John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
Finding community at law school is vital, particularly while navigating the rigors of legal study. For a select group, a new fellowship offers both community and scholarly opportunities.
“My favorite part of being a student fellow is definitely my fellow student fellows,” says Catherina Xu, JD ’24, a 2023-24 Rhode Center Civil Justice Fellow.
The program brings together a cohort of roughly a dozen second- and third-year law students to spend one or two academic years working on the Rhode Center for the Legal Profession’s core research and policy-making projects. Founded in 2008, the Rhode Center takes a multidisciplinary approach to shaping the future of legal services—and it seeks to make the civil justice system more equitable, accessible, and transparent.
“I am so proud of the many different things the Rhode Center has done over the last few years, but I might actually be proudest of this program,” says David Freeman Engstrom, LSVF Professor in Law, of the two-year-old Fellows Program.
David Freeman Engstrom and Nora Freeman Engstrom have co-directed the Rhode Center since 2021. They created the Civil Justice Fellows program in 2022. “It’s the Center’s jewel in the crown,” David says. “We are creating and nurturing a pipeline of talented young lawyers who care about these important issues.”
An overarching goal of the Fellows’ program, says Nora Freeman Engstrom, Ernest W. McFarland Professor of Law, is to foster collaboration and community among participating students while encouraging their long-term commitment to ensuring that the legal profession lives up to its highest ideals. “We wanted to create a site of multi-generational exchange,” she says. “We wanted to create a mechanism so that students, professors, and the Center’s amazing staff could work side-by-side to advance the Rhode Center’s research and initiatives.”
The Fellows work on all of the Rhode Center’s core projects.
Being a Rhode Center Civil Justice Fellow is distinct from working as a research assistant, says 2024 Fellow Jess Lu, JD ’24. “You’re not just supporting an established academic with their research,” she says. “There’s ‘a feeling of more equal footing between students and professors.’”
The connections forged between Fellows are as important as those between students and faculty members adds Kelsea Jeon, JD ’25. “We have this common interest and mission to promote access to justice; I think that really brings us together.”
While each Civil Justice Fellow is assigned specific projects, they engage in various research activities handled by other cohort members. They collaborate on projects, edit each other’s work, participate in project roundtables and workshops, and often enjoy meals together. “We are teammates,” says Nora Freeman Engstrom. “Building that sense of community was one major goal.”
Catherina Xu puts it simply: “It has been such a wonderful opportunity to get to know students with similar interests in increasing access to justice.”
“This fellowship changed my view of civil justice by expanding my understanding of what path forward addresses resolving civil access issues,” Kelsea Jeon notes.
Aaron Schaffer-Neitz reflects on his experience: "I think during my second or third week working on my project; professors relied on my opinion on important questions," he recalls.
Faculty co-directors gain much from overseeing this program beyond student assistance with core projects at The Rhode Center for Legal Profession: "My favorite part is spending time with fellows getting know them," David Freeman Engstrom shares
About Deborah L.RhodeCenterLegalProfession
Through multidisciplinary teaching,research,&policy StanfordLawSchool'sRhodeCenter works making civiljustice more equitable accessible transparent promotinglegalprofession publicinterest commitments current focuses reformingservices regulation increase innovation &access technology role lawyering protecting consumers clients litigation building stronger diverse profession Before her death founderDeborahL.Rhode was ErnestW.McFarlandProfessor nation most frequently cited scholar ethics author30 books fields professional responsibility leadership gender law public policy
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