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
-
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: April 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: $1,500
Topic: 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: $5,000
Eligibility 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, 2019Attorneys.org Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Topic: Applicants must submit a 500-word essay describing why you are interested in the field of law, criminal justice, or forensics. Your essay can include life events and other key influences, career plans, or anything else that contributes to your interest
Eligibility Criteria: Must be currently enrolled at an accredited law school and have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better.
Deadline: December 11, 2020Ben Crump LLC Law School Scholarship
Award Amount: $2,500Writing Prompt: Submit an essay no longer than 1,000 words addressing the following prompt: “Law School is an intensive and competitive environment, so taking care of younger peers in the community is crucial. How would you encourage your peers to be mentors? What are the benefits of having a mentor through and after law school?”
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be currently enrolled in a US law school with a minimum GPA of 3.0
Deadline: June 15, 2020Chapmanalbin Scholarship for Law Students
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Topic: If you could defend one supervillain or prosecute one superhero in a court of law, who would it be? Please explain your choice and state your case. (300 - 500 words)
Eligibility Criteria: All students currently enrolled or expected to enroll in a law degree program for Fall 2020.
Deadline: June 15, 2020Cherepinsky Law Firm, PC Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be a US citizen or permanent resident enrolled in an accredited US law school with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Deadline: October 26, 2020Dawson & Albritton Overcoming Adversity Law School Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,500
Essay Topic: How has an adverse circumstance (i.e. car accident, medical issue, disruptive family circumstances) affected you and how you have overcome this hardship. The essay is limited to 500 words.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited law school during the 2020 Fall semester.
Deadline: June 15, 2020Eisner Gorin, LLP Law Firm Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $3,000
Topic: 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
Award Amount: $2,500Essay Prompt: Applicant must demonstrate their dedication to the study of law with the submission of an essay of no more than 500 words.
Eligibility Criteria: All students enrolled in an accredited law school are eligible to apply.
Deadline: November 30Excellence in Ethics Scholarship
Award Amount: $1,000Writing Prompt: Applicants must write an essay discussing the importance of pro-bono legal work
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be U.S. permanent resident or legal non-citizen, currently enrolled in or accepted to a US law school.
Deadline: July 1, 2020Federal Circuit Bar Association Scholarships
The Federal Circuit Bar Association has a number of writing competitions and scholarships.- Judge Howard T. Markey Memorial Scholarship - $10,000
- Judge Helen W. Niles Memorial Scholarship - $10,000
- Judge Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Scholarship - $10,000
- Board Scholarship - $10,000
- Association William S. Bullinger Scholarship - $5,000
- Association Need-Based Scholarships - amount dependent on available funds
Application Process: Applicants should only submit one application. The essay is limited to no more than 450 words, on one page, and should address the applicant’s financial need, any interests in particular areas of the law, and any specific qualifications for a particular scholarship considered relevant by the applicant (i.e., please highlight which scholarship you feel you are best qualified to receive).s
Eligibility Criteria: Students (a) pursuing a juris doctor degree, (b) enrolling for the upcoming academic year (i.e., 2020/2021) in any law school accredited by the American Bar Association, (c) having financial need, and (d) showing a demonstrable interest in one of the many topics that lie within the procedure, substance, or scope of the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (e.g., international trade, government contracts, patents, trademarks, certain money claims against the United States government, federal personnel, and veterans’ benefits). Students with interests solely in such areas as family, public interest, bankruptcy, or criminal law, for example, need not apply.
Deadline: May 31, 2020
Funk & Associates Law Student Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $500
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants should be enrolled in an accredited US law school and have completed at least one year of legal studies. The winner will have to prove academic eligibility and a transcript showing the completion of their first year of legal studies.
Deadline: June 15, 2020GAR Disability Advocates
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Writing Prompt: Submit an essay (no more than 500 words) answering the following prompt: How has someone with a disability affected you? This can be yourself or someone you know. If you are close to anyone who gets disability benefits, how would their life be different without those benefits?
Eligibility Criteria: All students enrolled or accepted to an accredited US law school are eligible to apply
Deadline: October 15, 2020Harry Klein and Shirley Klein Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Writing Prompt: Submit an essay (no more than 500 words) indicating how your background and qualifications align with the history and philosophy of Harry Klein.
