The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech is excited to announce the search for our next Ag Law Fellow.

This opportunity offers an undergraduate student hands-on experience in agricultural law under the mentorship of faculty member Jennifer Friedel.

Faculty: Jennifer Friedel, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the VA Land Use-Value Assessment Program

The Ag Law Fellow will assist with:

  1. Legal research
  2. Co-authoring a minimum of one Extension publication or Southern Ag Today article on ag law topics
  3. Assist with Extension presentations
  4. Serve as a TA for the AAEC-3604 Agricultural Law class in Spring 2027

You will receive:

  • $1,000 stipend for the year long Fellowship 
  • Funding will be available for professional opportunities, conferences such as the American Agricultural Lawyers Association Annual Symposium, and travel throughout the state for Extension presentations

To apply, you must have the following requirements:

  • Be a current undergraduate student at Virginia Tech
  • Available to work at least 5-10 hours a week during the semester (flexible)
  • Have taken the AAEC-3604 Agricultural Law class
  • Provide a minimum one-page writing sample

Skills you will learn:

  • Legal research and writing
  • Communication
  • Collaboration and teamwork
  • Presentation and outreach
  • Leadership
  • Organizational skills
  • Networking with industry and stakeholders

These experiences will not only enhance academic knowledge but also build a professional skill set that will be useful in both legal practice and agricultural Extension work.

The Fellow will work with the Marketing, Communications, and Partnerships Manager to ensure that presentations and articles are properly branded, grammatically accurate, and aligned with both departmental and university standards.

This position will begin in the Fall of 2026.

Applications are open and will close
on Friday, May 1, 2026.

If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Friedel by email at jfriedel@vt.edu.

APPLY TO BE AN AG LAW FELLOW >>
Henry Davenport

Hometown: Delaplane, Virginia
Major/Minor: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
Minor: International Relations

"To be a strong advocate for the agricultural community, understanding the legalities of regulation, resource use, and farming is fundamental. This fellowship is an immersive learning experience that will inform my future decision-making. My college education is theory-based, whereas my education in agriculture was almost entirely hands-on. Agricultural law is the intersection between my current studies and my farming background. I am fortunate to have that unique intersection, and it is why agricultural law interests me. It creates a framework for challenging assumptions in agricultural policy."

Paraquat and Glyphosate: An Update and Outlook >>

Check out Henry's latest article with Jennifer S. Friedel, Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the VA Land Use-Value Assessment Program