Scholarships, Writing Competitions, and Awards
There are a number of private law scholarships, writing competitions, and awards for which law students may apply. Private scholarships can be an excellent way to help pay for your legal education. Take the time to carefully review scholarship and writing opportunities and APPLY for ones for which you are eligible or match your specific practice area or career interests. The odds are in your favor!
Below is a list of scholarships administered and awarded by outside organizations. In addition to our list, AccessLex, a non-profit dedicated to increasing access to legal education, has launched their Law School Scholarship Databank to help law students find the right scholarship for them. This interactive page allows you to filter through nearly 800 incoming and returning student scholarships and writing competitions totaling almost $300 million in aid.
Please note that deadlines and/or requirements may change, so you should consult the organization's website for the most up-to-date information. These resources represent just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to scholarship and writing opportunities for law students, so be sure to conduct your own searches based on your specific interests and background.
| Title | Type | Amount | # | Application Deadline | Eligibility | Notes | AAJ Trial Advocay Law Student Scholarship |
| $3000 | 1 | 2024-05-01 |
| ABA Forum on Construction Law Writing Competition |
| $1000 | 2024-06-30 |
| AccessLex, MAX Scholarship | $2500 | 2024-11-01 |
| Acker Warren Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-05-05 | Undergradute Students | Alford & Clark Injury Attorneys Students in Need Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2025-08-04 |
| American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) |
| Varies | 2 | 2024-12-21 |
| American Constitution Society, Motley Writing Competition |
| Varies | 2 | 2024-02-05 |
| American Constitution Society, The Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition on Regulatory and Administrative Law |
| $1500 | 2024-02-05 |
| Andrew Cores Family Law Group Future Lawyers Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2025-09-15 |
| ASECA (Association of Securities & Exchange Commission Alumni Scholarships) Scholarship |
| $5000 | 2 | 2025-02-14 |
| Bankruptcy Law Section, State Bar of Texas Annual Scholarship |
| $2500 | 2024-11-01 |
| Baylor Law’s annual Paper Chase Legal Writing Competition |
| Varies | 2024-10-25 |
| The Behan Law Group Military Veteran Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-11-25 |
| Eligibility: You are a U.S. military Veteran, a current service member in the U.S. military, or the child of a Veteran or current service member | Bettersworth Law Firm Justice for All Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-22 | Biederman & Burleson Champions of Justice Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-10-06 | Undergradute Students | Blanch Law Firm Writing Scholarship |
| $5000 | rolling |
| The Bihm Firm, LLC Conflict Conqueror Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-07-07 | Undergradute Students | The Blossom Law Caregiver Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-02-19 |
| Eligibility specifics: students who have a parent who has been the primary caregiver for a loved one or who have served as caregivers themselves | bold.org "Be Bold" No-Essay scholarship |
| $10000 | rolling |
| Boland Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Undergraduate and Graduate Students | Bowman and Brooke Foundation, Future Defense Lawyer Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-02-27 |
| Brandon Wong & Associates Difference Makers Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-05-07 |
| Break Out Bail Bonds Bridge to Success Scholarship | $1000 | 2025-10-13 |
| Breona Taylor and Kennet Walker Civil Rights Scholarship |
| See notes. | 2024-03-01 |
| Brooks Kushman Intellectual Property Writing Competition |
| $2500 | 2024-02-17 |
| Brooks Kushman Patent Claims Drafting Competition |
| $2500 | 2024-02-24 |
| Brooklyn Injury Attorneys P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Bronx Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Undergraduate and Graduate Students | The Boucher LLP's Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2024-07-15 | Undergradute Students | Burress Injury Law Underdog Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-06-02 |
| Carole Willis Criminal Justice Reform Scholarship |
| $2270 | 2024-05-01 |
| CATALYSTS Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2 | 2024-07-20 |
| Chapman Albin Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-06-13 |
| Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) |
| $6000 | 2024-02-15 |
| Collins Rupp, P.C., Moving Forward Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-05-19 | Undergraduate Student | Crowder Law Firm Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2 | 2025-06-18 |
| Dallas Bar Association Energy Law Section |
| $250 | per semester | Students studying Energy Law; information emailed out from SMU Law | Dallas Bar Association Health Law Section Student Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2 | 2024-11-01 |
| Dallas Hispanic Bar Association |
| $5000 | spring |
| Awarded to one 1L & one 3L - $5,000 each in Spring semester. Information emailed out from SMU Law. | Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-02-05 | Dallas Jewish Community Foundation |
| Varies | 2025-01-31 |