Eligibility Criteria: All students enrolled at a Law School in the State of Michigan are eligible to apply.
Deadline: The application must be submitted by April 4, 2020The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $10,000 First Place, $5,000 Second Place, $3,000 Third Place, $1,000 Finalist, and $5,000 to the Scholarship Fund selected by the Dean of the law school in which the First Place candidate is enrolled.Eligibility Criteria: The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce the twenty-seventh annual Brown Award. The Award honors excellence in legal writing in American law schools. Any law student currently enrolled in an accredited law school in the United States seeking a J.D. or LL.B degree is eligible to submit a paper for the Award. Students who completed their law school requirements during winter 2020 are also eligible to apply
Deadline: June 30, 2020Kenneth S. Nugent Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Writing Prompt: Submit a 500-word essay explaining why you have chosen to enter the legal field.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be U.S. residents with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Deadline: February 21, 2020Kimberly 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 15Legal Leaders Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $500
Eligibility 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, 2019Morgan & Morgan "For The People" Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Essay 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 1Moses and Rooth Attorneys at Law Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: Explain what you intend to do with your law degree and how society will benefit. Essay must be 400 words or more.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be an incoming 1L students or currently enrolled law student with a 3.0 or higher overall GPA with US residency.
Deadline: May 31Neal Davis Law Scholarship Essay
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Writing Prompt: Give a legal argument on why you are for or against a convicted felon having the right to vote or bear arms.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a US resident or resident alien enrolled or intending to enroll for the Fall 2020 term.
Deadline: June 15, 2020Reiff Law Firm Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: A 650-word essay on what goals you hope to accomplish through eventual employment in the legal field.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must have a GPA of at least 3.0
Deadline: July 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, 2019Scott Jay Senft Scholarship Fund
Scholarship Amount: $1,500
Essay Topic: Submit an essay outlining your future goals and what you plan on doing with your law degree. The essay is limited to 850 - 1,150 words
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be US residents or citizens enrolled or admitted to a US Law school without a full academic scholarship.
Deadline: November 15, 2020Smith & Eulo Legal Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Essay Topic: In 400 - 600 words, explain what you plan to do with your law degree and how society will benefit.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be US residents or citizens enrolled or admitted to a US Law school with full-time enrollment.
Deadline: November 15, 2020Tobin Injury Law Scholarship Contest
Scholarship Amount: $1,188
Essay Topic: Write an essay between 600 to 1,000 words explaining what you are studying and what you are planning on doing with your education that will help others. As part of your essay, explain what the Hebrew word “CHAI” means to you.
Eligibility Criteria: Any student enrolled at an accredited undergraduate, graduate, or professional program in the United States.
Deadline: July 1Trandafir International Business Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $2,500
Topic: 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, 2020The Warren E. Burger Prize
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Topic: The American Inns of Court invites judges, lawyers, professors, students, scholars, and other authors to participate in the competition. Please submit an original, unpublished, essay of 10,000 to 20,000 words on a topic of your choice addressing issues of professionalism, ethics, civility, and excellence.
Deadline: July 1, 2020The 2020 Weiss & Paarz Annual National Law Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Eligibility Criteria: All students currently enrolled in a law degree program.
Deadline: September 30, 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, 2019Association on American Indian Affairs
Award Amount: $500 - $800
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be enrolled with their respective Tribe and be enrolled as a full-time student with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Deadline: June 15, 2020Devereaux, 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, 2019Korean American Scholarship Foundation
Award Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Criteria: Must be of Korean heritage (i.e., have a Korean parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, or be adopted from Korea). Student must be enrolled in the 2020-21 academic year and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Deadline: June 30, 2020Lavent 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 31Matsui Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Essay Topic: Submission must address a legal topic of importance to the Asian Pacific American community. Please do not submit any submission that has previously been published or that is concurrently submitted for publication elsewhere. The submission must be greater than 6,000 words and not exceed 20,000 words
Eligibility Criteria: The Competition is open to all law students and anyone who graduated from law school within the last five years (i.e., 2015 or later) in the United States.
Deadline: July 1, 2020Miller 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: variesApplication Evaluation: The scholarships are generally awarded on the bases of academic achievement, financial need, leadership potential and commitment to/interest in serving the Asian Pacific American community.
