Law

Diversity & Inclusion Scholarships

Below is a listing of scholarships that focus on enhancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Cincinnati Law Scholarships

  • Theodore M. Berry Scholarship (1993). Established by the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati (BLAC) to honor Theodore M. Berry, Class of 1931. The scholarship is in recognition of the former Mayor of Cincinnati's outstanding civic service, community leadership, and contribution to the legal profession.
  • Stanley M. Chesley and Hon. Susan J. Dlott Scholarship (2006). Annual income from this fund will provide a scholarship to be awarded on the basis of academic merit and financial need. The donor has a preference for supporting the financial needs of students who bring diverse backgrounds and talents to the university.
  • Florence Straus Fabe Scholarship (1982) and George Van Antwerp Fabe Scholarship (1991). Established by George Fabe, Class of 1981. Annual income from these two scholarship funds will provide scholarships to be awarded on the basis of legal aptitude and financial need. The donor has a preference for supporting the financial needs of students who bring diverse backgrounds and talents to the university.
  • Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund (2014). This scholarship will support the financial needs of students who bring diverse backgrounds and talents to the College of Law.  Preference will be given to students who have completed a ‘pipeline’ program such as the Summer Work Experience in Law (SWEL), Law and Leadership Institute (LLI), Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO), or other similar programs.
  • Jackson Lewis Scholarship Fund (2012).  The Jackson Lewis Law Firm has established a $5,000 scholarship for a College of Law student interested in Employment Law.  The law firm has expressed a preference for the scholarship to be awarded to a minority student interested in employment law.
  • Edward Sawyer Scholarship (2006). Annual income from this fund will provide a scholarship to be awarded on the basis of academic achievement and financial need. The donor has a preference for supporting the financial needs of students who bring a diverse background to the university and who have a special interest in public service and/or civil rights work.

Outside Scholarships

The Scholarship Fund is intended to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to the scholarship recipients. Only entering, first-year law students may apply. Applicants must have received a minimum GPA of 2.5 at their undergraduate institution and must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. Applications are available online

Contact:

Legal Opportunity Scholarship Committee 
American Bar Association 
321 North Clark Street 
Chicago, IL 60654 

Up to six $1,000 tuition assistance scholarships will be awarded. These scholarships are open to all first and second year African American, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American and Bi-Racial ATLA Law student Members. Scholarships will be awarded to the applicants who best meet, but not limited to, the following criteria: exhibit an interest and proficiency of skills in trial advocacy, express a desire to represent victims, demonstrate a commitment to ATLA and dedication to its mission through involvement in an ATLA student chapter and Minority Caucus activities show a financial need for scholarship. 

Contact: 

Association of Trial Lawyers of America 
ATLA Minority Caucus 
ATTN: Michelle Haynes 
1050 31st Street, NW 
Washington, DC 20007 

All applicants must be able to demonstrate Tribal affiliation through the submission of a Tribal Eligibility Certificate.  Each opportunity has specific affiliation requirements.  The Center funds American Indian and Alaska Natives who are enrolled in U.S. federally-recognized Tribes and in some cases, state recognized Tribes.  Individuals who can verify 1/4 American Indian or Alaska Native lineage from federally recognized Tribes are also eligible for funding through American Indian Graduate Center.

The Association provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate Native American students who are citizens/ members of their Tribal Nation – whether or not their Nation is recognized by the federal government.

The fellowship has awarded nearly $150,000 to law students for law school tuition and other school-related expenses. The fellowship is offered to 1L and 2L students who identify as members of a historically underrepresented group in intellectual property law or possess a demonstrated commitment to strengthening diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Awards are based on merit; amounts range from $500 to $5,000, based on relative need, among the Scholars selected.

The Kegler Brown Minority Merit Scholarship is awarded annually to a minority student based on academic performance, accomplishments, activities and potential contributions to the legal community. Minority students from all law schools will be considered for the scholarship. 

The LLA Law School Scholarship Program each year awards scholarships to deserving Latino students entering their first, second, or third year of law school. The scholarships are awarded to Latino students based upon three primary factors: 

  • demonstrated commitment to work with the Latino community 
  • financial need 
  • academic achievement 

Contact: 

Latino Lawyers Association Law School Scholarship Fund 
c/o Maribel Medina 
333 South Hope Street, 38th Fl. 
Los Angeles, CA 90017

The Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program promotes academic excellence and diversity in law schools by awarding ten newly accepted law students with scholarships to help defray their educational expenses. The LMJ Scholarships will provide ten selected students with $10,000 a year for three years. In addition, approximately 7-8 students will also receive a one-time scholarship gift of $10,000 in support of their law school education. 
Award: $10,000 

Contact: 

Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program 
Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) 
MCCA LMJ Scholarship Program 
Scholarships and Grants Administration 
United Negro College Fund, Inc. 
ATTN: Kimberly Hall 
8260 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive 
Fairfax, VA 22031 

As part of their commitment to diversity, Michigan Auto Law sponsors an annual Scholarship Program to provide financial support to students who contribute to the diversity of the law school student body as they pursue their legal career.

Established in 2004, their LMJ Scholarship program advances the diversity pipeline to the legal profession. The LMJ Scholarship is a diversity pipeline program that seeks to nurture the academic and professional careers of outstanding law students. The scholarship is open to women and diverse students who have: been accepted to an ABA-accredited law school on a full-time basis; an outstanding or promising academic record; an interest in corporate law; demonstrated community service and leadership qualities; a financial need; and a commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity. The LMJ Scholarship grants scholarships of $10,000 to students for their first year of law school. In addition to financial support, LMJ scholars are connected with peers, alumni, and mentors, who are available to provide professional support, such as guidance on addressing academic or personal obstacles that arise over the course of their legal career.

In order to secure the hard won gains of its watershed legal precedent, LDF created the Herbert Lehman Education Fund (the “Lehman Fund”) and the Legal Internship and Fellowship Program (the “Fellowship Program”) in 1964 to provide financial assistance to those who had been denied access to higher education for generations. Through their scholarship awards, the Lehman Fund and the Fellowship Program guaranteed for many able African-American law students that the battles to end segregation in education would not be undermined by financial need.

The $10,000 Law Scholarship will be awarded to minority students developing a career in intellectual property law or holding a past or present, full or part-time position in an area related to intellectual property law. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and outstanding academic performance in the undergraduate, graduate and law school levels (if applicable). General factors such as leadership skills, community activities or special accomplishments will also be taken into consideration. 

Contact:

The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund 
ATTN: AIPLEF Scholarship 
90 William Street, Suite 1203 
New York, NY 10038 

UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members. Each year, they award more than $100 million in scholarships to students attending more than 1,100 schools across the country.

  • Website: https://uncf.org/scholarships