October 18, 2010; Source: National Law Journal | It may not be the kind of salary or opportunity they dreamed about when deciding to pursue law degrees, but a new fellowship program for University of Miami School of Law graduates pays better than not working at all. The program, called Legal Corps, and which starts in January, will place unemployed graduates in jobs for six months.

In addition to gaining valuable work experience, the former students will receive $2,500 monthly stipends. Although motivated largely by a desire to help newly minted lawyers begin working, the university also sees this program as a way to come to the aid of groups that can use extra pairs of legal hands. So far the University has found 100 employers from around the country willing to take fellows. They include state and federal courts and legal aid groups and other nonprofits.

All law school students who graduated December 2009 or later and have passed their bar exams are eligible for the program. The university is paying for the program with law school funds and gifts from donors.—Bruce Trachtenberg