The Monroe Leigh Fellowship in International Law

Application Guidelines

The Monroe Leigh Fellowship in International Law has been established by Monroe Leigh's family and friends and the University of Virginia School of Law to honor Monroe's commitment to the development of international law and to encourage students to gain valuable international law experience. The fellowship is available for the summer following the first or second year, during the fall and/or spring of the third academic year, or for a postgraduate internship following graduation.  The fellow will normally work with a sponsoring organization.

A 1947 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Editor-in-Chief of the Virginia Law Review, Leigh had a legal career that spanned six decades, during which he advised governments and private companies and furthered the development of international legal institutions as a scholar and public servant. As a member of the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson for most of his career, he specialized in international law, public international law, international dispute resolution, and U.S. regulations involving national security and foreign policy. Over the years, he was a leader in shaping the U.S. position on war crimes issues. He was president of the American Society of International Law from 1981-82 and he was a member of various U.S. government advisory groups. From 1975-77, he was the legal adviser to the Department of State. Until 1988, he was an adjunct professor on International Trade Law at the University of Virginia School of Law.  In 1996, he was a visiting scholar at Wolfson College of Cambridge University, England.                                                

Compensation: The fellowship will be offered to one or two recipients in a maximum amount of $10,000.

Qualifications: The selection process will be based on academic performance, experience, commitment to the field of international law, and the merits of the project proposal.

Application Deadline:  February 23, 2006
Finalist interviews will be conducted at the Law School, and selection of the fellow(s) will be made no later than March 06, 2006.

Application Procedure: Interested applicants should send

1. a resume;
2. a law school transcript;
3. two letters of recommendation from law school faculty members or attorneys who are familiar with the applicant's work;
4. two essays (each not longer than one page, single spaced) one describing the project and the other discussing the applicant's commitment to international law; and
5. a letter from the sponsoring organization indicating their willingness to serve as the host organization should the applicant receive the fellowship, to:

Professor John Norton Moore
University of Virginia School of Law
580 Massie Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903