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About the Listing

The following is a regularly updated listing of external scholarship and writing competition opportunities. While not exhaustive, it's a good starting point in your search for outside funding for your legal education. Many scholarships can be found through the AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank.

Last updated: September 16, 2024

Overview

• Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. 2024 Law School Diversity Scholarship Program (Oct. 1, 2024)
• 2025 Local and State Government Law Section Carol Van Scoyoc Municipal Law Scholarship (Oct. 18, 2024)
• General Counsel, P.C. First Generation Law Student Scholarship (Oct. 31, 2024)
• MAX Scholarships - Fall (Nov. 1, 2024)
• Law Office of Jae Lee Immigrant Student Scholarship  (Nov. 4, 2024)
• The Honorable Joel K. Asarch Elder Law and Special Needs Section Scholarship (Nov. 11, 2024)
• 2025 Elder Law and Special Needs Section T. David Stapleton Memorial Scholarship (Nov. 11, 2024)
• 2025 Real Property Law Section Lorraine Power Tharp Scholarship (Nov. 15, 2024)
• 2025 Real Property Law Section Melvyn Mitzner Scholarship (Nov. 15, 2024)
• Adamson Ahdoot LLP Scholarship Grant  (Nov. 15, 2024)
• Aaron D. Wersing Federal Employment Rights Scholarship Contest (Nov. 18, 2024)
• 2024 Columbian Lawyers Scholarship (Nov. 21, 2024)
• Bronx Injury Lawyers Essay Scholarship (Dec. 31, 2024)

Full Details

Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. 2024 Law School Diversity Scholarship Program

The scholarship was created in 2013 as part of the law firm’s commitment to helping law students who are in need of financial assistance achieve their academic and professional dreams.

In order to be considered for the scholarship, the student must be a member of an ethnic, racial, or other minority, or demonstrate a commitment to issues of diversity within their community.

The scholarship will award $2,000 to one student selected by our scholarship selection committee.

Eligibility: 

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Recipient is a member of an ethnic or racial minority or any individual who demonstrates a defined commitment to issues of diversity within their academic career.
• Recipient is a U.S. citizen currently attending an accredited law school within the United States.
• Academic achievement as reflected by a minimum 3.0 GPA and have completed at least one semester of classes at an accredited law school.

Application and submission directions

Award: $2,000

Application deadline: October 1, 2024

2025 Local and State Government Law Section Carol Van Scoyoc Municipal Law Scholarship

The New York Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Local and State Government Law Section Carol Van Scoyoc Municipal Law Scholarship. The scholarship has been established by the Foundation through a gift from the Local and State Government Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) to honor the memory of Carol Van Scoyoc, Esq., a former chair of the Section and recipient of the Association's Award for Excellence in Public Service, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to the legal profession and the public good. 

Each year, a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a law student who best exemplifies the core values important to Carol: academic excellence, a demonstrated interest in public service and an interest in the civil practice of municipal law.

Eligibility: 

• The scholarship is open to second and third year full-time and part-time law students, enrolled in a law school in New York State. 
• Students must have maintained a minimum 3.0 or equivalent GPA in law school and a ranking in the top quarter of their class as of July 1 preceding their application. 
• Students must document their interest in public service and the pursuit of a career in the civil practice of municipal law. 
• While an applicant’s financial need will be considered, it is not required for selection. 

Application and submission directions

Award: $5,000

Application deadline: October 18, 2024

General Counsel, P.C. First Generation Law Student Scholarship

Created in 2018, the General Counsel, P.C. First Generation Law Student Scholarship seeks to support, recognize, and reward excellence within the First Generation Law Student community.

Eligibility:

• Must be the first in your family to attend law school
• Must be 2nd Year Law student currently attending an accredited law school in the U.S.
• Must have first year law school GPA of 3.0 (or better)
• US. citizen or permanent resident; 18 years or older

Application and submission directions

Award: $1,500

Application deadline: October 31, 2024

MAX Scholarships - Fall

MAX by AccessLex offers scholarship incentives to help you maintain motivation and momentum as you progress through our personal finance curriculum, developed exclusively just for law students like you. Complete MAX activities to be automatically entered into our drawings throughout the year and win up to $40,000!