Eligibility Criteria: All students enrolled or admitted to an accredited US law school are eligible to apply. The NAPABA Law Foundation strongly encourages applications from applicants reflecting diverse cultural and experiential backgrounds, people with disabilities and of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds, work experiences, national origins, sexual orientations and ages.
Deadline: September 7, 2020Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Scholarship Amount: $25,000Eligibility Criteria: 1L or 2L first-generation American or immigrant under the age of 30.
Deadline: October 29, 2020Sharon & Ivan Fong Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Application Evaluation: Applicants will be evaluated for (a) academic excellence in their undergraduate school years and first year of law school, (b) leadership experience, (c) volunteerism or service in the public interest, (d) knowledge of social and cultural issues of any one or more Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities or commitment to making a significant impact on issues affecting one or more AAPI communities, or both, and (e) commitment to “pay it forward.”
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a 2L student in Fall 2020
Deadline: June 30, 2020Steinger, Greene & Feiner Hispanic Heritage Law Student Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Topic: Please choose one of the questions below and write an essay of 500-1000 words.- How has your Hispanic heritage shaped your career goals?
- What are the most important issues the Hispanic community are facing today?
- Describe how your experiences have shaped your view on immigration.
Eligibility Criteria: Must be currently enrolled at an accredited law school or intend to be enrolled for Fall 2020 and have a cumulative 2.8 GPA or better.
Deadline: June 31, 2020Sutliff & Stout, Injury & Accident Law Firm Diversity Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,500Essay Topic: How will your law degree help your community?
Eligibility Criteria: To qualify, candidates must be accepted to, or currently enrolled in an accredited law school or paralegal program.
Deadline: July 31, 2020Tolerance 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 1Judge Philip J. Glennie Law Scholarship
Award Amount: $1000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a graduate of a high school in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Presque Isle, or was a resident of Montmorency County when graduation from Johannesburg-Lewiston High School.
Deadline: March 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
Award: $500Eligibility 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: August 10, 2020Curley Law Firm Law School Scholarship
Award: $1,000 ScholarshipWriting Topic: What is business law to you and why is it important in today's society? (500 words)
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: June 30, 2020Child Advocacy
Steinger, Greene & Feiner Law Scholarship for Child Advocates
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Application: Please choose one of the questions provided for your essay. Essays must be between 500 and 1000 words.
- How has being a child advocate inspired you to pursue a career in law?
- How has your personal childhood experiences affected your outlook on the legal system?
- How did you become a child advocate?
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be either a current law student at an accredited law school or at an accredited undergraduate university planning to attend law school for the following academic year, with a minimum 2.8 GPA. Applicants must submit an unofficial copy of their transcript.
Deadline: July 31, 2020
Consumer 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
Lankin Afolabi Law Future Criminal Lawyer Scholarship
Award: $1,000 (CDN)Writing Topic: To what degree, if any, should race in general and particularly the race of an accused person play a role in the criminal justice system? (minimum of 500 words)
Eligibility Criteria: All students accepted to a University pursuing any degree with an intention to pursue a legal education.
Deadline: July 31, 2020Marshall 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, 2020Robert M. Helfend Criminal Defense Scholarship
Award: $500 ScholarshipWriting Topic: Please submit a 400-600 word essay on one of the following topics:
- Representing underserved communities in the criminal justice system
- Equal protection under the law in modern-day practice
- State vs Federal Law: Is marijuana illegal
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled full-time or accepted into an ABA-accredited law school in the U.S. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Deadline: February 15, 2020Disability Advocacy
ABC Law Centers Disability Advocacy Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Application: Applicants must complete one of the following:
- Write an essay which does not exceed two typed, single-spaced pages describing your interest and/or personal experience in disability advocacy
- Submit a creative project focused on the same topic. Examples can include, but are not limited to:
- Photo projects
- Video or other multimedia presentations
- Creative writing
- Performance Pieces
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be planning to pursue a law or public policy career on disability advocacy. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or better.
Deadline: July 31, 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, 2019Proff Law Juvenile & Restorative Justice
Award: $1500Writing Topic: Write an essay (500-1000 words) that addresses all/any of the following points:
- What made you want to work in the juvenile or restorative justice space?
