Weinstein International Fellowship, JAMS Foundation, USA

The Weinstein International Fellowship program, inaugurated in 2008, provides opportunities for individuals from outside the United States to visit the U.S. to learn more about dispute resolution processes and practices and to pursue a project of their own design that serves to advance the resolution of disputes in their home countries.

The JAMS Foundation Board of Directors will approve Fellowships of up to $25,000 in support of projects outlined by Fellowship applicants. This program is intended to be flexible and open to innovation, and applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that will increase the availability of dispute resolution education, training and services in their home countries and beyond.

During their time in the U.S., Fellows may be based in a JAMS Resolution Center or may participate in a university program or be connected to another organization or institution, depending on the nature of their proposal. Fellowships may be from one month to one year in duration.

It is anticipated that Fellows will come from countries that do not have an established culture of using mediation for cases in litigation. Part of the Fellows’ time in the United States will be spent observing how JAMS administers and resolves such cases.

Criteria

1. Applicants must be fluent in English
2. Fellowship period must be one month to twelve months in duration
3. Preference for proposals that would help applicant’s home country establish viable dispute resolution systems or change how disputes are resolved
4. Preference for applicants who have experience as lawyers, law professors, court administrators, government officers, ADR practitioners, or judges

Information Sought From Applicant

1. Purpose and goal of Fellowship
2. Anticipated activity or activities in the U.S.
3. Proposed location and duration of Fellowship
4. Plans for implementing Fellowship goals 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 work 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. Visa status regarding entry into the U.S. for purposes of Fellowship

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 2012 will be reviewed by the JAMS Foundation Board of Directors at their first quarterly meeting on January 27, 2012. Applications must be received by December 2, 2011 in order to be eligible for consideration. The Foundation Board may also consider expedited review of Fellowship applications in appropriate circumstances.

For more information, contact:

Ellen Bass, Weinstein Fellowship Program Coordinator
Telephone:
415-774-2660
Email:ebass@jamsfoundation.org

David Brandon, Program Manager
Telephone:
415-774-2648
Email:dbrandon@jamsfoundation.org

Mailing Address:
JAMS Foundation
Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1500
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.jamsfoundation.org

visit official website: www.jamsadr.com