Eligibility:

• Current 1L, 2L, and 3L law students at participating MAX Schools (over 80% of the ABA accredited law schools in the U.S.)
• Complete MAX activities, ranging from quick surveys, to 10 minute learning modules, and MAX Events (via webinar or in-person) to automatically earn entries at https://askedna.accesslex.org/
• Legal U.S. Residents (or lawful permanent Residents) currently residing in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico

Application and submission directions

Award: Six $5,000 scholarship drawings (2 for 1Ls, 2 for 2Ls and 2 for 3Ls) will take place in November and February; Six $25,000 scholarship drawings (2 for 1Ls, 2 for 2Ls and 2 for 3Ls) will occur in April; Three $40,000 scholarship drawings (1 for 1Ls, 1 for 2Ls and 1 for 3Ls) will also occur in April, for a total of $330,000 awarded each academic year.

Application deadline: November 1, 2024

Law Office of Jae Lee Immigrant Student Scholarship

At the Law Office of Jae Lee, we regularly represent clients in matters related to immigration. As a first-generation immigrant himself, Attorney Jae Lee understands the struggles that many families face and the difficulties they may encounter as they work to establish lives in the United States. Fortunately, there are many opportunities available for immigrants, and by pursuing education and job opportunities, they can not only support themselves and their families, but they can integrate into American society, participate in the community, and live happy, successful lives.

To ensure that immigrants can pursue educational opportunities, our firm has created a scholarship program that provides assistance to first or second generation immigrants from low-income families. We award one student with a scholarship of $1,000 each semester, which may be used to help pay for tuition or other educational expenses, such as books, supplies, or room and board.

Eligibility:
With our scholarship program, we provide assistance to immigrant students who have a demonstrated need, helping them cover some of the costs of a college education. Students may apply for the scholarship if they meet the following requirements:

• The student must be either a first or second generation immigrant living in the United States.
• The student’s family must be considered to be low-income, with an annual household income of less than $50,000.
• The student must be currently enrolled in or accepted for admission to a college, university, or graduate program.
• The student must have a GPA of 4.0 or higher in their most recently completed academic semester.

Application and submission directions

Award: $1,000

Application deadline: November 4, 2024

The Honorable Joel K. Asarch Elder Law and Special Needs Section Scholarship

The New York Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 The Honorable Joel K. Asarch Elder Law and Special Needs Section Scholarship which has been established by The Foundation through a gift from the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of The New York State Bar Association. The $3,500 scholarship will be awarded to a second year (2L) or third year (3L) law student who is enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the 2024-2025 academic year and is actively participating in an Elder Law Clinic at the school during the 2024-2025 academic year or performs other substantial efforts which demonstrate interest in the legal rights of the elderly or expresses an interest in helping the disabled.

The Honorable Joel K. Asarch Elder Law and Special Needs Section Scholarship Program Goals
The Elder Law and Special Needs Section encourages law students, through an elder law clinic experience, to learn about important legislative developments, regulations, and case laws impacting the elderly and disabled and to provide representation to those clients struggling with a variety of legal issues and problems related to aging and incapacity.

The ultimate goal of the scholarship is to create a network and cultivate relationships among lawyers whose practice focuses on elder law and special needs planning and law students planning to practice in these areas to encourage the practice of elder law and special needs planning among lawyers throughout the State of New York.

Eligibility:

• The scholarship is open to all second-year (2L) and third-year (3L) students who are enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the 2024-2025 academic year.
• The student must have elder law experience through coursework, participation in an elder law/ special needs clinic, or work experience.
• The student must have attained a 2.5 or equivalent GPA in law school.
• Preference will be given to a student who can demonstrate financial need.

Application and submission directions

Award: The scholarship, valued at $3,500, will be awarded to one (1) student enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis during the 2024-2025 academic year in a law school in the State of New York.

