applications for the one- to two-year period beginning Fall 2026.
DLU is a national, non-profit legal organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil and human rights of people with disabilities, and fighting for liberation and equity through the lens of intersectional disability justice. Our work is informed by grassroots movements for systemic change, and centers the concerns and goals of people with disabilities who are confronting barriers to access to programs and services and resisting oppressive legal systems in the United States.
Our legal expertise in the disability-rights frameworks of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act allows us to move the dial for intersectional disability justice across a variety of systems that are unaccustomed and resistant to the requirements of these laws, and that deny the humanity, dignity, and agency of people with disabilities. We further our aims through a combination of public education, coalition and policy work, systemic-change litigation, direct legal services, and technical assistance to movement leaders and community-based partners, strengthening social movements and upholding human rights.
We at DLU believe we can have the most impact by supporting disabled people who are experiencing discrimination and exclusion at the intersection of other systems of harm. You can read more about DLU on our website at https://disabilitylawunited.org/what-we-do/.
We are seeking candidates for independently funded fellowships who will collaborate on simultaneous applications to more than one funder. We are committed to supporting and advising candidates during the application process to ensure that a high-quality and well-informed application is submitted. Candidates will work with the Legal Director, and practice area attorneys on the final submission.
Fellowship projects should connect to DLU’s areas of engagement and expertise. Our priorities include defending and advancing the rights of disabled people via access to government programs and services, housing, and transportation; centering people with disabilities in disaster planning, preparedness, and response; protecting disabled people from further harm in our carceral systems and when dealing with police; defending the rights of people with disabilities in the U.S. immigration system and improving the deeply-flawed immigration process for all.
Candidates should note that this opportunity is open to applicants from across the US, with successful applicants being fully remote.
We welcome projects in the following areas:
Immigration
DLU will consider proposals that address the intersection of disability and immigration detention, with an eye towards leveraging disability laws and frameworks to protect the rights of noncitizens being rapidly shuffled through the deportation pipeline. Proposals may include anything within the detention/deportation pipeline, including border apprehension, internal apprehension, and detention. The proposal should not focus on representation of individuals in routine immigration proceedings, but should identify systemic barriers or abuses that impact immigrants with disabilities that can be addressed through litigation or administrative representation of an affected person.
Disaster & Environmental Justice
DLU will also consider proposals that address disaster and environmental justice, with a particular focus on advocacy for more accessible and comprehensive emergency planning, preparedness, and response that brings the voices and needs of individuals with disabilities into those processes.
Carceral Reform & Policing
DLU will also consider proposals that address the intersection of disability and policing at any point in the policing continuum, including emergency response and dispatch, police response/intervention (including at mass events), stops and arrests, pre-trial incarceration, imprisonment, and supervised release.
How to Apply
By August 15, 2025, submit the following materials to info@dlunited.org. Please write “ATTN: 2026 – 2028 Fellowship Application [LAST NAME]” in the subject line.
- A concise cover letter describing your interest in DLU and public interest law, and containing a brief project proposal (if you have one)
- Resume
- Law school transcript
- Writing sample
- Three professional or academic references
Equal Opportunity Employer
DLU values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or weight. We encourage and welcome Black, Indigenous, and people of color, people with disabilities, higher weight people, parents of children with disabilities, LGBTQI people, and people with diverse life experiences and backgrounds to apply.
Questions
Please contact Ana Diaz at adiaz@dlunited.org with any questions.