Justice First Fellowship 2027 in the UK: Applications Open for Two-Year Fellowships Supporting Access to Justice

Applications are open for the Justice First Fellowship 2027, an opportunity for people passionate about access to justice, supporting marginalised communities, and creating positive change within the legal community. Successful applicants will begin working with their host organisations in April 2027 and undertake a two-year fellowship.

The fellowship offers an opportunity to work within organisations that support access to justice across the United Kingdom. Previous fellows have trained at 74 different host organisations throughout the UK, including law centres and national charities. Through this network of host organisations, fellows can gain experience working on issues affecting communities that may face barriers to legal support and representation.

The Justice First Fellowship combines employment with structured support, training, and professional development. Fellows will be employed by their selected host organisations, which will supervise and support their day-to-day work. The Legal Education Foundation (LEF) and its partners will organise the wider fellowship support, training, and development opportunities.

Applicants will be able to select two preferred host organisations from the list provided on the application form. Each organisation will have a job description explaining its available role, allowing applicants to consider which position best matches their interests, experience, and commitment to access to justice.

The application process includes an initial anonymised shortlisting stage intended to reduce bias. Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to interview directly by their selected host organisations. Interviews may take place online or in person and may include a presentation, a written task, or both.

Application deadline: 14 December 2026.

People interested in applying should review the official eligibility information, explore the available host organisations, and prepare an application that demonstrates their commitment to justice, experience working with marginalised communities, and understanding of the issues affecting the communities they hope to serve.

What Is the Justice First Fellowship?

The Justice First Fellowship is a fellowship programme associated with the Legal Education Foundation and its partners. It connects successful applicants with host organisations across the United Kingdom, providing a structured opportunity to work on issues related to access to justice.

Access to justice concerns people’s ability to understand, exercise, and protect their legal rights and obtain appropriate legal assistance when needed. Barriers may include financial hardship, social exclusion, lack of access to legal advice, or other challenges that make it difficult for individuals and communities to navigate legal systems.

Organisations working in this area may include law centres, charities, and other bodies supporting people who experience disadvantage or difficulty accessing legal services.

The fellowship is intended for people who demonstrate a commitment to improving access to justice and a desire to create change in the legal community. Experience working with marginalised communities and an understanding of the issues those communities face are important qualities highlighted in the selection information.

The programme provides a way for fellows to develop their experience while contributing to the work of a host organisation. It also offers wider support and training organised by LEF and its partners.

Justice First Fellowship 2027: Key Details

The following information summarises the main details supplied for the fellowship.

• Programme: Justice First Fellowship
• Recruitment cycle: 2027
• Host location: United Kingdom
• Fellowship duration: Two years
• Expected start: April 2027
• Application opening: Week commencing 12 October 2026
• Application deadline: 14 December 2026
• Interview period: 18 January to 5 February 2027
• Final confirmation of selected fellows: 15 March 2027, although most candidates are expected to hear back earlier
• Host organisations: Previous fellows have trained at 74 different organisations across the UK, including law centres and national charities
• Application preference: Applicants can choose two host organisations from the list provided on the application form
• Selection approach: Initial applications are anonymised to reduce bias during shortlisting
• Employment arrangement: Successful fellows are employed by their host organisations
• Training and wider support: Organised by LEF and its partners

Applicants should consult the official fellowship page for the full eligibility criteria and current application instructions.

What Does the Justice First Fellowship Offer?

1. A two-year professional opportunity

Successful applicants will begin working at their host organisations in April 2027 for a period of two years.

The two-year duration offers fellows an opportunity to develop experience through sustained involvement in their host organisation’s work. Rather than being a short placement, the fellowship provides a defined period in which fellows can contribute to the organisation, learn from colleagues, and develop their understanding of access-to-justice issues.

The specific duties and responsibilities will depend on the host organisation and the role offered. Applicants should therefore read the available job descriptions before making their preferences.

2. Placement with a host organisation in the UK

The fellowship works through a network of host organisations across the United Kingdom. Previous fellows have trained at 74 different organisations, including law centres and national charities.

These organisations provide the working environment in which fellows carry out their roles. Their work may involve supporting people and communities who experience barriers to justice, although the precise responsibilities will depend on the particular host and position.

During the application process, candidates can choose two organisations from the available list. Each host provides a full job description so applicants can make an informed decision about where they would most like to work.

Applicants should use these descriptions to compare the roles and identify the organisations whose work most closely aligns with their experience, interests, and motivation.

3. Employment and supervision by the host organisation

Successful fellows will be employed by the host organisation that selects them.

The host is responsible for supervising and supporting the fellow in the workplace. This means that the host organisation is central to the fellow’s day-to-day experience, professional responsibilities, and integration into the organisation’s work.