Application deadline: November 11, 2024

2025 Elder Law and Special Needs Section T. David Stapleton Memorial Scholarship

The New York Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Elder Law and Special Needs Section T. David Stapleton Memorial Scholarship which has been established by The Foundation through a gift from the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of The New York State Bar Association. The Section is pleased to offer this Scholarship in honor of former Section Chair, T. David Stapleton. The scholarship, with a value of $3,500, will be awarded to a second year (2L) or third year (3L) law student who is enrolled in a law school in the State of New York who has demonstrated an interest in the Elder Law and Special Needs practice area, and intends to practice in the field in Upstate New York following law school. 

T. David Stapleton practiced in Auburn, NY and served as NYSBA Elder Law & Special Needs Section Chair from 2011-2012, after having followed the officer track and being involved in leadership within the Section leading up to such role. David not only led as a tremendous lawyer, but he also advocated for “upstate” involvement, sought to expand our knowledge of literature by peppering almost every writing and conversation with a poignant quote, encouraged a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise and demonstrated the importance of family, friends, and camaraderie among lawyers. 

David’s signature issue during his tenure as Chair was the expansion and rescinding of expanded Medicaid estate recovery. Some will recall his having mentioned that while he understood the underlying concept of the state in seeking to expand recovery options, he truly believed the powersthat-be did not appreciate the devastating impact it would have on the “little folks” who would lose even modest inheritances if the expansion was carried out. 

While not diminutive in stature, David always diminished his breadth of knowledge of the law, often calling himself a “small, upstate lawyer.” It is our honor to offer this scholarship in his name to another potential “small, upstate lawyer” in David’s memory.

The T. David Stapleton Memorial Scholarship Goals 
The ultimate goal of the scholarship is to create a network and cultivate relationships among lawyers whose practice focuses on elder law and special needs planning and law students planning to practice in these areas to encourage the practice of elder law and special needs planning among lawyers in the upstate regions of New York. 

Eligibility: 

• The scholarship is open to all second-year (2L) and third-year (3L) students who are enrolled in a law school in the State of New York who has a demonstrated interest in the Elder Law and Special Needs practice area and intends to practice in the field in Upstate New York following law school.  
• The student must have attained a 2.5 or equivalent GPA in law school. 
• Preference will be given to a student who can demonstrate financial need. 

Application and submission directions

Award: The scholarship, valued at $3,500, will be awarded to one (1) student enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis during the 2024-2025 academic year in a law school in the State of New York who has a demonstrated interest in the Elder Law and Special Needs practice areas and intends to practice in the field in Upstate New York following law school.  

Application deadline: November 11, 2024

2025 Real Property Law Section Lorraine Power Tharp Scholarship

The New York Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Real Property Law Section Lorraine Power Tharp Scholarship, which has been established by The Foundation through a gift from the Real Property Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) and from Russell Tharp to honor the memory of Lorraine Power Tharp, Esq., a former Chair of the Section and a former President of the Association. 

The $5,000.00 scholarship will be awarded to a second- or third-year law student who best exemplifies the core values important to Lorraine – academic excellence, a demonstrated interest in public service, high integrity and, if possible, an interest in real property law. 

Efforts will be made to honor Lorraine’s commitment to gender equality and diversity in the profession. To ensure geographic diversity, the Foundation will strive to select students attending New York State law schools in different counties each year, so that over time students from all areas of the state will be able to benefit from the scholarship. 

Eligibility:

• The scholarship is open to all second- and third-year full time students enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the fall 2024 semester. If attending part-time, the scholarship is open to second-, third- and fourth-year students enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the fall 2024 semester. 
• The student must have attained a minimum 3.0 or equivalent GPA in law school and must have attained a ranking in the top quarter of the class. 
• Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need. 

Application and submission directions

Award: The LPT Scholarship, valued at $5,000.00, will be awarded to one student enrolled on a full time or part-time basis during academic year 2024-2025 in a law school in the State of New York. 

Application deadline: November 15, 2024

2025 Real Property Law Section Melvyn Mitzner Scholarship

The New York Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Real Property Law Section Melvyn Mitzner Scholarship, which has been established by The Foundation through a gift from the Real Property Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) and from Rosalyn Mitzner to honor the memory of Melvyn Mitzner, a former Chair of the Section.  

The $5,000.00 scholarship will be awarded to a second or third-year law student. Efforts will be made to honor Melvyn Mitzner’s commitment to professional achievement in the area of real property law including legal writing, lecturing and scholarship, and diversity in the profession. 

