Become a Fellow
The application period for the Crime Victims Advocacy Program will open soon! Register to receive updates using the form at the bottom of this page.
Become a Fellow
Crime Victims Advocacy Program
Victimization can create a myriad of civil legal problems and intensify pre-existing challenges faced by victims and their families. Without legal representation, these complex legal issues can be overwhelming for victims of crime to navigate alone.
The Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Advocacy Program (CVAP) is mobilizing a cohort of 21 attorney Fellows to increase access to legal aid for survivors of crime, especially in underserved black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.
CVAP Fellows will work at legal services and community organizations across the country to provide civil legal services for victims of crime. The two-year Fellowship term will begin in the summer of 2023. Fellows will work collaboratively to provide legal advice, referrals, and full representation for crime survivors on various civil legal issues arising from their victimization. Fellows will also help enforce their clients’ rights in criminal proceedings, engage in outreach and education activities, and build community partnerships for holistic services.
In addition to the training and mentorship that Fellows will receive from their host organization, Equal Justice Works will provide a range of wraparound trainings, technical assistance, and peer learning meetings throughout the Fellowship term. These include, but are not limited to:
- A kick-off training to build expertise and community among Fellows
- Equal Justice Works’ three-day Leadership Development Training in Washington, DC each Fall, which is attended by 200+ current Fellows
- Responsive training and technical assistance
- Regular substantive and skills-based workshops, conferences, and networking opportunities
Qualifications are set by each host organization, but typically Fellows must:
- Be licensed to practice law or have taken a bar exam (to be determined by the host organization)
- Have a commitment to social justice
- Have excellent writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
- Demonstrate strong oral and negotiation skills
- Work as a team member
We anticipate issuing a competitive RFP to select host organizations in early 2023 and announcing the host organizations and their locations in spring 2023. The host organizations will then post Fellow job postings in collaboration with Equal Justice Works.
For any questions, email [email protected].
This program is supported by an award under 15POVC-22-GK-01116-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.