Become an OSBF Fellow

A Distinction Earned. A Responsibility Accepted.

Election as an OSBF Fellow is among Ohio’s most distinguished honors.

The OSBF Fellows Program is designed to convert professional distinction into sustained stewardship: service beyond practice, philanthropy, access to justice, public trust, and rule-of-law leadership - and an enduring statewide community of attorneys, judges, law faculty, legal scholars, and advocates who strengthen the profession, Ohio’s communities, and the country they serve.

The public roster of OSBF Fellows represents fewer than three percent of Ohio’s registered attorneys, a notably select statewide circle. The honor carries an expectation: use the standing you have earned to build a legacy for the profession and the public institutions entrusted to you - the inheritance you leave behind.

Discover More about the Fellowship

Nominations: Open October 1, 2026
Priority deadline for 2027 admission: Apply by November 15, 2026
Final application deadline: Apply by December 31, 2026

How to Apply

To become an OSBF Fellow, an individual must first be nominated. Once nominated, an individual must be invited to apply. Only 25 individuals will be elected to join the 2027 cohort and selection is competitive.

Eligible candidates must:

Be admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio and have served from the time of their admission to the bar for a period of at least five (5) years
Be in good standing with the Supreme Court of Ohio and not subject to current or pending disciplinary action or proceeding.
Be a member of the Ohio State Bar Association or become a member prior to becoming a Fellow

Nomination

Nominations for the OSBF Fellows Program are accepted beginning October 1.

Nominations may be submitted by:

Ohio State Bar Foundation Members of the Board of Trustees
Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio
2026 Class of OSBF Fellows
OSBF Alumni Fellows, all years

Submit a Nomination View OSBF Board of Trustees View 2026 OSBF Fellows Search OSBF Alumni Fellows

If you are interested in becoming a Fellow but do not know an eligible nominator, you may nominate yourself using the same form. Self-nominated candidates are considered under the same selection criteria as all other candidates.

Who are we seeking?

OSBF seeks Ohio attorneys, judges, law faculty, legal scholars, and advocates whose careers demonstrate dedication to the highest principles of the profession. Strong candidates may combine professional distinction with an evident concern for the public good. They have earned the respect of peers, demonstrate or profess a willingness to serve beyond practice, and are prepared to invest their time, judgment, relationships, and resources in the future of justice in Ohio.

If You Receive a Nomination Letter and/or Are Invited to Submit an Application

Submit an Application

Please note the following information:

Application Review, Selection, and Feedback

Applicants are selected and admitted in the spirit of forming a diverse and dynamic class. Selection is at the discretion of Trustees. OSBF does not provide feedback on applications or candidacies, and all application materials are held in confidence.

Pledge

Individuals make a pledge of $2,500 upon accepting a fellowship. The pledge can be paid as a one-time gift or in installments over up to five years. One hundred percent of Fellow contributions goes directly to OSBF nonprofit grantmaking - an investment in justice, public education, civic trust, and the rule of law.

Deadlines

Early admission: Applications received on or before November 15, 2026, will be given priority review.

Standard admission and final deadline: All applications must be submitted by December 31, 2026.

2027 Fellowship Experience at a Glance

From the Ohio Statehouse to the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Class of 2027 will spend nine months encountering the justice system, the public calling of the legal profession, and one another from vantage points beyond everyday practice. A select cohort of 25 Fellows will join immersive experiences that combine uncommon access, experiential learning, service, candid deliberation, and time to build trusted relationships across practice, perspective, geography, and role.

The preliminary calendar includes a public class announcement at a press conference, a mandatory overnight opening retreat, six program sessions, the All Rise gala, optional electives, and formal induction as a Fellow. Fellows should plan for approximately 46 hours of in-person programming from March through November.

Draft 2027 Calendar: Dates, locations, and program details remain subject to change.

Date/Location	Experience
March 11, 2027 Columbus, Ohio	Public class announcement The Class of 2027 Takes Its Place Your Fellowship begins at the Ohio Statehouse, where the new class is announced publicly in the Statehouse Atrium at a press conference. A welcome reception brings together Fellows, family, friends, colleagues, and leaders from Ohio’s legal and civic arenas.
April 1–2, 2027 Granville, Ohio (overnight)	Mandatory opening retreat Opening Retreat: Entering the Fellowship Begin building the relationships, shared expectations, and sense of community that will shape the year. Enter a correctional institution to learn about the system from its residents; take part in a survivor-centered encounter with a court noted for its pioneering specialized docket for survivors of sex trafficking, and hear from judges involved in an initiative defending judicial independence and strengthening public understanding of the rule of law.
May 20, 2027 Location TBD	Session Justice in Motion What becomes possible when a person’s past no longer determines their future? Discover how civil legal aid reaches people across Ohio, then put your legal skill to work through an optional record-sealing clinic.
June 17, 2027 Columbus, Ohio	Session Democracy in Our Care What future is worthy of America’s highest ideals? Explore possible futures for American civic life, test the guardrails that keep power within bounds, and consider what can call a legal professional into elected public service.
July 15, 2027 Central OH	Session Restoration from Within How does a person hold onto dignity and purpose when freedom is taken away? Go behind the walls at an Ohio reformatory for women and examine how voice, creativity, and vocation can support dignity, purpose, contribution, and restoration.
August 19, 2027 Central OH	Session Reframing Recovery What does recovery require from a court, a community, and the people rebuilding their lives? Enter an Adult Recovery Court, the real specialized docket and live filming location behind a Hollywood motion picture selected for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Meet the judge, court team, and people with lived experience to examine accountability, relapse, dignity, and the long work of recovery, on the docket - and on the big screen.
September 16, 2027 Columbus, Ohio	Session Investing in Justice How should limited philanthropic resources be directed when the needs are many and the consequences real? Advise OSBF on how to direct a portion of $2 million in grantmaking, weighing competing priorities with your cohort.
October 22, 2027 Columbus, Ohio	Session & All Rise Gala What Will Your Success Make Possible? Where can your values and leadership make the greatest difference beyond practice? Clarify your service commitments, prepare for nonprofit board leadership, explore pathways to contribute, and consider how philanthropy can extend your impact beyond a career. Attend your first All Rise Gala.
November 16, 2027 Columbus, Ohio	Formal induction Induction: An Enduring Legacy At the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Chief Justice publicly invests the Class of 2027 as OSBF Fellows. Each individual enters a distinguished lineage representing fewer than three percent of Ohio's registered attorneys and accepts one of the state's highest professional honors as a lifelong call to serve the profession, justice, and the public good.
Dates TBD Locations TBD	Optional electives Choose Your Path Select from optional legal, civic, or hands-on service experiences aligned with your values, interests, capacity, and schedule.

Before You Apply: Reserve the Dates
The cohort itself is part of the Fellowship experience. Each Fellow’s presence, judgment, and contribution affect what the full class gains from the year. Full participation is therefore expected. Programming is in person, and hybrid or makeup sessions are not available.

Attendance at the April 1–2 Opening Retreat is mandatory because it establishes the relationships and shared foundation for the year. If you cannot attend the retreat, please defer your application to a future class. OSBF recognizes that other unavoidable conflicts may arise and allows Fellows to request an excused absence when necessary.

Submit a Nomination Submit an Application