Scholarships
Detroit Mercy Law Scholarships
Detroit Mercy Law awards a variety of scholarships to students each year, including Dean's Scholarships for academic excellence, leadership scholarships, and endowed scholarships.
Students are notified during the summer regarding renewal of merit scholarships, which do not require any application process. The requirements of the scholarship renewal are listed on the scholarship award letters that students received the previous academic year.
To apply for additional Detroit Mercy Law scholarships, students must submit the Detroit Mercy School of Law 2019 Scholarship Application. The application for the Detroit Mercy Law 2019-20 Scholarships is now closed. Recipients of the awards will be notified in October.
External Scholarships & Writing Competitions
Funding your law degree is not limited to scholarships and loans from Detroit Mercy. Scholarships, awards, fellowships, and grants from private organizations is an excellent way to finance your education. A great source of additional financing to help reduce your total borrowing is available to through scholarship awards offered by philanthropic organizations throughout the U.S. These awards are usually limited to particular populations of students based on geography, class year, area of interest in law, or ethnic background.
Students are encouraged to research external scholarships and funding by looking closely at organizations with which you and/or your family are already connected. This may include religious or community organizations, local law firms, parents' employers, greek life, and high school and undergraduate alma maters. Many organizations award merit and need-based scholarships to affiliated students.
It does take time and effort to seek outside funding but not trying to secure the funds assures you won't receive them.
Detroit Mercy Law is contacted by outside organizations seeking applications from our students. We post these scholarships as we are notified. Additionally, we do our best to find scholarships that are available to our law students. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information on our external scholarship listings, we encourage students to confirm the details with the sponsoring organization. If you receive notice that the information we have is incorrect, please email the Law Financial Aid Office so that we can update the information.
Scholarship opportunities are listed for informational purposes only. The listing of scholarships does not represent an endorsement of any organization.
External Scholarships by Category
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Bar Study
American Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan Bar Study Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $500 - $1,500Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be an enrolled 3L student or a recent graduate of a Michigan law school. Applicants must submit a Letter of Interest, which outlines a commitment to Indian Country and/or Native American communities and also submit a current resume and a recent law school transcript.
Deadline: January 24, 2020BARBRI 2020 Public Interest Scholarship
Scholarship: 2020 BARBRI Bar Review course at a $1,995 scholarship tuition rate.Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be graduating in December 2019 or May 2020, sitting for the bar exam in 2020, immediately following graduation, and be employed or committed to be employed in the public interest sector with a salary <$75,000.
Deadline: December 2 for February 2020 exam. March 1 for July 2020 exam. -
General
Answering Legal’s Future Attorneys of America Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Criteria: Must be currently enrolled at an accredited law school with GPA of 3.50. Must also have some form of legal experience (internship, employment)
Deadline: November 5, 2019Arash Law Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,500Topic: Applicants must submit a 500-word essay describing which field of law they're interested in pursuing and why, in addition, the essay should state what they plan to do with their degree.
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a U.S. resident or a permanent resident currently enrolled at an accredited law school with at least one semester left to complete after the application deadline and have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or better.
Deadline: June 1, 2020Arnold & Itkin LLP Academic Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a U.S. resident currently enrolled at an accredited law school as a 2L or 3L with GPA of 3.00.
Deadline: December 1, 2019Attorney Ken Nugent Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be: a legal US resident, and a current law student and submit a 500-word essay explaining why you have chosen to enter the legal field.
Deadline: December 13, 2019Cherepinskiy Law Firm Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident currently enrolled at an accredited law school with a GPA of 3.0 at minimum.
Deadline: October 25, 2019Eisner Gorin, LLP Law Firm Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $3,000Topic: Our criminal justice leaders need to think strategically to develop comprehensive solutions to crime and justice. Among the many challenges we face in the United States are criminal behavior trends like violence, gangs, human trafficking, sex crimes, and cybercrimes. It has been estimated that well over 50% of men who are arrested test positive for drugs. There is a clear connection between drug use and criminal activity. Would decriminalizing certain drugs make it less of a problem? The incarceration rate in the United States is the highest in the world. It has been estimated there are around 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S. for crimes and about 6 million people under direct supervision. Our leaders need to figure out why and how to deal with the problem. The incarceration rate not only impacts the offender, but it also has a major impact on their family. What can be done?
Eligibility Criteria: All students currently enrolled in a law degree program.
Deadline: December 1Emery Reddy, PLLC Legal Studies Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must demonstrate their dedication to the study of law with the submission of an essay of no more than 500 words.
