Author: Hammad Ishaq
Last verified on: September 23, 2025

Overview

The Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship for Law Teaching is a one-year fellowship hosted by Harvard Law School (HLS), USA. It supports a recent law graduate who is preparing for a career in legal scholarship and law teaching. The purpose is to give the Fellow time, resources, and environment for research, writing, and engagement with the academic community. The Fellowship is funded entirely by a gift from Reginald F. Lewis (Class of 1968) and his wife, Loida Nicolas-Lewis. (Harvard Law School)

Benefits / Funding

• Stipend: The Fellow receives an annual stipend of US $60,000 for the full year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). (Harvard Law School)

• Residency: The Fellow is expected to be in residence at Harvard Law School during the academic year. (Harvard Law School)

• Academic work: The Fellow must prepare at least one major article intended for publication. Additionally, there is an opportunity to audit courses, attend workshops, and use Harvard’s academic resources (libraries, seminars, etc.). (Harvard Law School)

• Duration: One year (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027). (Harvard Law School)

What the Fellowship does not explicitly cover in the official page:

• Tuition (it is not a degree-granting program). As of last verification, the official page does not specify coverage of housing or visa/immigration fees or health insurance. (Harvard Law School)

• Travel costs or relocation allowance are not mentioned. (Harvard Law School)

Eligibility

• Educational credentials: At the time of application, the applicant must hold a J.D., LL.M., or S.J.D. degree (or equivalent professional law degree). (Harvard Law School)

• Career stage: Recent law graduates (i.e., those preparing for a teaching career) who have demonstrated interest in legal scholarship and law teaching. (Harvard Law School)

• Nationality: Candidates of any nationality are eligible. There is no stated citizenship or residency restriction. (Harvard Law School)

• Other: Preference is given to candidates who will diversify the legal academy (i.e., bring underrepresented perspectives) though this is a preference, not a strict requirement. (Harvard Law School)

What is not clearly specified:

• Whether there is a limit on years since degree (e.g. how “recent” is defined). As of last verification, the official page does not specify a maximum number of years since law degree. (Harvard Law School)

• Language requirements (e.g. English proficiency tests) are not explicitly mentioned. (Harvard Law School)

Timeline & Deadlines

• There is no institutional pre-selection window (e.g., through another body) mentioned. Applications go directly to Harvard Law’s online process. (Harvard Law School)

• Results notification date is not specified on the official page. As of last verification, official page does not specify when applicants can expect decisions. (Harvard Law School)

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

1. Prepare credentials: Ensure you have your law degree(s) (J.D., LL.M., or equivalent), academic transcripts, CV, etc.

2. Develop your project: Draft a research & writing project to be undertaken during the Fellowship (with intention of publication). Also prepare a statement of interest about law teaching and scholarship.

3. Obtain reference letters: Two letters of recommendation focusing on your potential as a legal scholar and teacher.

4. Complete application materials:

   • Comprehensive résumé/CV.

   • Research and writing project description (up to four pages).

   • Statement of interest in law teaching / scholarship (up to four pages), describing expected fields.

   • Copies of all transcripts.

   • Two reference letters.

5. Submit via the online portal: Follow the link from the Harvard Law School’s Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship page. Letters of reference are uploaded by recommenders directly through the online application. (Harvard Law School)

6. Ensure completeness: Application and both letters must be submitted by the deadline (October 2, 2025). Incomplete applications or late letters will likely lead to disqualification. (Harvard Law School)

Required Documents Checklist

• Comprehensive résumé or curriculum vitae (CV)

• Research & writing project description (maximum four pages) aiming for publication (Harvard Law School)

• Statement of interest in law teaching and legal scholarship (maximum four pages) including fields of intended work (Harvard Law School)

• Copies of all academic transcripts (from law school and any other relevant degrees) (Harvard Law School)

• Two letters of reference addressing your potential as a legal scholar and teacher (Harvard Law School)

Selection Criteria & What Reviewers Look For

Reviewers will evaluate applications based on:

• Scholarly potential: Quality and originality of proposed research project, strength of writing and analysis.

• Commitment to legal scholarship and teaching: How clearly the applicant articulates interest and potential for a career in academia.

• Academic record: Transcripts, prior writing or research experience.

• Letters of reference: How well recommenders speak to teaching potential and scholarly ability.

• Fit and diversity: How the applicant’s perspective, background, or field might contribute to diversity (broadly defined) of the legal academy.

Practical Tips to Strengthen an Application

• Start early: drafting a strong research proposal takes time. Choose a topic you know well, and show how it contributes to the field.

• Writing clarity: The proposal and statement should be crisply written, well-organized, and free of grammatical or stylistic errors.

• Prior publications or drafts: If you have any previous legal writing or publications, include them in your CV and refer to them in your statement. Even drafts or conference presentations help.

• Strong reference letters: Choose referees who know your academic work well, ideally those who can comment both on research ability and teaching potential. Provide them with your proposal and statement so that their letters can align with your application’s themes.

• Show how you will use the Fellowship: In your project plan and statement, explain how being in residence at HLS, auditing courses, attending workshops, will concretely support your work.

• Highlight uniqueness / diversity: If your background, research perspective, field, or life experience brings something different, articulate that.

Official Links & Apply Now

• Harvard Law School Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship official program page (“The Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship for Law Teaching”) – includes detailed description and eligibility. (Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship – HLS official page) (Harvard Law School)

• Deadline / announcement page for 2026-2027 Lewis Fellowship. (Deadline: 2026-2027 Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship – HLS) (Harvard Law School)

• Apply now portal: via the link provided in the first official page. The official page says: “Click here to apply for the 2026-2027 Lewis Fellowship.” (Harvard Law School)

FAQ

Q1: Can I apply if I completed my law degree more than 5 or 10 years ago?
A1: The official page does not set a strict limit on how many years have passed since your law degree. However, since the Fellowship is aimed at recent graduates, older graduates should make their scholarly activity especially clear to show they remain active in research. (Harvard Law School)

Q2: Can this Fellowship be combined with another fellowship or grant?
A2: The official page does not explicitly address combining with other awards or grants. If you have existing funding, you may need to check with HLS whether that conflicts with the stipend or expectations of residency. Always disclose other support in your application. (Harvard Law School)

Q3: Is there any teaching requirement during the Fellowship?
A3: As per official documentation, there is no requirement to teach classes. The focus is on research, writing for publication, auditing courses, and preparing for a career in legal scholarship and teaching. (Harvard Law School)

Q4: Does the Fellowship cover housing or health insurance or visa fees?
A4: The official page specifies the stipend and residency requirement. It does not clearly state that housing, health insurance, visa fees, or travel are covered. Applicants may need to assume they’ll need to arrange or partially pay for those unless otherwise informed by Harvard. (Harvard Law School)

Q5: If I hold an LLB (or equivalent foreign first law degree) but not a J.D./LL.M./S.J.D., is that acceptable?
A5: The official qualification is “J.D., LL.M or S.J.D. degree or equivalent professional law degree.” If your LLB is considered equivalent in your country, you may be eligible. It’s safer to check whether your degree is recognized as “equivalent professional law degree” in this context, or contact the Fellowship administrators with your transcripts. (Harvard Law School)

Call to Action

If you meet the eligibility requirements and are interested in pursuing work in legal scholarship and teaching, apply for the Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship 2026-27 now. The deadline is October 2, 2025.

Apply now via the official Harvard Law School portal (official application link) (Harvard Law School)

Disclaimer: Always double-check dates, deadlines, and requirements on the official Harvard Law School web pages, as these may be updated or changed after the “Last verified” date.