Blackstone`s influence on U.S. law can hardly be overstated. His writings trained almost every American lawyer until the mid-19th century. Unfortunately, his influence and Christian worldview have since been virtually eradicated from American law schools. That`s why Alliance Defending Freedom has called its prestigious law student program Blackstone Legal Fellowship, which represents a new generation of lawyers, men and women of Christian beliefs, passion, and intelligence who can serve as leaders in the legal culture proposed by Blackstone`s vision of law to promote legal systems that fully protect our God-given rights. Upon successful completion of the summer program, participating students will have the opportunity to be commissioned as Blackstone Fellows. Our employees work with each fellow to develop a career plan, refine their resume and interview skills, and help them identify the best career opportunities in judicial internships, government agencies, law firms, advocacy groups, and other pathways to success. Most importantly, they join an alumni network of nearly 2,300 lawyers who promote themselves professionally, support each other spiritually, come together in community, and join forces with aDF and our allies to influence our legal system, protect our inalienable rights, and keep the door open to the gospel. The Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a unique and influential community that is changing the world around us. Its mission is simple but crucial: to bring together the best Christian law students in the United States, train them in legal theory and practice, equip them with the professional skills and networks needed to succeed in the legal profession, and inspire them to rethink their careers to serve God. Students then complete prestigious summer internships tailored to their respective career goals, including in courtrooms, government offices, law firms, public interest groups and businesses.
Commentaries were the original basis of legal education in America and a work that would dominate the common law legal system for centuries. In fact, they had a profound and profound influence on the United States Constitution, whose notion of absolute rights was the fundamental premise of our Declaration of Independence. Selection criteria include: good academic performance; Leadership qualities, both demonstrated and potential; maturity of faith and character; and commitment to legal and cultural engagement. Students gather for two weeks of classroom training on the philosophy of law, constitutional interpretation, and jurisprudence, as well as the development of Christian worldviews taught by some of the eminent scholars of our time. Interns meet for two weeks with lectures, seminars and discussions. These aim to challenge conventional wisdom in legal education and provide a principles-based analytical framework for understanding the principles of natural law, constitutional interpretation and jurisprudence, the history of Western civilization, and the influence of international human rights law. The program also includes daily worship and a series of devotions that emphasizes the personal and ethical challenges of legal practice. Finally, students meet for a week of face-to-face teaching that focuses on professional development as well as training in legal and cultural engagement. After a rigorous recruitment and selection process, law students admitted to Blackstone participate in a stimulating summer program of intellectual and professional development divided into three phases: In accordance with the mission of the Blackstone Legal Fellowship – see What is Blackstone and who should apply – interns are selected based on their past achievements as well as their future potential.
Because of the significant investment the ADF makes in each intern, both during the summer program and throughout their career, we apply a rigorous application and selection process. Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a leadership training program that brings together outstanding Christian law students and prepares them for careers marked by integrity and excellence. It is based in the United States and is operated by our global partner Alliance Defending Freedom. Since 2000, Alliance Defending Freedom has trained nearly 2,000 law students from more than 225 law schools in 21 different countries. If you are a graduate of Areté and a law student, you may be eligible to take additional training at Blackstone Legal Fellowship. The scholarship begins with a nine-week summer leadership training program (June – August). This includes three-week seminars on topics such as philosophy of law, legal practice with integrity and excellence, career development, and cultural engagement. Interns also spend six weeks in legal internships around the world, working with nonprofits, government agencies, or boutique law firms, among others. The nine-week program is a start, not a highlight. Interns are created with a professional network, lasting friendships and knowledge that will serve them well throughout their careers.
Individuals selected as Fellows at the end of the summer will also receive ongoing training, resources and support from an international community. Interns complete a six-week legal internship to advance their career goals. You`ll get positions in a variety of organizations, including nonprofits, NGOs, government agencies, and specialized law firms. Blackstone Legal Fellowship is much more than a summer internship program. It is, in short, a long-term investment in its participants. As a result, Blackstone interns are selected through a rigorous and highly competitive application process specifically designed to build a diverse class with strong leadership potential in all areas of private practice and public service. The selection committee is looking for students with outstanding intellectual distinction and Christian commitment who will form an extensive network of lawyers with the character, competence and credentials to bring about lasting change in our legal culture. All application documents will be submitted through the Blackstone Application Portal. In the portal, you can save your work on the go and not need to have all your materials ready at the same time. However, we recommend that applicants complete the first step of the process as soon as possible, as this will trigger a call from an ADF representative to tell you about the summer internships and answer your questions. Finally, applications are not continuously evaluated, so there is no benefit to submitting them well in advance of the deadline.
True to its name, Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a scholarship. Throughout the program and well beyond graduation, interns participate in a thoughtful community of highly skilled Christian law students and develop relationships that will endure for years to come. Fellows – the interns selected for the scholarship at the end of the summer program – also benefit from the alumni network. Through events, additional training, and various networking opportunities, Fellows strengthen relationships with members of their class and form new relationships that will be personally and professionally rewarding. Through the summer program and all of the following, Blackstone Fellows are able to effectively integrate legal culture and accelerate their careers in any area of law god calls them. Academic Transcripts – Applicants must submit transcripts for all bachelor`s and master`s programs they complete. Since law school grades for the current fall semester may not be published until the January application deadline, we will tell you how to submit your unofficial transcripts once your grades have been published. The Blackstone Legal Fellowship seeks accomplished law students who are committed to their faith and who are committed to influencing the culture of the legal profession. To learn more and apply, visit www.BlackstoneLegalFellowship.org. In the commentaries, Blackstone explained that the foundation on which English common law is based is a higher law, the law written by God, found in His writings and the order created. Blackstone says, «When the Supreme Being formed the universe and created matter out of nothing, he imprinted certain principles on that matter from which he can never deviate and without which he would cease to be. For this reason, William Blackstone asserts, «the first and main end of human laws is maintenance.
These absolutes [i.e. The rights given by God to the individual. As a result, man does not have the authority to write a law that contradicts God`s law. Blackstone called this concept «ultra vires,» meaning that it is beyond man`s authority to write a law that violates God`s law. Blackstone also said that the law is firm, uniform and universal.