The Religious Liberty Fellowship is a one-of-a-kind training program on religious liberty issues and advocacy sponsored by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. Religious freedom scholars, litigators, policymakers, and more provide hands-on training during the Fellowship, with fellows developing individualized action plans to implement in their own communities.
During the program, fellows build their knowledge of the law and religious freedom initiatives and receive instruction on current issues, interacting with religious freedom experts and legal practitioners throughout the program.
Following the program, Fellows report back on the implementation of their action plans and receive feedback from the program's directors, Tanner Bean and Annika Boone Barkdull.
Receive instruction about the Establishment Clause, the Free Exercise Clause, statutory protections, and the legal and social nuances of religious liberty.
Learn skills from national experts to help you better understand and evaluate statutory provisions and local government policies affecting religious freedom issues. Hands-on advocacy skills are also taught.
Develop a religious liberty Action Plan to implement in your area of influence. Attorney mentors at the Fellowship provide input and feedback on your plan, and are available after the Fellowship concludes to give guidance through the implementation process and to give career advice.
Read about Student Insights into 2025 Fellowship, and learn more about the specifics of recent programs: 2025 2024 2023
Applications due March 2, 2026. Acceptances will be issued on a rolling basis.
For questions or to obtain more information about the JRCLS Religious Liberty Fellowship, please send an email to amy.parker@law.byu.edu
The Fellowship offers instruction from distinguished and experienced professionals, including federal judges, congressional staffers, religious liberty scholars and advocates, and interfaith representatives. Past instructors include:
The Fellowship is held at the Founding Forward Campus at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Fellows enjoy dormitory-style accommodations with meals provided on campus, and receive a stipend for travel costs. This unique setting offers the opportunity to explore Valley Forge and includes a field trip to historic Philadelphia, where participants will tour significant landmarks and delve into the history of religious freedom in an iconic setting.
“The JRCLS Religious Liberty Fellowship provided me with the foundational knowledge to understand the most significant challenges facing religious liberty today. As I've continued to work on religious liberty cases in professional and academic settings, the connections and experience I gained through the fellowship have been immensely helpful and enabled me to address sensitive issues that touch on the heart of American identity and jurisprudence with both competence and compassion.”
—Emma Westhoff, Harvard Law
"The JRCLS Fellowship was an incredible experience! We were taught by national experts, and my knowledge of the legal landscape surrounding religious liberty grew exponentially. Because of this opportunity, I feel much more prepared to start my first year of law school and begin a career. Thank you, JRCLS, for sponsoring this event!"
—Dylan Brower, BYU Law
“I really enjoyed the fellowship. It was a very valuable experience to see how you can advocate for religious freedoms in various ways, many of which I didn’t realize. I [also] really enjoyed a chance to meet with a federal judge. The panel, speakers, and networking opportunities were invaluable experiences! Overall, it was an amazing opportunity.”
—Austin Blessing, Michigan State University College of Law
Preference for admission to the fellowship will be given to U.S.-based law students, undergraduates, and recent graduates. Exceptional non-law graduate and international applicants may also be considered.
There is no religious requirement to become a Fellow. However, Fellowship applicants need an active interest in religious liberty issues and a commitment to better their communities by supporting religious liberty initiatives.
The JRCLS, while affiliated with the J. Reuben Clark Law School and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, maintains the following motto and welcomes applicants of all faiths:
We affirm the strength brought to the law by a lawyer's personal religious conviction. We strive through public service and professional excellence to promote fairness and virtue founded upon the rule of law.