To ensure geographic diversity, the Foundation will strive to select students attending New York State law schools in different counties each year, so that over time students from all areas of the State will be able to benefit from the scholarship.

Eligibility: 

• The scholarship is open to second- and third-year full time students who are enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the fall 2024 semester. If attending part-time, the scholarship is open to second, third and fourth-year students enrolled in a law school in the State of New York during the fall 2024 semester.
• The student must have attained a minimum 3.0 or equivalent GPA in law school and must have attained a ranking in the top quarter of the class.
• Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need. 

Application and submission directions

Award:  The Scholarship valued at $5,000.00 will be awarded to one student enrolled on a full time or part-time basis during academic year 2024-2025 in a law school in the State of New York. 

Application deadline: November 15, 2024

Adamson Ahdoot LLP Scholarship Grant

Adamson Ahdoot LLP’s team of California personal injury attorneys aims to give a voice to those who seek justice in court. We use our expertise to help clients build solid cases and achieve favorable outcomes. Due to education’s role in shaping our legal knowledge, we believe it should be accessible to all.

For this reason, we want to give back to our community. Many face significant financial burdens while pursuing higher education, so we started an initiative to help aspiring lawyers overcome these challenges and achieve their dreams.

Eligibility:
The Adamson Ahdoot LLP scholarship grant is our opportunity to assist students who need financial support. Through this grant, we strive to recognize young legal professionals dedicated to academic excellence and community service. We’ll consider students who meet the following requirements:

• A legal U.S. citizen or resident
• Admitted to, or matriculated at an accredited law school
• Have made significant contributions to their community
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Follow Adamson Ahdoot’s social channels to stay informed about program updates

Application and submission directions

Award: $5,000

Application deadline: November 15, 2024

Aaron D. Wersing Federal Employment Rights Scholarship Contest

The Federal Employment Law Firm of Aaron D. Wersing is specifically focused on federal employee law. Just like other employees, federal employees can face an array of challenges including disability claims, discrimination and harassment, whistleblower claims, retaliation, wrongful termination, and other adverse employment actions. However, many of their rights are governed by specific laws that are unique to federal employees, and few law firms understand the complexities of their rights. Our team is dedicated to helping federal employees nationwide understand and protect their rights.

Scholarship Contest Overview:
We are committed to educating and raising awareness for workplace injustices. We want to hear from law students on their thoughts on the following questions. Do your research, cite sources, and give your personal thoughts on the following:

• How are federal employees’ rights different from employees working in the private sector? 
• Do you feel that federal employees have more or less protections than employees in the private sector? State your reasons.

Eligibility:
In order to apply to the scholarship, you must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school 

Application and submission directions

Award: $1,500

Application deadline: November 18, 2024

2024 Columbian Lawyers Scholarship

The Columbian Lawyers Scholarship Corporation, Queens County is accepting applications for its annual scholarships to be awarded at their Christmas Luncheon on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The scholarships are generally $4,000 to $5,000 each, and typically give three scholarships each year. The award is based upon need, scholarship, and extracurricular activities.

Eligibility:
Applicants must either attend law school in Queens County or resided in Queens County and be of Italian ancestry.  in, or preparing to attend imminently, a law school within the United States for the 2024 Fall academic term.

Application and submission directions

Award: $4,000-$5,000

Application deadline: November 21, 2024

Bronx Injury Lawyers Essay Scholarship

Bronx Injury Lawyers P.C. are known for obtaining high judgments in Court for victims of car accidents. We want to help the future generation of Bronx car accident lawyers with their education expenses by offering an annual $500 scholarship. The Scholarship will be based on an essay competition with a topic focused on personal injury law.

Eligibility:
This Scholarship is open to both graduate/law students and undergraduate students seeking to attend law school. All applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. undergraduate or graduate-level program.

Application and submission directions

Award: $500

Application deadline: December 31, 2024

Canvas

St. John's Law professors use Canvas, a learning management system, to share course information. Canvas provides an easy-to-use clean layout allowing instructors to quickly set up course content and tools efficiently while students navigate course sites and submit work. To learn how to use Canvas, please take the Student Training Course. 

