Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading Change
The Davis Polk Leadership Initiative helps prepare students for effective and influential lawyer-leadership. The Initiative supports the development of day-to-day leadership—the capabilities lawyers need to enable groups to achieve collective aims—as well as opportunities for more in-depth learning and strategic development for students poised to take on more formal leadership roles. Through courses, fellowship and grant opportunities, programming, and coaching, the Initiative enables students to exercise self-awareness, tackle complex challenges, and make meaningful impact in the public and private sectors. More information about how the Initiative defines leadership is available here.
Enrollment for the Spring 2026 Lawyer-Leadership Course is now open.

The Leadership Initiative offers exciting, innovative course offerings and programming that cultivate lawyer leadership and professional skills at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic levels. These offerings have been thoughtfully crafted to develop students’ capacities throughout their law school careers.
The Leadership Fellowship is a year-long program that provides recipients with resources and support from faculty, staff, and leadership coaches to build their leadership capacities through the design and implementation of a project that builds leadership within the Law School community and creates positive change. In addition to receiving $1,000 in project funding, Fellows receive a $5,000 award and attend weekly leadership development sessions with other Fellows.

Innovation Grants provide funding of up to $1,000 and administrative support for individuals or groups of students, staff, and/or faculty to design and implement independent projects designed to create positive change within the Law School. Grant applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.