2026 Glynn D. Key 1L Summer Fellowship (Paid): Southern Environmental Law Center

About the Fellowship

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is now accepting applications for the Glynn D. Key 1L Summer Fellowship, a paid legal internship opportunity for first-year law students during the summer of 2026.

This fellowship honors the legacy of Glynn D. Key (1964–2014), a trailblazing lawyer and environmental justice advocate who broke racial and gender barriers throughout her career. She served in many prominent roles, including as a respected member of SELC’s Board of Trustees.

The fellowship provides first-year law students with a unique opportunity to join a nationally recognized organization that addresses some of the most pressing environmental challenges in the South and across the nation.

  Location

• Charlottesville, VA (On-site)
• Chapel Hill, NC (Hybrid work model available)

  Duration

• 10 weeks (40 hours per week)
• Start date: May 26, 2026
• End date: Early August 2026

  Compensation

• $9,000 total stipend ($900 per week)
• SELC does not reduce this amount if interns receive additional funding

  Fellowship Focus Areas

Fellows will work on projects that address critical environmental challenges, including:

• Climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Environmental justice and racial equity in law
• Clean energy and sustainable development
• Healthy air and pollution reduction
• Transportation and land use planning
• Clean water protection and wetlands conservation
• Coastal and forest protection

  Primary Responsibilities

Fellows will engage in a variety of projects, such as:

• Completing a project with a distinct environmental justice component
• Conducting legal research and analysis on federal and state environmental statutes and regulations
• Attending hearings, strategy sessions, client meetings, site visits, and depositions
• Participating in environmental policy discussions with government officials and community groups
• Joining internal legal team meetings, specialized training sessions, and group outings (e.g., hikes, canoe trips)

   Mentorship Program

Each Fellow will be paired with a SELC attorney for a year-long mentorship that begins prior to the internship.

• Regular check-ins and personalized advice
• Guidance on academic, professional, and leadership growth
• Support throughout law school and into early career development

   Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate a combination of the following attributes:

• First-year law student in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school
• Strong academic record (undergraduate, law school, or postgraduate coursework)
• Excellent legal research and writing skills
• Interest in environmental justice or the intersection of environmental law and racial justice
• Commitment to a career in public interest law (preferred)
• Experience or commitment to working with communities of color and vulnerable populations
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and incorporate feedback effectively
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion within communities or the legal profession

   Application Requirements

Applicants must submit the following materials via the online application portal by January 20, 2026:

• Cover letter (indicate office location preferences, ranked in order)
• Resume
• Writing sample
• Undergraduate transcript
• Law school transcript (submit first-semester grades once available)
• Names and contact information for three academic or professional references
• One-page statement of interest describing experience or interest in working with historically marginalized communities or addressing environmental injustices

Applications are encouraged as early as possible.

  About SELC

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South.

• Nonprofit and nonpartisan organization
• Staff of over 200, including more than 130 legal and policy experts
• Headquarters: Charlottesville, VA
• Regional offices: Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, Washington, DC

Core values:

• Integrity, honesty, and accountability
• Collaboration and camaraderie
• Equity, inclusion, and diverse perspectives
• Strategic, bold, and pragmatic approaches to environmental challenges

  About Glynn D. Key

• Native of Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia
• First African American to chair the Honor Committee and serve as Student Council President at UVA
• Earned her law degree from UVA School of Law
• Served in the Clinton administration (1993–1996) as Special Assistant and Counsel to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt
• Led the $700 million Everglades restoration settlement, uniting environmentalists, Indigenous tribes, agriculture, and government
• Partner at WilmerHale and later General Counsel at General Electric’s Coal Gasification and Water & Process Technologies Division
• Served on SELC’s Board of Trustees (2000–2009)
• Advocate for equity, sustainability, and environmental justice

Her legacy continues to inspire future generations of lawyers and changemakers.

   Key Takeaways

• Paid fellowship for 1L law students ($9,000 stipend)
• Focus on environmental justice and public interest law
• Mentorship program lasting beyond the summer internship
• Application deadline: January 20, 2026
• Locations: Charlottesville, VA and Chapel Hill, NC

If you are a first-year law student passionate about environmental justice and eager to make a lasting impact, don’t miss this chance to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and the opportunity to honor Glynn D. Key’s legacy of equity and leadership. Apply now and take the next step toward becoming a changemaker in environmental law.