Westlaw

All St. John's Law students have complimentary Westlaw accounts. Westlaw is a tool for conducting legal research. You'll receive your Westlaw registration code during your first semester at St. John's Law. For questions about Westlaw registration, please contact the law library reference team at [email protected]. 

TWEN

TWEN is a platform within Westlaw that hosts some Law School course and student organization information. (Most faculty and student organizations use Canvas, but a few remain on TWEN.) Once you have a Westlaw account, you can access TWEN via Westlaw.

If you have a class that is using TWEN, you'll need to add it to your TWEN "My Courses" listing as follows:

1. Log into Westlaw.
2. Click on the TWEN link at the top left side of the screen.
3. Click on Manage Courses, then select Add a Course.
4. Click "Add" next to the courses you are enrolled in.
5. Click on Add a Course.
6. If you have any questions regarding TWEN , please call customer support at 1-800-850-WEST or contact our St. John’s Westlaw Account Manager, Estee Waxman at [email protected]. Please note, not all of your courses will have TWEN pages. Please do not worry if you don’t find one for a particular class. Your professor will notify you if there is a TWEN page for your class.

About the Platform

West Study Aids is a free resource that puts study aids of all kinds at your fingertips including:

• Videos
• Audio recordings
• Outlines
• Law summaries
• Practice supplements

Create an Account

• Option 1: Users can access all of the West Academic Study Aid Collection without making an account.
• Option 2: Create an individual account to the platform and tailor it to your needs. Creating a West Academic account allows you to annotate, save favorites, listen to audio lectures, download titles for offline access, and more. Here’s how:

1. Go to the West Academic Study Aid Collection.
2. Click ‘Create an Account’ in the upper right-hand corner.  Follow the prompts.
3. Once you create an account you will be automatically logged into West Academic
4. Verify your email address one of two ways:

• If you are already logged in, click on your name in the upper right-hand corner and click My Account. Enter your school or work email address under “My School/Organization” Click “Check for Materials” and check your email for a verification link.
• The next time you log in you will be prompted to confirm your email. Enter your school email address and check your email for a verification link.

Once you have verified your email address you can access all the content available in your subscription and you can log-in independently from your school’s network.

About West Academic

You have access to 15% off print and electronic casebooks purchased through the West Academic store with code SJULAW. For resources purchased or rented through other online or local resellers, West Academic will also provide digital access to our titles with proof of purchase or rental. Please be sure to retain proof of purchase or rental to ensure continued access!

Health Insurance Options

St. John's University

The University offers a Student Health Insurance Plan.

New York City

While the student plan is often the most cost-effective option, you may also have insurance options through the New York City public exchange program. You can find more information on this option at GetCoveredNYC.

American Bar Association

The American Bar Association offers information on obtaining health insurance after your student plan expires. That information includes an FAQ on Individual and Family Medical Insurance and contact information, so you can learn more and connect with an expert about your insurance needs.

Overview

We started the St. John’s Law Student Emergency Fund with generous contributions from the Law School community. The Fund aims to support students who are facing short-term financial emergencies, covering unexpected and necessary expenses related (but not limited) to: 

• Food
• Emergency medical expenses
• Technological needs to enable participation in classes and assignments
• Emergency travel due to illness or bereavement
• Course materials where funding isn't otherwise available 

Eligibility Requirements

The Student Emergency Fund is open to St. John’s Law students currently enrolled in classes. 

Application Process

To apply for assistance, please complete the online application.

The Fund Committee only considers completed applications and aims to respond to applicants within three business days. If the Committee asks for additional information, please respond in a timely manner. Be sure to check your St. John’s email regularly for messages about your application.

While funds are limited, the Committee works diligently to help as many students as possible. To accomplish that, we ask you to be thoughtful and sincere about your request. You should also continue to seek help through other channels, including emergency loan assistance through St. John's Office of Student Financial Services.

Additional Resources

If you're struggling with challenges that aren't financial in nature, the University offers support through its Counseling and Psychological Services. The Law School's Student Services team is also here to support you.

Thank you to AccessLex for their generous $25,000 contribution to our Student Emergency Fund.