At Davis Polk, our culture and commitment to service strengthen our connections to each other and to our clients.
In that spirit, we offer the Davis Polk 2L Fellowship for rising 2L students who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence, leadership and service within the legal profession and their communities more broadly.
Fellowship details
- 2L Fellowship amount: $35,000 (less any applicable withholdings and taxes)
- The Davis Polk 2L Fellowship will be paid in three installments:
- $15,000 at the beginning of the recipient’s time as a Davis Polk summer associate
- $10,000 when the recipient joins Davis Polk as a full-time associate either immediately after law school graduation or after a judicial clerkship, and after taking the Bar examination
- $10,000 at the conclusion of the recipient’s first 12 months at the firm as a full-time associate
Fellowship requirements
- Applicants must intend to practice law at a Davis Polk office within the United States and must be enrolled in a full-time J.D. program at an ABA-accredited law school with an expected graduation date of spring 2027.
- Applicants must not accept a similar fellowship/award (impacting their 2026 summer program experience) from another law firm.
- All recipients of the Davis Polk 2L Fellowship are required to accept, and complete, a Davis Polk summer associate position for the summer following their second year of law school (the 2026 Summer Program).
Fellowship application process
- Applicants are required to submit a resume, a complete law school transcript of their first-year grades and a personal statement. Please also indicate your practice area preferences.
- The personal statement must indicate the applicant’s Davis Polk office of interest and discuss their interest in the fellowship, goals for joining Davis Polk, personal and professional experiences and achievements, and demonstrated commitment to excellence, leadership and service within the legal profession and/or greater community (500 words or fewer).
The application process is open to all students who fulfill the fellowship requirements. Should you apply for the Davis Polk 2L Fellowship, you will not need to apply separately for a Davis Polk summer associate position. All fellowship applications will be considered in tandem with the offer process for the Davis Polk summer program. Please note that summer program offer decisions will be made in advance of any awarded fellowship. The firm will award a limited number of fellowships, but applicants who are not awarded a fellowship may still be considered, and receive an offer, for the Davis Polk summer program.