- What experiences have you had related to juvenile or restorative justice?
- What kind of career do you hope to have after graduating law school?
Eligibility Criteria: The purpose of the scholarship is to support law students spending their summer working at a non-profit organization doing unpaid or low-paid juvenile justice or restorative justice work. Applicants must be enrolled at a U.S. ABA-approved law school.
Deadline: April 30, 2020Federal Law
Robert A. McNew Law Student Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000Eligibility Criteria: The scholarship is awarded to a current law student who is a Federal Bar Association law student associate member in good standing. Applicants must exhibit professionalism and high character in their personal and professional lives as demonstrated in application materials. Applicants must submit an application, a personal essay, transcript, and two letters of recommendation (these may include a letter from a professor).
Deadline: November 30Food & Drug Law
Austern Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: 1st place - $750, 2nd place - $500, 3rd place - $250Application:
- Paper topics are limited to FDA and regulated agencies’ law and regulation.
- Papers should provide an in-depth analysis of a current legal issue concerning food, drugs, animal drugs, biologics, cosmetics, diagnostics, dietary supplements, medical devices, veterinary devices, cannabis, or tobacco. FDLI welcomes the submission of papers prepared for course work, but entrants must pay attention to competition details and edit such papers accordingly.
- Students will submit an abstract.
- Papers may not exceed 100 pages (double spaced, one-inch margins).
- Papers must be unpublished.
Eligibility Criteria: Students currently enrolled in a JD program at any of the nation’s ABA-accredited law schools and 2019-2020 academic year graduates are eligible to participate
Deadline: June 19, 2020Immigration 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, 2019Infrastructure & Regulated Industries
K. William Kolbe Law Student Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $2,500 and free membership in the Section for one year after admission to the bar, and coach-seat airfare and standard hotel accommodations to attend the Sections's Fall 2020 Council Group Meeting.Writing Topic: Papers should address a current topic of general interest in a legal area covered by the Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section (the “Section”). The Section covers specific industries that provide certain important, in some cases, essential, services to the general public.
Eligibility Criteria: all law students who are enrolled in ABA-approved law schools and are members of the ABA Law Student Division.
Deadline: June 30, 2020Insurance 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, 2020Labor Law
ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law and The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: 1st place - $3,000; 2nd place - $1,00; 3rd place - $500Writing Topic: The topic must be relevant, engaging, and useful to labor and employment lawyers. Submission must be between 20 and 30 pages.
Eligibility Criteria: This competition is open to articles written while the author is an active student at an accredited law school in the United States. Authors may not have graduated from law school prior to December 1, 2019.
Deadline: August 15, 2020Charles E. Joseph Employment Law Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Writing Topic: Applicants should submit a 750-word essay on the following topic: “What are the biggest challenges facing workers’ rights in the future?” The essay can consider current events, recent case law, social movements, historical developments, or any other aspect of workers’ rights. Working Now and Then will publish the winning essay and honorable mentions on its site.
Eligibility Criteria: All applicants must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school.
Deadline: May 1, 2020Michael 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, 2019Legal Ethics
Notre Dame Law School Smith Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
Scholarship Amount: $2,500Essay Topic: Entries should concern any issue within the general category of legal ethics.
Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for awards, individuals must be a Law Students enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the United States or Canada. Entries must be original, unpublished work not exceeding 50 pages, including notes.
Deadline: All entries must be received before 5 p.m. Friday, April 24, 2020Litigation
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 case law to support your essay.
Deadline: July 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
Baumgartner Law Firm Law Student Scholarship
Eligibility Criteria: Applicant must be enrolled at an accredited law school in the US. This scholarship will be awarded based on need and commitment to helping others.
Deadline: August 31. 2020Carole 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: TBDTax Law
Brown, PC National Tax Law Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $500Eligibility 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: August 10, 2020Christopher E. Bergin Award for Excellence in Writing
Scholarship Amount: $1,000Essay Topic: Submissions should focus on an unsettled question in federal, state, or international tax law or policy. Entries should be a minimum of 2,500 words and a maximum of 12,000 words, including footnotes.
Eligibility Criteria: The competition is open to any student currently enrolled in a law, business, or public policy program. Each student may submit only one paper. Co-authored papers will be accepted.
