Scholars and Attorneys

Scholars-in-Residence

The Law Library seeks to further legal scholarship by inviting scholars and practitioners to apply for opportunities to conduct in-depth research that would further the mission of the Law Library of Congress in serving the United States Congress and all of its constituents.

Scholars will conduct research on an approved topic and prepare a paper presenting research for publication by the Library of Congress. The Law Library may host a lecture for the Scholar to present his or her work and may publish the Scholar’s work on the Law Library website and blog, In Custodia Legis. The Scholar may also be asked to be interviewed for the blog.

Scholars will be provided resources to conduct their research, including:

• An assigned workspace in the Law Library
• Orientation to the Law Library and access to the Library’s collection, including online bibliographic and legislative databases
• Limited use of Law Library facilities (e.g., photocopy privileges)
• A borrowing account to request items from the Library of Congress collection. Books can be picked up and kept at your workspace, but cannot leave the Library and must be returned before the end of the residency.

To facilitate the scholar’s orientation, a member of the Law Library’s research staff may serve as a primary contact for individual scholars. Resources do not permit research assistance or secretarial services, however. Editorial services will be provided if a scholar’s work is to be published by the Library of Congress. Scholars will not be reimbursed by the Law Library for work done in connection with the program nor for transportation or room and board. The period of residency may vary depending on the scope of the Scholar’s work and will be determined prior to the beginning of the research.

To apply, please submit a resume, legal writing sample in English, and letter of interest to LLScholar@loc.gov. The following information should be included in either the letter of interest or resume:

1. Language skills and levels of proficiency
2. Career goals and reasons for wanting to come to the Law Library
3. Country of citizenship
4. Dates of availability

Apply at least 2 months in advance of tentative start date.

• Applications Open To: Individuals conducting post-graduate and professional research work on law and legal information related topics.
• Application Period: Ongoing
• Compensation: Volunteer/Non-paid
• Citizenship Requirement: U.S. Citizen; Permanent Resident; Visa Holder
• Academic Credit: The Library does not provide academic credit, but you may arrange with your school in advance to receive credit.
• Program Duration: Negotiable. 10 weeks - 1 year
• Application Contact: Global Legal Research Directorate, LLScholar@loc.gov

Guggenheim Scholars Program

The Law Library of Congress invites applications for the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Legal Scholars Program.

The purpose of this program is to fund a scholar whose research will draw upon the Law Library's world-class collections, target new acquisitions, and leverage the Law Library's staff expertise. The focus of the program is to create new research at the intersection of demography, technology, and criminal justice. This research will generate benchmarks, metrics, best practices, and possible solutions to some of the emerging legal issues that fall at the intersection of these fields. The program will encourage a multidisciplinary and multinational approach for the greatest impact.

Eligibility

• Scholars who have received a graduate degree or have equivalent experience within the past seven years in criminal justice, law, demography, data science, or data analytics are eligible to apply.
• This fellowship is open to U.S. nationals, non-U.S. residents, foreign nationals, and non-resident aliens. While non-U.S. residents, foreign nationals, or non-resident aliens may apply for the Guggenheim Scholars program, receipt of an award will be contingent on an individual's eligibility for and the ability to secure any necessary visas prior to starting the program and receiving payment.

Program Expectations

• The scholar must spend a minimum of five days on-site at the Law Library to conduct their research in June, July, or August of 2025.
• At the conclusion of their research over the course of June, July, and August of 2025, we ask that the scholar produce a presentation, publication, or article that summarizes their findings.
• The scholar will receive a stipend of $5,000 for their research that may be used to fund their travel to the Library of Congress.
• The scholar may receive assistance from Law Library staff and also have the opportunity to participate in a Law Library of Congress event panel discussion, such as Human Rights Day.

How to Apply

To apply, please send a current CV/Resume, a list of publications, a list of references, and a one-page project proposal that includes details on how the Law Library of Congress' collections can support your research by emailing lawresearch@loc.gov.

Deadline

Application materials must be received by January 7, 2025 to be considered for the program in the Summer of 2025.

Opportunities for Attorneys

The Law Library of Congress seeks qualified attorneys at law to contract to perform specific research tasks on an ad hoc basis. Attorneys must have law degrees from foreign countries and licenses or certificates to practice law in one or more foreign jurisdictions. Proficiency in written English is required, and experience in or knowledge of writing in-depth, analytical studies for policy makers and government officials is preferred. U.S. citizenship or residence is not required.

Individuals who are qualified and interested in being considered for potential contract work should send a resume or curriculum vitae to:

Assistant Law Librarian of Congress for Legal Research
The Law Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20540-3000
lawresearch@loc.gov

Scholarly Exchanges

Senior scholars living abroad who are unable to travel to Washington but who wish to participate in supporting the Law Library's research mission should contact the Law Library to explore suitable projects.

See also Law Library Internships page.