| Dallas Women Lawyers Association (DWLA) Foundation's "Get Started Grant" |
| $2500 | 2025-03-28 |
| See requirements | Daniel R. Bacalis, P.C. Striving Solo Parent Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-10 |
| Eligibility specifics: single parent who returned to school to pursue a degree | David A. Kadzai, LLC, First Generation College Student Scholarship |
| $2500 | 2025-10-01 |
| Eligibility specifics: you must be a first-generation college student | Diamant Gerstein, LLC, Jewish Heritage Scholarship | See notes. | 2025-07-02 | Dolan, Dobrinsky, Rosenblum & Bluestein (DDRB Lawyers Legal Scholarship) |
| $1500 | 2024-09-13 |
| Dorothy E. Roberts Public Interest Essay Competition |
| $5000 | 2025-02-28 |
| Devadoss Law Firm Civil Rights Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-03 |
| Doug Murphy Law Firm, Criminal Justice Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-11-18 |
| Donald W. Banner Diversity Fellowship |
| $5000 | To be determined. |
| Edward M. Farmer's Supporting Our Heroes Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-02-10 |
| Undergraduate and Graduate Students | Elite Lawyer Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-07-18 |
| Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF) Law Student Scholarship |
| Varies | multiple | 2025-03-28 |
| Eskew Law's Scholarship Contest |
| $1500 | 2024-10-31 |
| Fawell & Fawell Out-of-State Student Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-08-11 |
| Federal Bar Association, S.D. Tex. Chapter and the Blask Foundation’s Scholarship | See notes. | 2024-04-23 |
| FDCC Foundation, Barb Currie Diversity Scholarship | See notes. | 2025-05-30 |
| Fred Gray Civil Rights Writing Competition |
| Varies | 3 | 2025-02-28 | Freedman Law, LLC, Workplace Rights Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-08 |
| Findmylawtutor.com Scholarship |
| $500 | every 6 months |
| The Freedman Law Workplace Rights Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-03-10 |
| Friedmann Firm LLC Scholarship |
| $750 | 2024-12-31 |
| Frank and Debbie Branson Trial Scholars |
| $500 | rolling | Awarded to the student with the highest Trial Advocacy Grade | Forrest Smith Texas General Counsel Scholarship |
| Varies | 4 | 2024-02-29 |
| 20000 | Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy LawScholarship for JDs |
| Varies | 2025-02-28 |
| Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law Scholarship for LL.M/SJD Students |
| Varies | 2025-03-15 | LL.M/SJD students | Gerber & Holder Worker's Compensation Attorney's Scholarship Essay Contest |
| $1000 | 2024-05-20 |
| Gold Law Firm Challenge Yourself Scholarship | $1000 | 2025-06-04 | Undergraduate Student | Goostree Law Group Bright Futures Scholarship |
| $2500 | 2025-09-17 |
| Eligibility specifics: demonstrated financial need; household income less than $75,000 | Hoggatt Injury Law Children of Injured Workers Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-06-09 |
| Eligibility: your parent has been affected by a work-related injury | Human Rights Essay Contest of the State Bar of Texas International Law Section |
| $1500 | 2024-04-01 |
| International Aerospace Womens Association (IAWA) Scholarship |
| $5000 | 2025-03-03 |
| Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas |
| $5000 | 2 | 2024-05-01 |
| email application to juanita.deloach@btlaw.com and Marylauren Ilagan at marylauren.ilagan@olaplex.com (entire applications only, i.e., applications including the recommendations, essays, and transcripts). | IMLA Charles W. Thompson, Jr. Local Government Law Scholarship |
| $5000 | 3 | 2024-12-31 |
| Eligibility specifics: demonstrated interest in local government law | Institute for Energy Law (IEL) Hartick Scholar Writing Competition |
| $2500 | 2024-03-01 |
| The J. Carlisle DeHay, Jr. Endowed Scholarship in Law |
| $4000 | 4 | 2024-10-31 |
| James F. DiQuattro, Lawyers of Tomorrow Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-12-11 |
| James Kennedy Law Law Legal Ethics Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2 | 2025-08-13 |
| Undergraduate student too. | James F. Diquattro, Lawyers of Tomorrow Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-06-11 | Janean D. Watkins Aspiring Victim's Rights Advocate Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-04-02 |
| Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney's Rising Stars Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-10 |
| JLTLAF Minority Law Student Scholarship |
| Varies | 2024-09-20 |
| John T. Fields & Associates, LLC's Fight Against Domestic Violence Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2025-10-08 |
| The Law Office of J. Kevin Clark's Empowering Families Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-02-12 |
| Kari H. Fawcett, Young Legal Professionals Scholarship | See notes. | 2025-08-18 | The Law Offices of Jerry D. Andrews, P.C. Community Impact Scholarship |
| $2500 | 2 | 2025-02-12 |
| The Law Offices of Shane R. Kadlec Public Service Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2 | To be determined. |
| Kanoski Bresney Stand Up To Distracted Driving scholarship |
| $1000 | 5 | 2025-05-12 |
| The Lemon Law Firm Annual Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-12-31 |
| Undergraduate student too. | LMJ Scholarship Program |
| $10000 | 2024-04-14 |
| Undergraduate | MABA (Mexican American Bar Association) of Dallas Scholarship |
| $1000 | 3 | 2024-08-20 |
