Program Overview

The term and internal sequence of the Hastie Fellowship Program are designed to accommodate the needs for intensive research and writing, gaining teaching experience and entering the legal teaching job market.

Hastie Fellows will be appointed for a term of two years. Fellows are required to be in residence in Madison with a commitment to participating fully in the life of the Law School.

The first year of the program is devoted primarily to scholarship. By the fall of the second year, Fellows should be sufficiently advanced in their research to apply to the legal teaching market. In addition to supporting Fellows on the teaching market, the second year of the program focuses on teaching experience and publication of the Fellow's research.

 

Application Process

Application Deadlines

Applications for the Fall 2027 Fellowship are open. To apply, send the materials listed below to hastiefellowship@law.wisc.edu. Apply by November 13, 2026 for full consideration.    

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a J.D. Applicants with an equivalent law degree are also eligible if they have multiple years of experience practicing law in the United States or with an international organization.

Required Materials

To apply, send the materials listed below to hastiefellowship@law.wisc.edu:

• Cover letter/statement of interest: Please discuss how your life experiences have guided your desire to become a legal scholar and teacher. You may wish to address: the path that led you toward legal teaching, including any nontraditional or first-generation aspects of your educational or professional journey; practice experience in underserved communities; your experience with, or approach to, mentoring and teaching students; and any significant obstacles you have overcome along the way.
• Resume or curriculum vitae.
• Research proposal: Please describe, in two to three single-spaced pages, the research you plan to pursue during the Hastie Fellowship. In addition to describing your general research interests, the proposal should highlight two specific scholarly works that you expect to develop during your time in residence.
• References: Include a list of references, including contact information, for two or three individuals who would be willing to write letters of reference on your behalf. Law School HR will request letters of reference from those contacts during the interview process.

Applicants are evaluated as individuals based on the totality of their applications. The Fellowship does not use race, ethnicity, sex, or any other protected characteristic as a factor in selection.

Remuneration and Support Services

The position offers compensation of $75,000 per year along with a research support fund (currently $3,500 per year for each year of the fellowship). In addition to the stipend, the Law School furnishes support services including a private office with a desktop computer, printer, office supplies and photocopying.