Deadline: November 30, 2019Legal Leaders Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $500Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be: a legal US resident, and a current law student studying in the United States with a GPA of at least 3.0. Additionally, applicants must submit all law school transcripts and a short letter of introduction.
Deadline: December 31, 2019Kimberly M. Cahill Memorial Scholarship
Award Amount: $3,000
Eligibility Criteria: must be enrolled as a second or third-year law student who is currently enrolled in law classes at any accredited Michigan law school. The recipient should demonstrate outstanding qualities of leadership and the ability to inspire and effectively lead others to a defined objective. The recipient must also demonstrate a need for financial assistance and academic standing (3.0 GPA or above).
Deadline: March 15Morgan & Morgan "For The People" Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Essay Topic: What does “For The People” mean to you and how would you apply that in your legal career?
Eligibility Criteria: All students currently enrolled in a law degree program. The essay must be between 700 - 800 words.
Deadline: December 1Robert A. McNew Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be a current law student who is a Federal Bar Association law student associate member in good standing.
Deadline: November 30, 2019Scooters 'N Chairs Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must submit an essay on one experience over the past semester that required the use of strength and perseverance to overcome.
Deadline: December 15, 2019Trandafir International Business Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $2,500Topic: Applicants must submit an essay on any contemporary international business or economic concern. Recent winning submissions have included such topics as recommendations the United States should follow to update its privacy laws to harmonize with international general data protection regulation commitments, why international labor organizations should adopt fair trade as an enforcement mechanism to end labor violations, and why the United States Treasury should wait for Congress to end corporate tax sheltering tactics.
Eligibility Criteria: All students currently enrolled in a law degree program.
Deadline: February 1, 2020 -
Diversity
Akin Gump/Robert Strauss Diversity Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Must be enrolled and in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school with an anticipated graduation date of 2022 at the time of application; must participate in and complete the firm’s summer associate program after your second year of law school; may not be the recipient of a similar diversity award from another law firm.
Deadline: September 1, 2019Devereaux, Stokes, Fernandez, and Leonard (DSFL) Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must submit a 2-minute video answering the question, "What are the greatest barriers in our legal system to justice for all? How can you work to change this? Must be an immigrant or first-generation Hispanic Law student with at least a 2.75 GPA
Deadline: January 31, 2020Italian American Bar Association of Michigan Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must apply as student members of the organization and be a 2L or 3L student.
Deadline: November 8, 2019Islamic Scholarship Foundation
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must intend to be enrolled in Fall 2020 with the intent of practicing Civil Law. Must be a US Citizen or permanent resident.
Application Opens: November 1, 2019Lavent Law, P.A. Immigrant Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Enrolled as a full-time law student. Must be a US Citizen or permanent resident who is an immigrant to the United States.
Deadline: November 1, 2019Los Angeles Immigration Lawyer Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Submit an essay (450-word limit) on how immigrating to the United States or being the child of immigrants improved your life or someone in your family's life. Must be a foreign-born student who now resides in the US or US-born student whose parents originated in another country.
Deadline: October 1, 2019MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program
Eligibility Criteria: Open to all law students currently enrolled full-time at an accredited US Law school. Must demonstrate a commitment to advancing Latino civil rights careers.
Deadline: January 31Miller Johnson Michigan Diversity Law School Scholarship
Award Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Criteria: This scholarship is awarded to law students of color currently residing in Michigan, with preference to those with West Michigan residence. Minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
Deadline: March 1NAPABA Law Foundation Scholarships
Scholarship Amount: variesEligibility Criteria: Applicants must be members of the Asian Pacific American community enrolled in an ABA-accredited Law School.
Deadline: September 2, 2019Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Eligibility Criteria: 1L or 2L first-generation American or immigrant under the age of 30.
Deadline: November 1, 2019Tolerance Means Dialogues
Scholarship Amount: $750Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must submit a 500-word essay on what tolerance means to them.
Deadline: Monday, October 14, 2019Warner Norcross & Judd LLP Diversity Law Scholarship
Award Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Criteria: This scholarship is awarded to students of color pursuing a law degree at any accredited law school in the United States. Applicants must be a current or former resident of Michigan.
Deadline: March 1 -
International Students
AAUW Educational Foundation: International Fellowship
Eligibility Criteria: Women pursuing full-time graduate or professional study in the US who are not US citizens or permanent residents.
Deadline: November 15, 2019MPower Global Citizen Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Be an international student (US permanent resident, protected under DACA, or has a valid visa to study in the US) enrolled as a full-time student.
Deadline: November 15, 2019 -
Location
John S. Beagle Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Residents of Genesee County (MI) who are either admitted to law school or who have successfully completed one year of law school are eligible to apply. Preference is to students studying at one of Michigan's law schools.
