William T. Coleman, Jr. Fellowships

William T. Coleman, Jr. 1L Fellowship

William T. Coleman, Jr., a longtime senior partner and an indelible part of O’Melveny’s fabric, served the legal profession and his country for more than 50 years. A tireless advocate for equality and a key player on the team that litigated the landmark Supreme Court civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, Coleman urged junior lawyers to cultivate their cultural literacy and pay close attention to events unfolding on the world stage. To honor that vision and spirit, O’Melveny created the William T. Coleman, Jr. 1L Fellowship. The fellowship is awarded to first-year law students with demonstrated leadership in fostering inclusion and belonging. Each 1L Fellow is eligible for an award of up to US$5,000 to use for law school tuition and expenses.

Who is Eligible?

Any first-year law student in good standing may apply between November 1 and December 31, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We do understand that our application period may coincide with your final exam periods and encourage you to apply when it is most advantageous for you. Law students who are immediate family members of O’Melveny attorneys or business professionals are ineligible for the Coleman Fellowship.

What Do 1L Coleman Fellows Receive?

• A one-time US$5,000 award paid upon joining O’Melveny’s 2026 Summer Program as a 1L summer associate to help pay for law school tuition and expenses, in addition to being paid as a summer associate (currently US$4,327 per week).
• Access to the developmental and networking opportunities afforded to all of our summer associates.

How Do I Apply?

Submit the following through O’Melveny’s online career portal:

• Resume
• Undergraduate and law school transcripts (if your law school transcript is not yet available, you may still apply and upload your law school transcript at a later date)
• A statement of 300 words or less that reflects on how you intend to foster inclusion and belonging while being an active contributor at a vibrant and dynamic law firm.

The materials submitted should demonstrate:

• Strong academic performance, including special achievements and honors
• Examples of enhancing inclusion and belonging, and of living O’Melveny’s Values: excellence, leadership, and citizenship
• Excellent interpersonal skills

O’Melveny will notify candidates selected as 1L Fellows. 1L Fellows are not eligible for O’Melveny’s 2L Coleman Fellowship, which awards up to US$50,000. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for updates here.

Submit application materials through O’Melveny’s online career portal. For questions, please contact recruiting@omm.com.