New York Attorney General Fellowship 2027–2029: $87,356 Salary and Public-Service Legal Training
The New York Attorney General Fellowship is a paid two-year public-service legal fellowship for JD students graduating in the 2026–27 academic year, with an $87,356 base salary, benefits, and applications due October 2, 2026.
New York Attorney General Fellowship 2027–2029: $87,356 Salary and Public-Service Legal Training
The Office of the New York Attorney General is accepting applications for its 2027 Attorney General Fellowship cohort. This is a salaried legal fellowship, not an unpaid placement or a tuition scholarship. Selected Fellows work for two years in public-service legal roles beginning in September 2027 and ending in August 2029. The published base salary is $87,356 per year, with possible location pay of $2,000 to $4,000 depending on placement, plus a comprehensive New York State benefits package.
The application window opened on August 10, 2026, and closes online on October 2, 2026. The Office of the Attorney General says interviews will take place virtually in October and November 2026, offers will be extended in December 2026, and the fellowship begins in September 2027. The program is aimed at law students graduating from JD programs during the 2026–27 academic year who want substantial public-service legal work and are prepared to meet New York employment and bar requirements.
The official application instructions are unusually specific. Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, list of three references, and a five-to-ten-page writing sample with a cover page. Letters of recommendation are not requested. A transcript should not be included with the application. The Office also states that application documents must reflect the applicant’s own writing and expressly instructs applicants not to use artificial intelligence to generate them.
Key details
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | New York Attorney General Fellowship Program, 2027 cohort |
| Organization | Office of the New York Attorney General |
| Type of support | Two-year salaried legal fellowship and public-service employment |
| Application window | August 10, 2026 through October 2, 2026 |
| Deadline | October 2, 2026; complete applications must be received by close of business |
| Interviews | Virtual interviews in October and November 2026 |
| Offers | December 2026 |
| Fellowship dates | September 2027 through August 2029 |
| Base salary | $87,356 per year |
| Additional pay | Possible $2,000–$4,000 location pay, depending on placement |
| Benefits | Health, dental, vision, retirement, paid leave, and workplace flexibility options |
| Primary applicant group | Law students graduating from JD programs during the 2026–27 academic year |
| Required documents | Cover letter, resume, three-reference list, and five-to-ten-page writing sample |
| Application method | Online application through the Office of the Attorney General’s recruitment system |
| Official contact | [email protected]; 212-416-8080 |
| Official source | AG Fellowship Program |
What the fellowship provides
The most direct financial benefit is the annual salary of $87,356. The Office also says that Fellows receive a comprehensive benefits package. Published benefits include several weeks of paid leave each year, state holidays, vacation time, sick time, and personal time. Health, dental, and vision insurance are available through plan options. Fellows also have access to retirement benefits, including the New York State Pension System and deferred compensation programs.
Depending on placement, the Office says a Fellow may receive location pay of $2,000 to $4,000 on top of the base salary. The official page does not promise one specific location supplement to every Fellow, so applicants should treat this as possible additional compensation rather than guaranteed pay. The page also notes that Fellows receive any cost-of-living adjustments approved by the state during their tenure and may be eligible for a performance-based increase during the second year.
The fellowship includes a training and orientation program designed for Fellows. The Office describes a collegial environment, a designated Program Coordinator, and supervision and mentoring intended to help Fellows succeed in their placements. Fellows may gain experience across investigations, litigation, public education, and community outreach. A program goal is for Fellows to manage their own caseload and related responsibilities, although the precise work assigned will depend on bureau and office needs.
The position is also treated as qualifying employment for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, according to the Office’s FAQ. Applicants with federal student loans should confirm their own loan and repayment circumstances through the official Federal Student Aid resources. The fellowship page does not promise that every loan will qualify or that any particular balance will be forgiven.
