Horizon Criminal Justice Fellowship

Open Horizon Criminal Justice Fellowship

• Full-time
• Compensation: USD 63,500 annually

CCE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that brings people together to conduct research, educate, and advocate to make D.C.’s unique legal systems more just, equitable, and accountable to the community. We envision a D.C. where individuals, organizations, and government work together to build safe and thriving communities with a trusted legal system that meets the needs of its people, protects their rights, and promotes dignity and justice for all.

Open Horizon (OH) collaborates with nonprofit partners to uplift leaders and to co‑create opportunities advancing racial and social justice. OH seeks to build authentic and caring relationships with their partners by centering well‑being, dignity and needs so that OH can intentionally support them in ways that they have identified. Open Horizon fellows have access to benefits beyond those offered by the hosting organization.

The foundation offers optional support opportunities that fellows and interns may choose to engage in and take advantage of for personal and professional growth. Programming includes and is not limited to optional webinars presented by Open Horizon and/or its other partner organizations, options for use of supplemental funding for professional subscriptions (if not offered by the hosting organization), encouraging recognition of punctuated milestones along the fellowship, and an opportunity to connect with Open Horizon leadership to share about the fellowship and their career goals.

In past years, Open Horizon has been pleased to coordinate information interviews for interns and fellows and make introductions where applicable for those who are job seeking toward the end of their tenure with the hosting organization.

The Council for Court Excellence (CCE) is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 Open Horizon Criminal Justice Fellowship. Funded in part by a generous donation from the Open Horizon Foundation, the fellowship offers a recent law school graduate the opportunity to work for one year with CCE on local criminal justice focused research, policy advocacy, and educational initiatives in Washington, D.C.
This fellowship is open to individuals who have graduated with a Juris Doctor within the last two years or will graduate with a JD this academic year; it will begin on or around August 31, 2026, and end in late August 2027.

The Open Horizon Fellow works closely with CCE staff, committee members, directly impacted members of the community, and other justice system stakeholders to implement research projects, policy solutions, and educational initiatives to improve the fairness and performance of D.C.’s legal systems. Projects may include advocacy and analysis around building a new D.C. jail; work to pilot test different pre‑arrest diversion methods;

policy making around reentry employment support for returning citizens; providing policy guidance on the impacts of the federal government on D.C.’s local legal systems; and inclusive policy for those with disabilities interacting with the criminal legal system. The Fellow may also support some of CCE’s work in the civil and youth justice portfolios.

• Conducting research, writing, and editing a variety of publications, memos, external and internal communications (~40% of the fellow’s time)
• Assisting with identifying, developing, and implementing projects, policy solutions, and educational projects, including tracking and analyzing legislation, proposed regulations, and other agency or court decision‑making; and attending hearings, briefings, and other events (~30%)
• Assist with management of CCE Committees and participate in relevant coalitions (~25%)
• Administrative and other duties (~5%)

The Criminal Justice Fellowship is open to individuals who have graduated with a Juris Doctor within the last two (2) years or who will graduate within the current academic year, with preference given to those from historically underrepresented groups in the legal professions, with lived justice system experience, and/or…