Trust in American institutions—government, courts, and even civil society—has steadily eroded and now stands at historic lows. In October 2025, Vanita Gupta launched the Center for Law and Public Trust at NYU School of Law to confront this crisis in confidence and reimagine US institutions so they are more effective and accountable to the American people, more resilient to corruption and abuse, and therefore more deserving of public trust.

The Center works to rebuild trust and advance effectiveness in government and other institutions by: developing issue briefs, roadmaps, and concrete blueprints for institutional reform and reconstruction; designing structures, processes, and policies that are more responsive to community needs, efficient, resilient, and accountable to the public; and training the next generation of lawyers to lead in public service, armed with the skills to deploy the levers of government and leadership, advance justice, and deliver results for the American people.

Position Summary:

The Fellow will work closely with the Center’s Director, Deputy Director, Senior Fellows, and Distinguished Scholars in Residence to contribute to rigorous, high-impact legal work in the public interest. They will perform a wide range of research, writing, and project management tasks, including, but not limited to:

• Conducting research on matters relevant to the Center’s projects and initiatives
• Generating scholarship around the Center’s areas of expertise
• Writing all types of materials, from internal research memos and talking points to public-facing reports
• Building tools and templates, analyzing and synthesizing inputs and information, and helping to create and refine key deliverables for Center projects.
• Managing lines of effort and providing logistical support to various projects to ensure milestones are met and deliverables are completed on time.
• Advising Center leadership, staff, and fellows and acting as a thought partner based on the scholar’s expertise and experience.
• As needed, supervising student researchers to produce deliverables and complete tasks, ensuring quality and timeliness.
• Representing the Center at coalition meetings, conferences, convenings, and other public events, as appropriate
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with senior practitioners, academics, experts, and counterparts across the University and at partner organizations.

Salary and Benefits

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary is $150,000. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. You will be an employee of New York University, with access to an excellent, comprehensive benefits package including generous paid time off and retirement contributions. The Center has physical office space at NYU School of Law in New York, but also offers hybrid or remote work arrangements from within the US.

Required Qualifications:

1. JD or MA in public policy
2. A minimum of five years post-graduate work experience, particularly in law or policy
3. Prior experience working with or for the government at the federal, state, or local levels is a plus, but not required

Required Skills:

• Excellent research and writing skills, including the ability to express precise, complex information in a way that is clear and compelling.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, transcript, writing sample, and three references to Interfolio via https://apply.interfolio.com/182582.

Applications are rolling with a final submission deadline of March 25, 2026.