Office of the President

New publication profiles ABA Scholars, past recipients of the Legal Opportunity Scholarship (pdf)

Congratulations to the
2006 Scholarship Recipients

To encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to ensure that these students have the opportunity to attend law school for three years.

The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund currently is expected to award $5,000 of financial assistance annually per student. An award made to an entering freshman may be renewable for each year, resulting in financial assistance totaling $15,000 during, his or her three years of law school. Although the recipient will need to apply for the scholarship in his or her second and third year, the expectation is that the scholarship will be renewed for all three years.

The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarships will be awarded to students beginning with the 2000-2001 academic year. Students interested in the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarships will submit an application providing information relating to their education, community service and need for financial assistance. Before receiving scholarship funds, recipients will be required to demonstrate their acceptance at an ABA-accredited law school.

Will the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund be an endowed fund? No, current plans are to create a scholarship fund that will award a predetermined percentage of the funds each year and that will last approximately twenty years. The Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund is expected to be awarded at a rate of approximately ten percent (10%) per year every year until the funds are depleted. The Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund will be invested each-year as part of the pool of ABA investments.

The Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund will be administered by the Fund for Justice and Education of the American Bar Association.

The Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund is being structured to ensure that there is virtually no administration expense charged to the Fund. Volunteers will be charged with the responsibility of screening and selecting the recipients each year. The HE Director of Development will handle internal administration as part of his or her regularly assigned activities.

Contributions to the Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund may be made through the ABA Fund for Justice and Education. Contributions through pledges payable up to five years are encouraged.

For an application, please visit the Fund for Justice and Education.