Farmers Union Legal Fellowship

“Farmers should be able to trust that the markets they participate in are fair and don’t favor one player over another. This clerkship will support our antitrust efforts to protect the integrity of these markets.”

– Attorney General Keith Ellison

Farmers Union Legal Fellowship

The MFU Legal Fellowship will provide a law student passionate about antitrust, food, and agriculture an opportunity to participate in a public-sector clerkship that offers hands-on experience with antitrust litigators on antitrust, food, and agriculture law that can inspire and inform considering a future career in public service.

The Attorney General’s Office has the opportunity to provide meaningful experiences to law students to clerk within the office and support the work that the AGO does on behalf of the State of Minnesota to the extent that its budget allows. The program supports the work and mission of the Minnesota Attorney General’s office, helping the office protect family farmers, consumers, and workers across the state from unfair competition by adding research capacity, improving outreach, and otherwise supporting antitrust litigation. This program aligns with MFU’s work and mission to support resilient and competitive agricultural markets that allow independent farms and food businesses to succeed and contribute to the economic and social vitality of rural Minnesota.

Application Process and Oversight

Students will apply to the AGO and will be interviewed and selected according to the needs of the Antitrust Division. The AGO will be responsible interviewing or selecting candidates, assigning projects, or otherwise directing the day-to-day work of the fellows. The AGO will ensure that a majority of the fellow’s time is spent working on antitrust, food, and agriculture. The AGO will also direct the work of the fellow, dispense the stipend, and otherwise administer the Program. While employed by the AGO and continuing following the conclusion of the clerkship, the clerk will be prohibited from disclosing to any person outside of the AGO any information obtained during employment which relates to the representation of the Office or is otherwise confidential or non-public under applicable law. As an advocacy group, the MFU sometimes takes positions on matters of competition or antitrust. MFU will not have knowledge of or be involved in the investigatory work of the clerk.