Candidates should carefully review the duties, expectations, and working arrangements described by their preferred hosts before applying.

The supplied announcement does not specify the salary, benefits, contract conditions, or whether relocation and visa support are available. Applicants should confirm these details through the official fellowship information or directly with the relevant host.

4. Wider training and support through LEF and its partners

In addition to support from the host organisation, the fellowship includes a wider support, training, and opportunities component organised by the Legal Education Foundation and its partners.

This creates a distinction between the host’s responsibility for employment and workplace supervision and the broader fellowship support organised through LEF and its partners.

The announcement does not provide a complete list of training activities or specific financial benefits. Applicants should consult the official programme information for further details.

5. An opportunity to contribute to access to justice

The fellowship is intended for people who demonstrate a passion for access to justice and a desire to create change within the legal community.

It may appeal to applicants who want to contribute to organisations working with marginalised communities and who have experience, knowledge, or lived understanding of the issues faced by the people those organisations serve.

The emphasis is not only on professional interest but also on a demonstrable commitment to the communities and issues relevant to access to justice.

Who Should Apply for the Justice First Fellowship?

The selection information highlights several qualities that hosts generally seek in applicants.

Demonstrable passion for access to justice

Applicants should be able to explain why access to justice matters to them and how they hope to contribute to improving it.

A strong application should communicate a genuine interest in legal access, fairness, and the barriers that prevent people from understanding or exercising their rights.

Candidates should connect their motivation to their experiences, interests, or previous work where relevant.

Experience working with marginalised communities

Experience working with marginalised communities is another quality identified in the announcement.

Applicants should consider how their previous employment, volunteering, community involvement, or other relevant experience demonstrates their understanding of the needs and challenges faced by communities that experience disadvantage.

The supplied announcement does not state that this experience must come from a particular job title or organisation. Candidates should nevertheless explain the nature of their experience clearly and accurately.

A desire to create change in the legal community

The fellowship seeks people who want to contribute to positive change within the legal community.

Applicants should be able to articulate the changes they hope to support and how the work of their preferred host organisations relates to those ambitions.

This may involve showing an understanding of barriers to legal support, the role of community-based organisations, or the importance of making justice more accessible.

Lived or learned experience of the issues affecting communities

Hosts are also interested in applicants with lived or learned experience of the issues facing the communities they serve.

Lived experience can provide personal insight into particular challenges, while learned experience may come through education, professional work, volunteering, research, or engagement with affected communities.

Applicants should present their experiences honestly and explain how they have helped them understand the issues relevant to their chosen host organisations.

The announcement does not state that applicants must disclose sensitive personal information. Candidates should share only information they are comfortable providing and that is relevant to the application.

How to Apply for the Justice First Fellowship 2027

The application process allows candidates to review host organisations, choose their preferences, and submit an application for consideration.

Step 1: Check the official eligibility requirements

Before applying, visit the official Justice First Fellowship page and review the eligibility information.

The programme provides a dedicated eligibility resource. Applicants should use it to determine whether they meet the requirements before proceeding.

Step 2: Review the available host organisations

The application form includes information about the host organisations and the roles they are offering.

Previous fellows have trained at 74 different host organisations across the UK, including law centres and national charities. The available organisations and roles for the 2027 recruitment cycle should be checked directly on the application form.

Read the descriptions carefully to understand each role’s responsibilities and identify which organisations best match your interests and experience.

Step 3: Choose two preferred host organisations

Applicants can select two organisations from the list of available hosts.

This choice is important because the selected organisations will receive the applicant’s anonymised application for the initial shortlisting stage.

Candidates should compare the available positions rather than selecting organisations solely on their names. Consider the job description, the communities served, the type of work involved, and the relationship between the role and your experience.

Step 4: Prepare a strong application

The application should demonstrate the qualities highlighted in the selection information.

Applicants should explain their commitment to access to justice, relevant experience working with marginalised communities, desire to create change in the legal community, and understanding of the issues faced by the communities served by their preferred hosts.

Use relevant examples to show what you have learned, the contributions you have made, and why you are interested in the particular organisations.

Follow the application form’s instructions and provide the information requested. The supplied announcement does not list every required document, so applicants should not assume that a particular document is compulsory unless the form requests it.

Step 5: Understand the anonymised shortlisting process

The fellowship uses anonymised applications during the initial shortlisting stage.

At this stage, hosts do not see the applicant’s name, school information, or equal opportunities data. This approach is intended to make shortlisting as unbiased as possible.

The hosts receive applications from candidates who selected their organisation. If an applicant chooses two hosts, those organisations will receive the anonymised application in accordance with the selection process described.

If the applicant is invited to interview, the host will then receive full access to the application and may request further information, such as a CV.

