The Leadership Fellows Program, under the direction of Professor Paula Franzese, is comprised of third and fourth year law students with demonstrated leadership ability and/or leadership potential. Leadership Fellows are selected each spring on the basis of completion of an application and interview. Applicants must be in good academic standing at the Law School. Students selected to be Leadership Fellows must enroll in the Leadership, Ethics, and Decision-Making course for the fall semester. The course meets every week. As an experiential component of the course, students engage in a leadership project to be determined in consultation with Professor Paula Franzese.
The Leadership Fellows Program received the top New Jersey State Bar Association Pro Bono Award for its groundbreaking work. See the full story here.
The Leadership Speaks series brings distinguished speakers to class to address the building blocks of innovation and team building as well as the predicates to integrity-led service. Past speakers have spoken to the power of grit and resilience and the importance of giving back to the people and communities who do so much for so many. Rehan Staton, Esq., the founder of The Reciprocity Effect, recently shared lessons on courage, grace and gratitude as he spoke of the pioneering work he does.
Distinguished Seton Hall Law alumna and federal district court judge the Hon. Evelyn Padin shared poignant reflections on her time as a law student. She stated, "You can help change this world. You must find your inner voices, and rise up. As future lawyers you will learn to reach deep within yourselves to be the best that you can be by helping those in need, whether the client can pay your fees and sometimes only when they can only say 'Thank You'. Lawyers are instilled with the understanding that we must make room at the table for justice not just for some but for all."
The Leadership, Ethics and Decision-Making course is a two credit offering as the curricular component of the Leadership Fellows Program. The class meets for two hours every week over the course of the fall semester. The course features a distinguished speakers series, mentoring component and opportunities for experiential learning that include implementation of a community-based leadership project.
This year's and past classes of Leadership Fellows implemented initiatives in partnership with various public and private sector constituencies that have included:
To be eligible, students must be in good academic standing at Seton Hall Law. The application consists of a 500 word essay that describes your leadership potential and abilities and a resume. If you have any questions about the application, please contact [email protected].
Application requirements to be submitted online.
Applications are due March 29 at 5 p.m. Complete and submit the application form below.
Name
E-mail address
Phone number
Address
In no more than 500 words, please indicate why you are interested in serving as a Leadership Fellow, how you have or would like to demonstrate your leadership potential, what you deem to be your strengths.Upload resume.
If all of the above is available, APPLY NOW
Students admitted to the Program must take the Leadership, Ethics, and Decision-Making (PRMD 8200) course.
Students will develop enhanced abilities to
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
From Trials to Triumph: A Story of Grit, Faith and Virtue: Rehan Staton, Esq.,
Founder and Board Chair, The Reciprocity Effect
Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Leveraging Venture Philanthropy for a Greater Good: Maria Vinci Savetierre, Esq.,
Executive Director, Deirdre’s House
Tuesday, Sept. 2, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Leading with Empathy, the Hon. Julien Neals, Federal District Court Judge, District of N.J.
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Championing the Underdog: K. Anthony Thomas, Federal Public Defender of New Jersey
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Lawyering in the Public Arena: Mike Ferrara, Esq., Partner, Hecker Fink, former Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of
New York
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Cultivating Viewpoint Diversity and Managing Conflict: Prof. David White
Tuesday, October 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: The Franzese Faculty Library
Building Relationships, Inspiring Trust & Staying Above the Fray: Dean Ronald Weich
Dean, Seton Hall Law School
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 5-6 p.m.: DeCotiis Moot Court Room
Disrupting Gendered Narratives and Rising to the Top of a Boxing Empire: Kathy Duva, Esq., CEO, Main Events
Monday, Nov. 3, 12 - 1 p.m.: Franzese Faculty Library
Cong. Peter W. Rodino: A Profile in Courage, a conversation with Laurence Spinelli, author and Rodino biographer
Leadership Fellows Facilitate Pathways to Citizenship
Read More
Law School Leadership Fellows' Reform Efforts Bring Families
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Leadership Fellows Rolls Out Strong Futures Initiative
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The Leadership Fellows Class of 2026
Katherine Ryan (‘26) and Patrick Milone (‘26) present on the predicates to building
trust and community.
Jessica Clifton (‘26) and Belle Clifton (‘45) discuss the surprising habits of original
thinkers.
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Housing Justice Group Project (Josh, Carla, Matt, Julia, Brian)
The Path Forward: Future Plans
The Family Four - Establishing Roots
Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn '99 with Leadership Fellows Nan Lin, Lori Meek and Isabella
Smith
Kipp Global President Shavar Jeffries, Esq. with Camile Taylor and Jahmir Sterling
NJ Attorney General Peter Harvey, Esq. and Leadership Fellows Faculty Director Prof.
Paula Franzese addressing the Leadership, Ethics and Decision-making class
The Hon. Evelyn Padin Presented Inspiring Remarks on the Virtues of Grit, Compassion
and Humility
Spring Mentorship in the Leadership Fellows Program
Spring Mentorship in the Leadership Fellows Program
