Weinstein JAMS International Fellowship Program in USA, 2015

The Weinstein JAMS International Fellowship Program, inaugurated in 2008, provides opportunities for qualified individuals from outside the United States to study dispute resolution processes and practices in the U.S. in order to advance the resolution of disputes in their home countries.

The JAMS Foundation will approve Fellowships of up to $20,000 in support of projects outlined by Fellowship applicants. This Program is intended for individuals who have demonstrated experience with and commitment to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and who seek to increase the availability of dispute resolution education, training and services in their own countries and beyond.

The Fellowship Program is designed to be flexible and open to innovation, and applicants are encouraged to be creative in pursuing activities in the U.S. that will serve to expand the use of ADR in their home countries.

Fellowships may be from one month to four months in duration. While applicants may propose activities lasting longer than four months, Fellowship funding is limited to the Fellowship period.

It is anticipated that Fellows will come from countries that do not have an established culture of using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for cases in litigation. Part of Fellows' time in the U.S. will be spent observing how JAMS administers and resolves such cases.

Depending on the nature of their proposal, Fellows may also participate in university-based programs or be affiliated with other organizations or institutions that may help to advance their interests and goals. Such affiliations can take many forms, from formal enrollment in graduate degree programs to more informal arrangements providing varying degrees of access and support.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to research and establish such affiliations prior to or concurrent with their Fellowship application. While the JAMS Foundation will make every effort to facilitate introductions where possible, it is Applicant's responsibility to research available opportunities and establish affiliations with organizations with which they intend to work or study.

In addition to their other activities, Fellows are also required to attend a week-long gathering of all 2015 Fellows in the San Francisco Bay Area in early September 2015.

Criteria

1. Applicants may not be citizens of the United States.
   
2. Applicants must be fluent in English.
   
3. Proposed Fellowship must be one month to four months in duration.
   
4. Preference for proposals that would help establish viable dispute resolution systems or change how disputes are resolved.
   
5. Preference for applicants with experience as judges, lawyers, law professors, court administrators, government officers, or ADR practitioners.
   
6. Preference for applicants able to commence their Fellowship with the annual gathering of Fellows in the San Francisco Bay area in early September 2015.
   

Information Sought From Applicant

1. Purpose and goal of Fellowship
   
2. Anticipated activity or activities in the U.S.
   
3. Proposed duration and location(s) of Fellowship
   
4. Plan for accomplishing Fellowship objectives upon return to home country
   
5. Educational background
   
6. Dispute resolution training and experience
   
7. Organizations or institutions with which you are affiliated in your home country
   
8. Organizations or institutions with which you expect to be affiliated while in the U.S.
   
9. Amount of funding sought and proposed budget regarding use of funds
   
10. Other sources of funding available, applied for, or awarded
    
11. Additional non-monetary resources or support requested from the JAMS Foundation
    
12. Current visa status for entry into U.S. (visa type, expiration date)
    

Please note that pursuant to U.S. State Department regulations, the JAMS Foundation is not an approved 'Sponsor' with regard to the issuance of visas to foreign nationals. While the JAMS Foundation will make every effort to help facilitate visa applications of Weinstein Fellows, Fellows are individually responsible for obtaining the necessary visa for the purposes and duration of their Fellowship.

Please also note that pursuant to U.S. Internal Revenue Service regulations, Fellowship funding is subject to taxation as income. This tax may be affected by a number of factors, including recipient's country of origin, whether that country has a tax treaty with the U.S., and the purpose for which Fellowship funds are used. Additional information regarding the taxation of income to foreign nationals is available at www.irs.gov.

Fellowship applications for 2015 will be reviewed by the JAMS Foundation Board of Directors at their first quarterly meeting of 2015. Applications must be received by November 21, 2014 in order to be eligible for consideration, and may be submitted electronically or in hard copy. Final selection of 2015 Fellows will be announced in March, 2015.

Complete application submissions must include the following:

1. Fellowship Application Form (downloadable in Word and PDF formats below) 
   
2. Curriculum Vitae
   
3. Two Signed Letters of Recommendation *
   

*Letters of Recommendation may be included with your application or sent directly from the recommending party. If submitted electronically, signed letters must be scanned and sent in PDF or comparable format. 

Click to download the Fellowship application form in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

http://www.jamsadr.com/weinstein-fellowship/