Who this opportunity fits
The clearest fit is a JD student graduating during the 2026–27 academic year who wants to practice law in public service and is willing to commit to the full two-year fellowship. The Office is looking for applicants with strong legal writing, analytical, and organizational skills, a commitment to public service, and an interest in social, economic, and criminal justice. Fluency in another language is a plus but is not required.
Applicants should also be comfortable with the location requirement. Selected Fellows must reside in or intend soon to become residents of New York State. The application system says that attorneys working for the Office must meet this residency expectation, and the program page states that the Office cannot fund relocation. This makes location planning part of the application decision, not a detail to leave until after an offer.
Eligibility and employment conditions
The New York Public Officers Law requires Office attorneys to be United States citizens. Citizenship is therefore a stated condition for the attorney fellowship. The page also says selected Fellows must reside in or intend soon to become residents of New York State. Neither condition should be inferred away because an applicant has studied or worked in New York before.
A two-year commitment is a condition of employment. The program runs from September 2027 through August 2029, and applicants should consider whether they can make that commitment before applying. The Office describes a preference for candidates who genuinely want to work there and notes that successful completion brings preferred consideration for available attorney jobs. Preferred consideration is not a guarantee of a permanent position.
Admission to the New York State Bar within the Fellow’s first year is a condition of continued employment. The published requirements direct Fellows to take the Uniform Bar Examination in February 2027 or July 2027, the MPRE in March 2027 or August 2027, and the required New York Law Course and New York Law Exam sequence on the schedule described by the Office. Applicants should read the current New York State Board of Law Examiners information before planning their bar timeline. The Office expressly says it does not pay bar preparation costs or exam fees.
The Office particularly encourages applicants from groups underrepresented in attorney roles, including Black, Latinx or Latine, Indigenous American, Asian and Pacific Islander people, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ people. This is an encouragement to apply, not a separate award category. Every applicant still needs to satisfy the stated legal, education, residency, and employment conditions.
How to apply
Applications are accepted online from August 10 through October 2, 2026. Use the official AG Fellowship Program page and follow the current “How to Apply” link to the recruitment system. The application system asks for contact information, legal education details, anticipated JD graduation information, bar information, and attachments.
Before opening the form, create a checklist with four required files: the cover letter, resume, reference list, and writing sample. The official checklist says complete applications must be received by close of business on Friday, October 2. The main fellowship page says submitted applications cannot be edited, so uploading a draft and planning to replace it later is a risky approach.
The program page lists virtual interviews in October and November 2026. Offers are expected in December 2026. Successful applicants should then plan for a September 2027 start and an August 2029 completion. These dates allow a long gap between applying and beginning the role; use that period to prepare for the bar, plan residency, and keep contact information current.
Required materials and document standards
Cover letter. The letter may be addressed to the “Attorney General Fellowship Program Search Committee.” It must answer three questions: why the applicant is interested in working for the Office, what makes the applicant a strong candidate for a fellowship placement, and why diversity in the legal profession is important. The official checklist recommends keeping the letter to one or one and a half pages. It also asks applicants to specify placement preferences.
Resume. The resume should include the applicant’s name and contact information, law school and other academic background, school activities, completed and in-progress degrees, anticipated law-school graduation date, certifications or training, and professional experience. Include internships, externships, clinics, earlier positions, and correct employment dates. The Office says GPA is optional and that grades are not considered when evaluating applicants for first-round interviews.
Reference list. Provide three references with current phone numbers and email addresses. At least two should be professional, with supervisory or academic references preferred. One reference may be a character reference from a non-relative such as a mentor or colleague. State the nature and duration of each relationship. Do not provide letters of recommendation; the Office says references are checked after an interview.
Writing sample. Submit a five-to-ten-page sample, not including the cover page, that demonstrates legal research and analytical skills, clear and concise writing, advocacy, and grammar. The cover page should identify the document type and content, source, date, whether it is an excerpt, the context needed to understand it, who edited it, the number of drafts, and whether the applicant was the sole author. Select a sample the applicant can discuss in an interview.