Deadline: May 1Macomb County Bar Foundation Trustees Law School Scholarship
Award Amount: $3000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L or 3L student who demonstrates a commitment to serve or contribute to the Macomb County legal community.
Deadline: March 15Philip F. Greco Memorial Scholarship
Award Amount: $3,000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L or 3L student enrolled in an accredited Michigan Law school with good academic standing, demonstrate financial need, and have a commitment to serve the Macomb County Legal community
Deadline: March 15Peggy (Kommer) Novosad Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Student is a resident of Kent County currently completing or possessing an undergraduate degree from Grand Valley State University or Michigan State University and will be pursuing a full-time law or business degree at any accredited university in Michigan with a minimum GPA of 3.5
Deadline: May 1 -
Subject
Business Law
Brown, PC National Business Law Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L or 3L student with a minimum GPA of 3.0. A demonstrated interest in Business Law is a requirement and must be summarized in the cover letter.
Deadline: December 9, 2019Consumer Financial Services Law
American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers 2020 Writing Competition
Award Amount: Cash payments of $1500, $3500, and $5000 and travel to the Spring 2020 meeting of the College.Eligibility Criteria: Eligible entries must discuss some aspect of U.S. consumer financial services law. Topics that relate principally to securities regulation, bankruptcy, insurance, or the safety and soundness aspects of banking regulation are not eligible, but works on subjects within these (or other) areas will be considered if they bear directly on U.S. consumer financial services. Entries must have been written or published between November 15, 2018, and December 1, 2019.
Deadline: December 1, 2019Criminal Law
Marshall M. Schulman Competition for Student Papers
Award: Grand Prize - $1500, the paper will be published in the Criminal Law Journal, and one-year student membership in the Criminal Law section. Honorable Mention Prizes - $500, the paper will be published in the Criminal Law Journal, and one-year student membership in the Criminal Law section.Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible, the paper must be written solely by the student enrolled in law school at the time of submission. The paper must pertain to criminal law and/or to criminal procedure, with a particular focus on contemporary issues of concern in the State of California. The paper should be original and scholarly. It should be appropriately and carefully annotated to reflect the authorities that support the author’s opinions and findings, and upon which the author otherwise relies. Papers should be between 1,500 and 4,500 words in length, including any citations.
Deadline: March 2, 2020Miller Leonard, PC Criminal Justice Reform Scholarship
Award: $1,000 ScholarshipWriting Topic: What is the single most important refund that out to be made to the United States criminal justice system?
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled or accepted into an ABA-accredited law school in the US as of the fall 2020 term.
Deadline: August 1, 2020Entertainment Law
Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Competition
Award: Grand Prize - $10,000, two tickets to and recognition at the Annual Law Entertainment Law Initiative event & Scholarship presentation on January 24, two tickets to the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, and round-trip airfare to Los Angeles and hotel accommodations for two to attend the events.Writing Topic: The writing contest challenges students to identify, research, and write an essay with a proposed solution on a compelling legal issue confronting the music industry.
Eligibility Criteria: Entrants must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school. To be eligible, the paper must be written solely by the student enrolled in law school at the time of submission. Essays should be no longer than 3,000 words in length, not including endnotes/footnotes.
Deadline: January 2, 2020Family & Juvenile Law
The John H. McKaig II Scholarship Fund
Eligibility Criteria: Any 2L or 3L student who is enrolled in any Michigan accredited law school who has an interest in practicing in the area of child protective proceedings and/or juvenile justice. Must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.8.
Deadline: September 1, 2019Immigration Law
North America Immigration Law Group
Scholarship Amount: $2000.Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be a current full-time law student with a GPA of 3.0 interested in immigration law
Deadline: November 30, 2019Insurance Law
State Bar Association of Michigan Insurance & Indemnity Law Section Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Writing Topic: Identify the conflicts that exist between Michigan's medical and recreational marijuana laws and the federal law in regards to the use of medical marijuana by employees, and their workers' compensation claims.
Eligibility Criteria: All applicants must be enrolled in a Michigan Law law school.
Deadline: February 29, 2020Intellectual Property Law
Sidney B. Williams Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Minority law students intending to practice intellectual property law. Must be a US citizen and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better.
Deadline: March 15Labor Law
Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies
Scholarship Amount: $10,000Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for awards, individuals must be a Law Students enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the United States or Canada who will not graduate prior to December 2020. Applicants must have a demonstrated interest in, and wish to make a career out of, working in the labor movement and on behalf of workers’ rights.