| Eligibility specifics: demonstrated commitment to serving the LatinX community, shown through academic, extracurricular, or professional record of service | Major League Baseball Players Association, Michael Weiner Scholarship |
| $10000 | 2024-03-01 |
| Magana & Van Dyke Dominick Marsala Memorial Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-03 |
| Marshall-Motley Scholars Program |
| Varies | 2025-02-04 |
| MCCA (Minority Corporate Counsel Association) LMJ Scholarship |
| $10000 | 2024-04-14 | Eligibility specifics: open to women and diverse students who have: been accepted to an ABA-accredited law school on a full-time basis; an outstanding or promising academic record; an interest in corporate law; demonstrated community service and leadership qualities; a financial need; and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. The LMJ Scholarship grants scholarships of $10,000 to students for their first year of law school. | Miami Family Law Group, PLLC, Breaking the Cycle Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-06-04 |
| The Michael Weiner Scholarship for Labor Studies |
| Varies | 2024-03-01 |
| Eligibility specifics: Demonstrated prior commitment to workers’ rights as shown by employment, volunteer work, or other relevant experience | Minority Women in LAS Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2024-05-02 |
| MKFM Resilient Student Scholarship |
| $1500 | 2025-05-12 |
| Ms. JD's Public Interest Scholarship |
| See notes. | 2024-03-01 |
| Ms. JD's Public Interest Scholarship |
| See notes. | 2024-03-01 |
| Natalie Joy Poremski Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-06-15 |
| Newland & Newland, LLP Single Parent Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-06-16 |
| Eligbility specifics: applicant must be a single parent or a child of a single parent | New Jersey Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Undergraduate Students | Notre Dame Law School Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition |
| $2500 | 2025-04-15 |
| NYC Injury Attorneys P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Oil and Gas Energy Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas |
| Varies | rolling |
| Awarded to two highest grades in Oil and Gas per semester | OVC Scholarship Network, Natural Disaster Relief Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-04-23 |
| OVC, INC. Lawyers Give Back Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-05-07 | OVC, INC. “Market Yourself” Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-11-11 |
| PA Medical Malpractice Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-12-31 |
| Undergraduate Students | Paul D. White Scholarship Program - BakerHostetler |
| $7500 | rolling |
| Philadelphia Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-07-31 |
| Undergraduate Students | The Law Office of Philip R. Nathe Scholarsjip |
| $1000 | 2024-07-10 | Undergraduate Students | Phillip Robinson Memorial Scholarship |
| $4235 | 2024-04-02 |
| Pittsburgh Injury Lawyers P.C. Essay Scholarship |
| $500 | 2025-07-31 |
| Undergraduate Students | Pullan & Young, Supporting Prisoners' Families Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-09-15 |
| The Ramage Law Group, Adopted Child Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-07-11 |
| Redondo Law Firm Annual Scholarship Contest |
| $1000 | 2024-09-09 |
| College or University | Jerry D. Andrews, Road to Recovery Scholarship |
| $2000 | 2025-07-07 |
| Robert Wayne Pearce Investor Fraud Awareness Scholarship |
| $2500 | 2024-12-01 |
| Salvado Law Dream Chaser Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-07-09 | Undergraduate Students | Salvi & Maher Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2024-09-09 |
| Skywalker Mission Education Scholarship |
| $500 | 2024-08-15 |
| Spencer & Associates Community Leaders Scholarship |
| $1000 | 2025-08-04 |
| State Bar of Texas Diversity in the Profession Committee Bar Exam Prep Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-02-07 |
| " | Tannenwald Writing Competition Sponsored By The Theodore Tannenwald, Jr. Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship & The American College of Tax Counsel |
| Varies | 2024-07-10 |
| Undergradute too | "Law Students Pursuing Tax Law Scholarship, by the Tax Section of the State Bar of Texas |
| $2000 | 3 | 2024-04-30 |
| The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law |
| Varies | 2024-02-28 |
| The Plaxen and Adler Scholarship |
| $2500 | rolling | Eligibility specifics: interest in civil trial advocacy and a career as a civil trial lawyer | Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute, Charles D. (“Charlie”) Butts Award | $5000 | 2024-12-20 |
| TYLA Diversity Scholarship Program |
| Varies | 2024-10-11 |
| TYLA intends to award three scholarships to qualified applicants in the amounts of: $5,000 (first place), $3,000 (second place), and $1,500 (third place). | USLAW Network Foundation Law School, Diversity Scholarship Program |
| Varies | 2025-03-01 | Victoria Fisher Memorial Prize Essay |
| Varies | 2024-11-29 | Vinson &Elkins 1L Diversity Fellowships |
| Varies | rolling |
| Visionaries of Tomorrow Scholarship by Opocar | $1000 | 2024-03-21 |
| Warren E Burger Prize Writing Competition |
| $5000 | 2025-07-01 |
| Wanta Thome PLC Scholarship |
| Varies | 2025-05-31 |
| Wilson W. Herndon Memorial Fund - Antitrust |
| $500 | rolling |
| Awarded to Law student that ranks highest in Antitrust Law | Whitlock Law, LLC, Hope and Opportunity Scholarship |
| $1500 | 2025-05-05 |
| undergraduate and graduate students |
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