The Josiah Oliver Wolcott Fellowship is the only fellowship program in American legal education that offers students an opportunity to serve as a clerk for a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court or the Delaware Court of Chancery. Awarded to only ten students each year, this prestigious fellowship also provides academic credit and a scholarship grant.
Wolcott Fellowships
- As a Wolcott Fellow, you will serve as a judicial clerk with the Delaware Supreme Court or Court of Chancery for 20 hours a week during the academic year.
- The justice or vice chancellor overseeing your fellowship will assign you duties consistent with the duties performed by a law clerk.
- As a fellow, you will receive academic credit and a tuition remission scholarship grant of approximately $4,000 per semester.
Application Process and Criteria
As a full-time student in your second year, or a part-time student in your third year, you can apply for a Wolcott Fellowship in the spring. You should rank in the top 15 percent of your class and be able to demonstrate strong academic credentials. Strong research and writing skills are essential. To be considered for the Court of Chancery, you must have taken Business Organizations.
Invitations to apply are issued by the Dean's Office, and only students who receive an invitation are eligible to submit an application. Eligible students are typically notified about the application process at the beginning of the spring semester; therefore, students should familiarize themselves with the required application materials in advance and begin preparing their supporting documents. All required materials are provided below so that students may prepare accordingly.
Applications should include digital documents that are listed below:
- A cover letter
- A recent law school transcript
- A résumé
- A writing sample
- A letter of reference from one full-time faculty member. A letter of reference from an employer would also be welcome.
After selection by a member of the Delaware Supreme Court, a member of the Delaware Chancery Court, a faculty member, and Dean Todd Clark, finalists will be contacted for an interview.
To learn more, contact the coordinator of the Wolcott Fellowship Program, Brianna Frazier, at bpfrazier@widener.edu.