Deadline: November 29, 2019Litigation
The MLG Scholarship for Future Litigation Lawyers
Eligibility Criteria: Recipient of the award will demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, outstanding work ethic, commitment to serve less fortunate litigants, unquestionable integrity and moral character, resilience in the face of adversity, and be enrolled in an accredited law school in the US.
Deadline: December 31, 2019Medical Malpractice Law
Philadelphia Injury Lawyers P.C. Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Essay Topic: Each essay is at a maximum of 1000 words each. A) What does the future of medical malpractice law look like in the U.S? B) Why are you interested in pursuing a career in Medical Malpractice Law?
Eligibility Criteria: All applicants must be enrolled in a US graduate-level program. Applicants should only answer the questions provided and use online articles and caselaw to support your essay.
Deadline: February 15, 2020Personal Injury Law
Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. Personal Injury Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be: a US citizen or permanent resident, enrolled in a US Law School, with a GPA of at least 3.0. Additionally, applicants must submit a 300-500 word essay exploring how personal injury lawyers play a role leading safety initiatives by helping those injured and how you as an individual can promote personal and community safety in your everyday life.
Deadline: December 1, 2019Public Service
Carol Bailey Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Any student who is enrolled in an accredited law school who has an interest in pursuing a public service legal career and has an interest in the subject matter jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims is beneficial but not necessary for an applicant to be selected.
Deadline: August 1Klein Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be presently enrolled in a law school in the State of Michigan. Candidates should submit an essay indicating how their background and qualifications fit with what Harry Klein tried to do with his life, which was support public service agencies that assist the disadvantaged and underprivileged.
Deadline: AprilTax Law
Brown, PC National Tax Law Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L or 3L student with a minimum GPA of 3.0. An interest in Tax Law is a requirement and must be summarized in the cover letter.
Deadline: December 9, 2019 -
Summer Fellowships
BakerHostetler Diversity Fellowship
Award: $25,000 ($10,000 at the beginning of the summer associate position)
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a 2L student; Must be a member of an underrepresented racial/ethnic groups set by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a member of the LGBT community or an individual with a disability; Must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S.
Deadline: November 1, 2019Faegre Baker Daniels Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship
Award: $10,000 stipend at the conclusion of the summer associate positionEligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L student interested in a summer associate position in one of their offices in either Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, or Minneapolis.
Deadline: varies by officeMiller Nash Graham & Dunn First-Year Law Student Diversity Fellowship
Award: A paid, ten-week summer associate position, and after successful completion of the summer associate fellowship, will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship.Eligibility Criteria: To apply for the fellowship you must:
- Be a first-year student in good standing
- Intend to work, live, and practice law in the Pacific Northwest following graduation
- Demonstrate academic excellence, strong interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, and meaningful contributions to the community
Deadline: January 8, 2020
Roscoe Trimmer Jr. Diversity Scholarship
Award: The scholarship provides a $25,000 award to outstanding second-year law students, and includes a paid summer associate position following completion of the second year of law school. The funds will be paid out half upon completion of the summer program, and half upon starting as a full-time associate at the firm.Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a 2L student, member of a historically underrepresented group in the legal profession, US citizen or authorized to work in the United States.
Deadline: as soon as possible -
Women
AAUW Educational Foundation: Career Development Grants
Eligibility Criteria: Special consideration is given to women of color, and women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in nontraditional fields
Deadline: December 1, 2019AUW Educational Foundation: Selected Professions Fellowship
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a 3L woman of color; Must be U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Deadline: December 1, 2019Empowering Women in Law Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Female applicant who has successfully completed at least one semester of law school but will not have graduated by Fall 2020.
Deadline: May 31, 2020Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers’ Single Mother Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a mother attending an accredited university in the U.S. with a GPA of 3.0.
Deadline: December 5, 2019The Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
Scholarship Amount: $3,500The Women Lawyers Association of Michigan Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of the 2020 awards to outstanding women law students, funded by generous contributions from individuals, law firms, and corporations. This year, $42,000 will be awarded statewide to 12 outstanding women law students attending Michigan’s five accredited law schools (University of Michigan Law School, Western Michigan Cooley Law School, Michigan State University College of Law, Wayne State University Law School, and University of Detroit Mercy School of Law).
Deadline: Materials must be submitted to Assistant Director Rouser no later than December 15, 2019.
Additional Scholarship Resources
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External Scholarship Search Engines
The following databases may be helpful to you in locating resources outside of Detroit Mercy that match your interests and background. Please note that these sites are not affiliated with Detroit Mercy Law and therefore Detroit Mercy Law cannot verify the accuracy of their content.