Community at Robbins Geller
Every day, our clients steward and protect the assets of tens of millions of working families, public servants, retirees, and investors. They do this for communities worldwide and in every region of the United States. At Robbins Geller, the breadth of professional and life experience on our team makes our Firm a stronger, more successful organization and has allowed us to better serve our global community of clients.
Robbins Geller’s Michael J. Dowd Fellowships
We are working to recruit the next generation of lawyers into the Firm. In 2025, Robbins Geller is pleased to offer the Michael J. Dowd Fellowship to two exceptional law students who will work in one of Robbins Geller’s practice areas in the Firm’s main office in San Diego, California. Our Fellowship is named after Mike Dowd, one of our founding partners, an award-winning trial lawyer, and a gifted mentor who was deeply committed to creating more bridges to opportunity in the legal profession, especially for law students who overcome significant obstacles on their journey to becoming lawyers.
Our Dowd Fellows are paired with two mentors (a partner and an associate), who, in addition to the summer associate director, provide support and structured feedback on work assignments and guidance on law firm culture and social events throughout the summer.
Each 2L Dowd Fellow will receive a paid 2L Summer Associate position and a scholarship of up to $30,000 to assist with law school tuition.*
- Fellowship Eligibility Requirements
- Students who have overcome hardships in joining the legal profession and who exhibit a commitment to justice and serving others.
- Demonstrated academic achievement, excellent writing skills, community engagement, communication and analytical skills, good judgment, and intellectual curiosity.
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Interest in starting your legal career as a practicing attorney at Robbins Geller.
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Good standing at an ABA-accredited law school with an anticipated graduation date of 2026 at the time of application.
- Applicants may not be the recipient of a similar award from another law firm.
- Application Materials
- A brief statement (500 words or less) discussing any significant obstacles you have overcome as well as any life experiences that demonstrate your ability to persevere, and how your unique skills and experiences will contribute to our practice of law.
- Brief (one page or less) cover letter which states: (i) which practice areas at Robbins Geller you are interested in; (ii) what you hope to learn during a summer with us; and (iii) why you wish to begin your legal career at Robbins Geller.
- Current resume.
- Law school and undergraduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable). If your Fall law school grades are not available upon applying, please provide your transcript when available.
- A legal writing sample that has not been substantively edited by others (5-10 pages, double-spaced).
- Timeline
- Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. We are currently receiving and reviewing applications. Please email fellowship@rgrdlaw.com to apply.
- A selection panel will evaluate all completed applications and select a group of finalists to interview.
- To learn more about Robbins Geller’s Summer Associate Program, practice areas, and community impact, please email fellowship@rgrdlaw.com.
*The 2L Fellows award will be paid in two installments. The first $10,000 is paid upon successful completion of the 2L summer with Robbins Geller. The remaining $20,000 is paid after the Fellow receives and accepts an offer to join Robbins Geller as a full-time associate and commences their full-time associate position at the Firm, either as a first-year or post-clerkship. The awards will be taxable income to the recipients.
Equal Opportunity
Robbins Geller is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer committed to hiring, retaining, and promoting an exceptionally talented group of attorneys and staff. We are proud that our Management Committee represents communities that are historically underrepresented in the legal profession, the plaintiffs’ bar, and in law firm management. We are proud that so many women and people of color have progressed through the Firm to now serve as senior managing partners, on our Management Committee, and in C-level executive management positions. Many of these key leaders and partners have been with the Firm since its founding.
The Firm has a strong commitment to creating more opportunities in the communities where we work and practice. Robbins Geller supports California ChangeLawyers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to building a better justice system for all Californians. As part of that support, the Firm funds the foundation’s 3L Diversity Scholar Award Program.
The Firm also supports additional organizations that promote opportunity in the legal profession, including the San Diego County Bar Association & the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Diversity Fellowship Program, the Justice & Diversity Center of The Bar Association of San Francisco, the South Asian Bar Association of San Diego, Lawyers Club of San Diego, American Jewish Community, Legal Aid at Work, San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program, California ChangeLawyers, Equal Rights Advocates, American Association for Justice, Instituto Laboral de la Raza, and Pan-Asian Lawyers of San Diego. The Firm is also a founding signatory to the George Washington University Law Center’s Inclusivity and Excellence Guidelines to encourage more counsel to seek and receive appointments as lead counsel in federal class actions.