Skadden Fellowship Foundation

The Skadden Fellowship Foundation, described as "a legal Peace Corps" by The Los Angeles Times, was established in 1988 to commemorate the firm's 40th anniversary, in recognition of the dire need for greater funding for graduating law students who wish to devote their professional lives to providing legal services to the poor (including the working poor), the elderly, the homeless and the disabled, as well as those deprived of their civil or human rights.   The aim of the foundation is to give Fellows the freedom to pursue public interest work; thus, the Fellows create their own projects at public interest organizations with at least two lawyers on staff before they apply.

Fellowships are for one year, with the expectation of renewal for a second year. Fellows are given a salary and Skadden pays for all fringe benefits that would belong to a full time employee of the sponsoring organization. As of 2006, there have been 473 Skadden Fellows.