Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy Seeks Fellows

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy at the University at Buffalo School of Law plans to award post-doctoral, senior, and mid-career fellowships to scholars pursuing important topics in law, legal institutions, and social policy. Post-doctoral fellowships are open to individuals who have completed a PhD and/or JD at other universities, but have not yet begun a tenure-track appointment. Applications for mid-career or senior fellowships are invited from established scholars in the law, humanities, and social and natural sciences who wish to work at The Baldy Center, typically during a funded sabbatical or research leave.

For more information and to apply, please visit our website here. Fully completed and submitted applications are due by 11:59p.m. (EST) Sunday February 22, 2026.

Post-Doctoral Fellowships are open to individuals who have completed a  PhD and/or JD at other universities, but have not yet begun a tenure-track appointment. Post-doctoral fellows generally receive an annual stipend in range of $55,000, with up to $2,000 in annual professional travel support, and limited relocation assistance. Post-doctoral fellowships are ordinarily awarded for a period of up to two academic years, with a one year minimum.

Mid-career and Senior Fellowships are available for established scholars who wish to work at The Baldy Center, typically during a funded sabbatical or research leave. Awardees will receive a stipend of $2,200 per month during the period of their residence as well as limited relocation assistance. Senior and Mid-career Fellows typically spend one semester in residence, but other terms are possible.

Award Criteria and Required Materials
Primary criteria for selection include intellectual strength of the proposal, significance for interdisciplinary research on law, legal institutions, and social policy, demonstrated academic achievement, and originality, clarity, and overall scholarly merit of the research plan.

Document 1. Curriculum Vitae (text in English, listing all degrees, positions, and publications)

Document 2. Research Plan (3 pages maximum) with key citations including:

• Research questions, working hypotheses, and larger research context;
  • Importance of the project to understanding law, legal institutions, and  social policy;
  • Relevance to applicant’s scholarly field;
  • Research fit with The Baldy Center’s mission;
  • Expected findings
• Methodology
  • Sources of information, including specific information about sources and/or archives (website, addresses, interlocutor-interviewee context, IRB requirements, etc. as relevant);
  • Strategies for obtaining information;
  • Rationale for selection of research sites, data sets, interviewees
• Expected outcomes and products

Document 3. Academic writing sample. This sample may be a book chapter or article.

Document 4. List of References. This document should contain the names and contact information of the references that will be submitting the three required letters.

About Letters of Recommendation
Please note: Three letters of recommendation should be submitted directly to The Baldy Center using this UBBox secure folder link, here.

Recommendation letters must be submitted by the application deadline (February 22, 2026 by 11:59pm EST) and must include applicant’s name and reference to the fellowship application in the title of the document

Optional Additional Document: pertaining to J1 Visa, if applicable.

Please contact us with any questions.

The Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy
University at Buffalo School of Law
511 O’Brian Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260
(716) 645-2102
https://www.buffalo.edu/baldycenter.html