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Scholarships

The Colorado legal community supports diverse students through a variety of programs and initiatives, including scholarships. Learn more about the various scholarships offered by CLI and the larger Denver legal community below.

LSAT Prep Scholarships

  • The Center for Legal Inclusiveness, Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group, and Association of Corporate Counsel - Colorado Chapter are partnering with Kaplan Test Prep to offer multiple scholarships to prepare for the LSAT exam. The scholarship covers the cost of the Kaplan review course and registration for the LSAT exam, plus application fee waivers to the University of Colorado Law School and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. The application deadline is in the spring for the June and October exams.
  • Snell & Wilmer LLP -- The purpose of the Snell & Wilmer LSAT preparation scholarship is to provide diverse students access to quality LSAT instruction.  These scholarships will pay for a commercial LSAT preparation course and test registration.  Scholarships will be awarded twice a year. The application deadline for the December 2012 LSAT exam is July 15, 2012. More information. Email kauther@swlaw.com for more information.
  • University of Colorado: A low cost LSAT prep course is offered at the University of Colorado - Boulder's law school for qualified students for only $120 - including the cost of course materials - in order to increase test scores for ethnic minorities and underprivileged students.  For more information e-mail admin@campusprep.org. 
  • University of Denver: The Sturm College of Law is offering a low cost LSAT prep course to qualified students for only $125 - including the cost of course materials - in order to increase test scores for ethnic minorities and underprivileged students. For more information, e-mail admin@campusprep.org. 

 

Scholarships for First Year Law Students

  • Faegre Baker Daniels LLP Diversity Scholarship Program - Scholarship recipients will receive $6,000 payable for their second year of law school, and an additional $6,000 for their third year of law school. Recipients will also have the opportunity to be Summer Associates in one of the firm's U.S. offices between their first and second years of law school.  To be eligible for the scholarship, candidates must be currently enrolled in a J.D. program.  Applicationsare due in January.  More information. Questions can be directed to Kasey C. Fenn, Colorado Legal Personnel Manager.  
  • Morrison & Foerster LLP will be awarding up to five $15,000 fellowships to highly motivated first -year law students who are members of an racial or ethnic minority group that is historically under-represented in the legal profession.  Fellowship recipients will receive a paid position as a summer associate in a U.S. office following their first year of law school with a guaranteed position as a second year summer associate assuming satisfactory performance. Please see the program description and application form for additional details about the program and application information. Deadline to apply is January 13, 2012. For questions contact Anand David, Director of Attorney Recruiting at 212-469-8039.
  • Perkins Coie 1L Diversity Student Fellowship provide several recipients with a $7,500 academic scholarship and a paid position as a 2012 summer associate with the following Perkins Coie offices: Bellevue, Chicago, Los Angeles, Madison, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco or Seattle. The application deadline for most offices is January 17, 2012. Students may only apply to one office. Download a program description. The application is available online, for general questions, contact Judah Travis.
  • Paul D. White Scholarship - Baker & Hostetler founded the Paul D. White Diversity Scholarship in 1997 in honor of the firm's first minority partner and a pioneer for minorities in the legal profession.  In the Denver office, the scholarship is awarded to a 1L student from the University of Denver or University of Colorado law schools who is of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Asian, American Indian, or Alaska Native descent.  The scholarship includes a fully paid summer clerkship plus a $6,000 (net) cash award.  Scholarship applications are due in late January and the scholarship is awarded in mid-February each year.  For more information, please email Rebecca Alexander, Law School Hiring Partner, or call 303-764-4062. 
  • James E. Bye Scholarship - Holme Roberts & Owen LLP (known as Bryan Cave HRO as of January 1, 2012) established the James E. Bye Scholarship to honor its partner, James E. Bye, and to further his commitment to diversity in the legal profession and to the community at large. The annual scholarship is awarded to a first-year student of racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds traditionally under-represented in the legal community, disabled students, and openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender students at both the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and the University of Colorado School of Law. Each James E. Bye Scholar receives a $7,500 scholarship toward their tuition for the second year of law school and a clerkship with Bryan Cave HRO during the summer following the student’s first year of law school. The recipients will exemplify the qualities that have been the hallmark of James E. Bye’s legal career: demonstrated academic and professional excellence and an unwavering commitment to service to the community. The scholarship is awarded in February.  Applications are due on January 23, 2012.  To receive a copy of an application, please contact the career services department at your school.  For further information, applicants should email Jennifer Carman, Recruiting & Professional Development Manager.

