Wardenski P.C., a small civil rights law firm that represents plaintiffs in civil rights cases around the country, is accepting applications from attorneys for a one-year litigation fellowship position (full-time or part-time) to begin in or around September 2025. The fellowship is designed for early career attorneys with one to three years of post-J.D. work experience who are passionate about civil rights advocacy and have a demonstrated interest in a career as a civil rights litigator.

About Wardenski P.C.

Wardenski P.C., founded in 2021, is a mission-centered civil rights law firm that combats discrimination in education, housing, and health care, with a significant focus on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. We represent individuals and organizations challenging unlawful discrimination in both federal and state courts. We routinely co-counsel with national civil rights organizations and other plaintiff-side law firms in litigating our cutting-edge public interest cases across the country. In addition to our litigation practice, we provide strategic legal advice and consulting services to nonprofit organizations that share our commitment to civil rights and equality.

Wardenski P.C.’s current litigation docket includes the following cases:

• Talbott v. United States (D.D.C. & D.C. Cir.) (constitutional challenge to Trump Administration’s transgender military ban)

• Doe v. State of South Carolina (D.S.C. & 4th Cir.) (putative class action lawsuit challenging South Carolina law banning transgender students from using gender-appropriate restrooms in public schools as violating Title IX and the Fourteenth Amendment)

• Vitellaro v. Arizona Department of Corrections (D. Ariz.) (Title VII employment discrimination lawsuit brought by transgender former corrections officer for gender-based discrimination and harassment)

• Gordon v. Aetna Life Insurance Company (D. Conn.) (putative class action lawsuit challenging health insurer’s categorical coverage exclusion on gender-affirming facial surgeries for transfeminine plan holders)

• Doe v. Elkhorn Area School District (E.D. Wis.) (lawsuit against Wisconsin school district for denying transgender middle school student access to girls’ single-sex facilities at school)

• United States v. AION Management (D. Del.) (Fair Housing Act case challenging multi-state rental property management company’s policy of refusing to provide assigned parking as a reasonable accommodation to tenants with physical disabilities)

• Capasso v. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (N.Y. Sup. Ct.) (lawsuit against major cancer hospital by transgender patient for discriminatory treatment under New York State and New York City human rights laws)

Other examples of the firm’s recent work and accomplishments are available on our website at https://www.wardenskilaw.com/news.

Position Description

The fellow will work closely with the firm’s founder on active litigation matters, case development, and legal consulting projects. The fellow’s responsibilities will include:

• Conducting legal research;

• Drafting briefs, research memoranda, motions, and other legal documents;

• Investigating new matters, including interviewing prospective clients, conducting factual investigations, and identifying and analyzing potential legal claims;

• Supporting discovery in active cases, including reviewing document productions, interviewing witnesses, preparing for depositions, and participating in depositions;

• Participating in strategy meetings with the firm’s attorneys, co-counsel, and consulting clients;

• Supervising and mentoring law student clerks; and

• Performing other assigned duties.

Qualifications

• J.D.;

• One to three years of post-J.D. work experience;

• Admission or pending admission to the New York Bar;

• A demonstrated commitment to one or more of the firm’s core issue areas: LGBTQ+ equality, students’ rights, fair housing, and health equity;

• Strong legal research, writing, editing, and communication skills; and

• The ability and willingness to take initiative and work both independently and collaboratively with the firm and its co-counsel.

Fellowship Term and Work Schedule

The fellowship will commence in or around September 2025 with a one-year term. The firm will consider a later start date or shorter fellowship term based on individual circumstances (including, for example, scheduled start or end dates for judicial clerkships or public interest fellowships). The firm will consider applicants interested in both full-time (5 day/week) and part-time (3-4 day/week) schedules. Applicants should note their preferred term and work schedule in their cover letters.

Work Location

The fellow will work primarily in the firm’s office at 134 West 29th Street in New York, New York. Full-time fellows will have the option to work from home one day per week.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $83,200 (for at least one year of post-JD work experience) to $93,600 (for up to three years of post-JD work experience) for full-time fellows (prorated for part-time fellows based on work schedule), with eligibility for discretionary bonuses. The fellow will also receive health benefits and paid time off, and be eligible to make contributions to the firm’s 401(k) retirement plan.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send an email with the subject line “Civil Rights Litigation Fellowship Application” to hiring@wardenskilaw.com, attaching the following materials as separate attachments to your email (preferably in PDF format):

• A 1-2 page cover letter describing why you are interested in a pursuing a career as a civil rights attorney, your specific interest in the firm, and your relevant professional, academic, or personal experiences in one or more of the firm’s core issue areas (LGBTQ+ equality, students’ rights, fair housing, and health equity);

• Your current résumé (maximum of 2 pages);

• A list of 2-3 academic and professional references (preferably at least one from a former employer and one from someone familiar with your research and writing skills);

• A legal writing sample of 5-15 pages (reflecting your own work with minimal edits from others); and

• Your law school transcript (unofficial is fine).

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning on August 1, 2025, until the position is filled. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Nondiscrimination Policy

Wardenski P.C. is an equal opportunity employer. The firm does not discriminate in hiring or employment on any basis protected by New York City, New York State, or federal law, including but not limited to race, color, national origin, sex/gender (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and related medical conditions, and childbirth and related medical conditions), disability, religion/creed, disability, immigration or citizenship status, or status as a veteran or active military service member. If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation during the application process, email hiring@wardenskilaw.com or call (347) 227-2500.

Wardenski P.C. values diverse, inclusive workplaces and will give equal consideration to all applicants. The firm encourages applications from people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with nontraditional educational backgrounds (including first-generation law students), and people from other backgrounds underrepresented in the legal profession.