Do not include a transcript with the application. The Office says it does not consider grades for first-round interviews and specifically instructs applicants not to submit a transcript. Also label documents with the applicant’s first and last name, use readable formatting, and proof every file before uploading.
How to prepare a credible application
Begin with the cover letter prompts rather than a generic public-interest paragraph. The Office wants to know why the applicant wants to work for this Office, why the applicant fits a fellowship placement, and why diversity in the legal profession matters. Each answer should be concrete. Connect a clinic, externship, research project, volunteer matter, or earlier job to the kind of public-service responsibility the Office describes.
Research the Office before choosing placement preferences. Its official site describes work involving consumers, tenants, patients, workers, investors, charitable donors, public health, the environment, and statewide civil and criminal investigations. Choose examples that show the applicant understands what a state attorney general’s office actually does. A cover letter that names a bureau but cannot explain its public function will be weaker than a shorter letter built around two well-understood areas.
Treat the writing sample as an interview document, not just an attachment. Choose a sample with a clear issue, disciplined structure, sound authority, and a conclusion the applicant can defend. Read it again as if a panel will ask why the issue was framed that way, what counterargument was strongest, and what the applicant would change now. If it is an excerpt, understand the entire document because the Office warns that interviewers may ask about the larger work.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most serious mistake is submitting an incomplete application. The Office says applications cannot be amended after submission and that incomplete submissions affect consideration. Finish every file before starting the final upload.
Do not use a form cover letter or merely repeat the resume. The Office explicitly says it wants to get to know the applicant and recommends an authentic, complete response to each prompt. Do not claim a placement preference without researching that bureau.
Do not use generated text in the application. The Office repeatedly instructs applicants not to use artificial intelligence to generate application documents and requires the submitted work to reflect the applicant’s own thoughts and work product. Draft in the applicant’s own voice, seek permitted human feedback, and retain authorship of the writing sample.
Finally, do not assume the salary includes relocation or bar costs. The Office says those costs are not funded. Budget for them and make a realistic New York residency plan before accepting an interview or offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a scholarship or a paid job?
It is a two-year salaried legal fellowship and employment opportunity. The published base salary is $87,356 per year, with benefits and possible location pay depending on placement.
What is the application deadline?
Applications for the 2027 cohort are accepted through October 2, 2026. The official checklist says complete applications must be received by close of business that day.
Who can apply?
The Office identifies law students graduating from JD programs during the 2026–27 academic year. Selected Fellows must meet the United States citizenship requirement for Office attorneys and reside in or intend soon to become residents of New York State.
Are transcripts or recommendation letters required?
No transcript should be included with the application, and the program requests a list of three references rather than letters of recommendation. At least two references should be professional, supervisory, or academic according to the official instructions.
How long should the writing sample be?
The writing sample should be five to ten pages, not counting its cover page. The cover page must identify the document, source, authorship, editing, draft history, and any excerpt context.
Does the Office pay relocation and bar costs?
No. The official FAQ says the Office cannot provide funding for relocation, bar preparation, bar examination fees, or related costs. Plan for those expenses separately.
Are Fellows guaranteed a permanent attorney job afterward?
No. The Office says successful completion of the fellowship brings preferred consideration for available attorney jobs. That is not a guarantee of a permanent position.
What happens after I submit?
The Office expects virtual interviews in October and November 2026 and says offers will be extended in December 2026. References are checked after an applicant has interviewed.
Official links and contact
Start with the Office of the New York Attorney General’s AG Fellowship Program page, which contains the 2027 dates, eligibility conditions, salary and benefits FAQ, placement information, application link, and contact details. Read the official application checklist before preparing the four required documents. The online application is hosted in the Office’s recruitment system.
For application questions, email [email protected] or call 212-416-8080. Submit only after the cover letter, resume, reference list, and writing sample are complete, accurate, authored by the applicant, and ready for review.