Wayne Morse Legal Fellowship Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division

A paid full-time, ten-week summer fellowship is available for a University of Oregon 2L (rising 3L) at the Oregon Secretary of State’s office (SOS). This fellowship is part of the Law Fellows program of UO’s Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics (waynemorsecenter.uoregon.edu). 

About the Position

Title:  Wayne Morse Legal Fellow

Location: Salem, Oregon (Note: this position could be approved to work remotely, either mostly or in part.) 

Salary: $6,000 stipend paid by the Wayne Morse Center at the end of May. The Secretary of State’s office will provide supplemental funding to ensure that the fellow is earning minimum wage. Funding from SOS will be paid directly to the student at the end of their fellowship. 

Who should apply: 2Ls hoping to work in government and/or on voting and elections

Description: Full-time, 10-week summer fellowship 

The Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood; she is Oregon’s chief elections officer and is dedicated to building trust between the people of Oregon and state government, and building equitable access to democracy. The fellow will work directly with the Secretary of State’s chief counsel and with Elections Division staff.  The fellow may also attend some Executive Leadership Team and Elections Division meetings, or meetings with county elections officials or other partners. 

Potential projects may include:

  • Assisting with enforcement of laws related to campaign finance and other elections offenses
  • Legal research, writing, and practical thinking on issues related to elections law and administration
  • Opportunity to learn and be involved in other aspects of elections law and administration 

Expectations and opportunities:

  • Incoming Wayne Morse Law Fellows attend an orientation lunch in the spring. At the end of the summer, each fellow will submit a short report about their experience. When fall term begins, Law Fellows gather over lunch to debrief and share what they learned with one another. 
  • Fellows are invited to participate in the life of the Wayne Morse Center during and after their fellowship. This includes public lectures and panels (usually held in the law school), occasional lunches and receptions with speakers, and one-on-one mentoring.
  • If asked, Law Fellows are expected to attend a gathering with donors to the Wayne Morse Center and share about their fellowship experiences.

Qualifications: Strong research, writing, and organizational skills. The ability to self-direct within a set of existing procedures and ask questions when necessary. Good communication skills, both orally and in writing. Good judgment. Ability to communicate professionally and collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds, including backgrounds different from the candidate’s own.

How to Apply

By Monday, January 29 at noon, email a single PDF document that includes a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, and list of three references to the Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics at waynemorsecenter@uoregon.edu. 

  • Address cover letter to: Alma Whalen and P.K. Runkles-Pearson, c/o Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, 1515 Agate Street, Eugene, OR 97403.
  • Include a home (non-UO) email address on your resume.
  • Please check that the phone numbers and email addresses of references are current.

We will notify finalists as quickly as possible. Interviews of selected applicants will take place in early February.

Questions? Please contact Wayne Morse Center Co-director Rebecca Dinwoodie, JD, rcd@uoregon.edu 

Previous fellows in this office: Aleesha Kazi (2023)