  • Dorsey & Whitney Fellowship - Dorsey & Whitney is highly committed to diversity.  We understand the value of a diverse work environment and believe that this environment adds to the success of our attorneys and staff.  Dorsey is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting attorneys from diverse backgrounds and strives to be a leader on diversity issues.  Award: Recipient will work as a summer associates and, at the end of the summer will receive $10,000 toward law school tuition and expenses for the next school year. Eligibility:  all first-year law students of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  Submit: Dorsey & Whitney Fellowship Application, a personal statement, resume, undergraduate transcripts, first-semester law school grades and if not available for the application deadline a list of first-semester course list and then forward grades when available, two to three references (one must be a law school professor), and a legal writing sample.  Applications accepted in January; recipient will be selected in February.  Please send materials to Paula Torke, Regional Director, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Republic Plaza Building, Suite 4700, 370 17th Street, Denver CO 80202.

  • Lathrop & Gage Advantage Clerkship - In partnership with the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Kamlet Reichert, LLP (now Lathrop & Gage) has created and implemented one of the most innovative programs to attract, recruit and retain diverse law students in the nation.  This program is open to all diverse students applying to the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, with candidates from across the nation being interviewed and a finalist chosen.  During their first year, the selected student immediately begins his or her affiliation with Kamlet Reichert and its attorneys.  They have an opportunity to be mentored by the entire firm-from managing partners to associates. They are immediately included in firm correspondence, invited to firm events, able to talk with attorneys and receive access to firm resources including the library, research books and publications.  After the successful completion of the first year of law school, the student is offered a 10-week paid summer associate position, providing not only income, but additional mentoring, valuable legal work experience and opportunities to participate in Colorado activities. This specially-designed clerkship program continues throughout his or her years of law school. For more information, contact Denise Riley.

 

Scholarships for Second Year Law Students

  • Holland & Hart LLP Summer Diversity Scholarship Program --Holland & Hart LLP selects one diverse second-year law student from a top 100 law school each year to receive a paid summer clerkship and scholarship of $10,000 to be applied toward law school tuition and/or expenses incurred during the third year of law school.  Recipients are selected based on the following criteria: need, essay regarding the importance of diversity to a firm's culture, grades, personal presentation, background, and interest in, or ties to, the Rocky Mountain Region.  Applications are due at the beginning of September each year.  Application materials include resume, essay, unofficial law school transcript, and cover letter explaining interest in working at Holland & Hart LLP.  Contact Recruiting Director Miriam Connor for more information.
  • Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP -- In 2006 the firm established the RJ&L Michael D. Nosler Scholarship. This scholarship provides the opportunity for a talented diverse second-year law student at either the University of Denver Sturm College of Law or the University of Colorado School of Law to receive a $10,000 scholarship towards his or her third-year law school tuition upon completion of a paid clerkship with RJ&L during the second trimester of the recipient's second year of law school. Please click here for detailed information on this scholarship.  The firm also sponsors diversity scholarships for college students attending Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado.  The Diversity in Law Scholarship helps minority students pursue a legal education and ultimately a law-related career.
  • DRI Law Student Diversity Scholarship --The DRI Scholarship is open to incoming second and third year African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pan-Asian, Native American and female law students.  Two $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants who best demonstrate: academic excellence, service to the profession, service to the community, and service to the cause of diversity.  All applications and references are due in May.  The application and further details can be found at www.dri.org. 

 

Colorado Bar Exam Preparation Scholarship

The Center for Legal Inclusiveness, Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group, and Association of Corporate Counsel - Colorado Chapter are partnering with Kaplan Test Prep to offer one free Kaplan PMBR scholarship each year. Deadline to apply is December 15, 2011 (for the summer 2012 exam). For more information, email Andrea Juarez, CLI Communications Director. 

 

Other Scholarship Resources

Also check out JD Diversity, a one-stop information and networking portal for diverse attorneys and law students.  Besides being the first-ever social network for diverse law students and legal professionals, the site provides nationwide job listings, articles, an event calendar, a discussion forum, and the most extensive legal diversity fellowship/scholarship listing available on the web.  Members are able to use the social networking community to connect with colleagues, exchange professional advice, and locate potential mentors.  It's free to join.  Visit there website by clicking here. 

Employment Opportunities During Law School

Nearly two dozen law firms and corporate legal departments hire diverse first year (1L) and second-year evening students from DU and CU law schools each year as summer associates or interns.  Visit the Colroado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group's website for more information.

 

CLI Diversity LSAT & Bar Prep Scholarship Partner:



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