Lew Wiener Disability Rights Fellowship

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) works to create legal, economic, and social equity through litigation, client and public education, and public policy advocacy with a primary focus on racial justice. For the last 55 years, the Committee has been on the cutting edge of civil rights advocacy in the region bringing precedent setting litigation to address discrimination. Our work focuses on injustices in housing, employment, the criminal legal system, education, public accommodations, and the civil rights of immigrants. We partner with individuals and communities facing discrimination and with the legal community to achieve justice. The Committee’s staff is unionized with the National Organization of Legal Service Workers Local #2320, UAW. For more information on the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, please go to www.washlaw.org.

About Lew Wiener

The Lew Wiener Disability Rights Fellowship was created in 2025 in memory of Lew Wiener, the 2024 Wiley Branton honoree and former board chair of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (“WLC”).

During his 19 years on the WLC board, Lew co-counseled multiple disability rights cases. As a partner at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, Lew represented blind and visually impaired federal government contractors who sued the federal government alleging that the inaccessibility of SAM.gov, the website utilized by federal contractors, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The resulting consent decree required the government to make changes to ensure the website was accessible to individuals using screen readers and other assistive devices that allow blind/visually impaired individuals to access and read web pages.

In a landmark disability rights case, Lew served as lead counsel representing seven deaf and hearing-impaired individuals who were denied access to sign language interpreter services at Laurel Regional Hospital in Maryland. The Justice Department adopted the resulting consent decree, which was referred to as the gold standard for defining “effective communication” in a hospital setting. Reflecting on this case, Lew remarked, “Working with pro bono clients who are deaf reinforced the best advice I ever received: learn to speak your client’s language; don’t expect them to speak yours.”

About The Fellowship

The Lew Wiener Disability Rights Fellowship is a one-year fellowship available to law school graduates with 0-3 years of experience. Applicants should have excellent legal writing and analysis skills and a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of disability rights and civil rights. The Fellow will receive excellent supervision and mentorship to work on cutting-edge systemic disability rights cases on behalf of individuals and organizations in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia.

The Fellow will be expected to work on all aspects of litigation including investigation and case development, legal research and writing, discovery, motions practice, and trial as part of a team comprised of WLC staff and private bar co-counsel. The Fellow will work closely with organizers in impacted communities and advocacy groups to identify the issues of most concern to the communities the WLC serves.

Compensation

Salary and benefits will be commensurate with the salaries and benefits provided to permanent staff attorneys employed by WLC, which includes generous leave and employer-funded benefits.

Fellow Requirements And Eligibility

Interested applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Law school graduate
• A member of a state bar of Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia; or planning to obtain admission to one of these state bars
• Demonstrated commitment to disability rights and civil rights
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analysis skills
• Capacity to adapt quickly to new or unexpected assignments
• Commitment to working collaboratively with teams and clients

This is a hybrid position requiring in person work in our downtown Washington DC office every Tuesday Wednesday Thursday.

The Fellow may begin work in the Spring of 2025, or if necessary to accommodate 2025 law school graduates, in the Fall of 2025.

Application and Selection

A Completed Application Will Consist Of

• Cover letter (no longer than two pages) explaining the ways in which you meet the selection criteria.
• Current resume
• List of three references (combination of academic, work, internship): including former direct supervisors’ names, emails, and telephone numbers
• Legal writing sample of no more than 10 pages
• If graduating law school in 2025, an unofficial law school transcript

Note: Please include your references, writing sample, and transcript within the cover letter, as our application system only allows for two document submissions: resume and cover letter.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. WLC is an equal opportunity employer. Diversity is an essential component of the Committee, and we encourage all qualified persons to apply.

Applicants are accorded an equal opportunity for selection without regard to actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, personal appearance, or political affiliation.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

62,250 – 74,250 USD per year(WLC Office)