The James C. Gaither Fellowship was established to support promising Stanford Law School graduates of the J.D. program seeking to make a transition into academia, and who need additional time and institutional support to complete scholarly project(s) before going on the teaching market. Gaither Fellows will be chosen based on nominations to the dean from the Teaching Prospects Committee.

The typical fellowship is for two years, though it can be shorter or longer in individual cases. In most years, there will be one Gaither Fellow in residence, but that number may fluctuate in any given year based on the quality of applications. Fellows are expected to devote most of their time during the Fellowship to their own scholarship, and to complete a substantial piece (or pieces) of scholarship of publishable quality. Fellows are also permitted (but not required) to teach a seminar or class related to their work. Fellows will be provided with an office and library privileges, and are expected to participate in the general intellectual life of the faculty.

While there are no formal prerequisites for the Fellowship beyond completion of a Stanford JD, the Fellowship was designed primarily to aid aspiring academics who do not have other formal opportunities available to them to undertake a substantial scholarly project. Thus, preference will be given to JDs who are not enrolled in a PhD or other advanced degree program that has substantial writing requirements built into them.

Interested graduates should contact the head of the Teaching Prospects Committee (for 2009-10, Prof. Richard Craswell), enclosing a CV, academic references and a description of the writing project(s) they intend to undertake during the Fellowship. There is no deadline for applying, but in general those who apply by January 1st will stand a greater chance of getting funded for the next academic year.