Step 6: Prepare for a possible interview

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted directly by the host organisation to arrange an interview. Interviews may take place online or in person.

The selection process may include a presentation, a written task, or both. Candidates will be informed about any such requirement and asked to prepare in advance.

Someone from LEF may also attend the interview panel as an observer.

Applicants should be ready to explain their motivation, relevant experience, understanding of access-to-justice issues, and interest in the host organisation. If a presentation or written task is required, follow the instructions provided by the host.

Step 7: Wait for the host’s decision

The host organisation makes the final employment decision unless the applicant receives more than one offer.

Hosts will contact candidates directly to communicate the outcome of their interviews. The announcement states that interview outcomes are expected by the middle of February, while final confirmation of selected fellows is scheduled for 15 March 2027.

Most candidates are expected to hear back before the final confirmation date.

Step 8: Consider the clearing option if available

Applicants who are unsuccessful at interview may still be considered for positions remaining available at other hosts if they opted into clearing when submitting their application.

However, consideration through clearing is not guaranteed.

Candidates who wish to be considered for remaining positions should read the application instructions carefully and decide whether to opt into clearing if the option is offered.

Read full details and Apply HERE

Justice First Fellowship 2027 Application Timeline

Applicants should keep the following dates in mind when planning their applications.

Stage	Date
Applications open	Week commencing 12 October 2026
Application deadline	14 December 2026
Interview period	18 January–5 February 2027
Expected communication of interview outcomes	By the middle of February 2027
Final confirmation of selected fellows	15 March 2027
Fellowship begins	April 2027
Fellowship duration	Two years

Important: The final confirmation date is not necessarily the date on which every candidate will receive their result. The announcement says most candidates will hear back before 15 March 2027.

Applicants should submit their applications by 14 December 2026 and monitor communications from their selected host organisations during the shortlisting and interview periods.

How the Justice First Fellowship Selects Candidates

Understanding the selection process can help applicants prepare more effectively.

Stage 1: Application and host selection

Candidates complete the application form and select two preferred host organisations from the available list.

The form provides information about the organisations and their roles so applicants can assess their suitability.

Stage 2: Anonymised application review

Each selected host receives the application without the applicant’s name, school information, or equal opportunities data at the first stage.

The purpose is to reduce bias during shortlisting and help hosts focus on the information relevant to the application.

Stage 3: Interview invitations

If shortlisted, applicants are contacted directly by the host organisation to arrange an interview.

The interview may be conducted online or in person, depending on the arrangements made by the host.

Stage 4: Interview and assessment

Interviews may include a presentation, written task, or both. Candidates will be informed about any required preparation in advance.

A representative of LEF may attend as an observer.

Stage 5: Host decision

The host organisation decides whom to employ, except where an applicant receives more than one offer.

The host communicates the interview outcome directly to the candidate.

Stage 6: Clearing, where applicable

Candidates who are unsuccessful at interview may be considered for remaining opportunities at other hosts if they opted into clearing. This is not guaranteed.

Stage 7: Final confirmation and commencement

Final confirmation of selected fellows is scheduled for 15 March 2027, and the fellowship is expected to begin in April 2027.

Why the Host Organisation Matters

The host organisation is an important part of the fellowship because it will employ, supervise, and support the successful fellow.

The range of previous hosts, including law centres and national charities, demonstrates that fellows may have opportunities to work in different organisational settings. However, applicants should not assume that every organisation from previous years will be available in the 2027 cycle.

The application form is the appropriate place to review the current list of hosts and the positions they are offering.

When deciding which two organisations to select, applicants should consider:

1. The work involved: Does the role match your skills, experience, and interests?
2. The communities served: Do you understand the challenges faced by the people the organisation supports?
3. Your motivation: Can you explain why the organisation’s work matters to you?
4. The opportunity to contribute: Can you identify relevant experience or perspectives that would help you carry out the role?
5. The job description: Do you understand the responsibilities and expectations of the position?

Careful consideration of these factors can help applicants make informed choices and prepare a more focused application.

Conclusion

The Justice First Fellowship 2027 provides a two-year opportunity for people committed to access to justice to work with host organisations across the United Kingdom. Through placements with organisations such as law centres and national charities, successful applicants will be employed and supported by their hosts while receiving wider fellowship support and training organised by the Legal Education Foundation and its partners.

The application process allows candidates to select two preferred host organisations, with anonymised applications used during initial shortlisting to reduce bias. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to interviews that include presentations or written tasks, and host organisations make the final employment decisions.

People interested in applying should carefully review the official eligibility criteria, explore the available host roles, and prepare an application that demonstrates their commitment to access to justice and their understanding of marginalised communities.

The application deadline is 14 December 2026. Successful fellows are expected to commence their two-year placements in April 2027.

Discover more global fellowship opportunities on OFY HERE