Deadline: June 30, 2020Trademark Law
Gerben Law Firm, PLLC Assisting the Next Generation of Trademark Attorneys Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,500Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must demonstrate an interest in Trademark Law. Applicants must be currently enrolled at an ABA-accredited law school for at least one semester, with a GPA over 2.5 GPA of 3.0.
Deadline: July 31, 2020 -
Veterans or Active Military
Ankin Law Office 2020 Scholarship for Military Veterans
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: Please write an essay of 1,000 words or less on the following topic: List advantages and disadvantages, as well as the dangers of taking a bicycle to workEligibility Criteria: This scholarship is open to military veterans of the United States Armed Forces and immediate family members (parents, children) who will be enrolled full-time in fall 2020 in an accredited community college or university (undergraduate or graduate), earning credits toward a degree (associate, baccalaureate, or graduate).
Deadline: June 15, 2020Chisholm Chisolm & Kilpatrick LTD Law School School Scholarship for Veterans
Scholarship Amount: $1,500
Essay Topic: Please answer one of these essay prompt (1000 word essay):- How did your experience in the military inspire you in your education and career aspirations?
- How did your military experience prepare you for law school and a career practicing law?
Eligibility Criteria: Veterans of all branches of the U.S. military are eligible to apply. Applicant must be enrolled for the Fall 2020 term; may be an incoming or current law student. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher (incoming students - undergrad GPA and current students - law school GPA).
Deadline: June 15, 2020Education Connection Military Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: How has your military service prepared you to enhance your education. The essay must be limited to 250 words.
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be active duty, honorably discharged, veteran, or a spouse from any branch of the military.
Deadline: September 30, 2020Keller Law Office Annual Scholarship for Military Veterans
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: Please write an essay of 500 words or less on the following topic:- Veteran: Describe the two most important things you learned about life during your military career and how these may have affected your civilian career choice.
- Family Member: Discuss what advice you would give to a younger person whose parent(s) is serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Eligibility Criteria: This scholarship is open to military veterans of the United States Armed Forces and immediate family members (parents, children) who will be enrolled full-time in fall 2020 in an accredited community college or university (undergraduate or graduate), earning credits toward a degree (associate, baccalaureate, or graduate).
Deadline: July 15, 2020Matthew L Sharp Annual Military Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: Please write an essay of 1500 words or less on the following topic: Driverless vehicles are becoming more of a reality. Who should bear the responsibility for damages caused by a crash involving driverless cars?Eligibility Criteria: This scholarship is open to military veterans of the United States Armed Forces and immediate family members (parents, children) who will be enrolled full-time in fall 2020 in an accredited community college or university (undergraduate or graduate), earning credits toward a degree (associate, baccalaureate, or graduate).
Deadline: July 15, 2020Strom & Associates Annual Military Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $1,000
Essay Topic: Create a “Distracted Driving Family Plan” within which you address the safety of your family by proactively committing to a plan that avoids the occurrence(s) of distracted driving by you and the members of your family. (1000 word limit).Eligibility Criteria: This scholarship is open to military veterans of the United States Armed Forces and immediate family members (parents, children) who will be enrolled full-time in fall 2020 in an accredited community college or university (undergraduate or graduate), earning credits toward a degree (associate, baccalaureate, or graduate).
Deadline: July 15, 2020 -
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, 2019Impact Scholarship: American Business Women's Association, Greater Oakland Charter Chapter
Scholarship Amount: $2,000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a female, U.S. citizen with a primary residence in Oakland, Macomb, Genesee, Livingston, Washtenaw, or Wayne counties. Applicants must have achieved a minimum GPA of 3.0 and intend to be enrolled for the Fall 2020 term. As the scholarship can only cover tuition, fees, and books the applicant must demonstrate financial need.
Deadline: May 15, 2020AUW 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, 2020Mike Eidson Scholarship - an AAJ Scholarship
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must be a rising 3L or 4L female student who has demonstrated a commitment to a career as a plaintiff lawyer or criminal defense lawyer. The recipient must be present at the Annual Convention for American Association of Justice July 11-14, 2020 in Washington DC; travel and accommodations will be paid for as a part of the award.
Deadline: May 1, 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
-
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.