DRI Law Student Diversity Scholarship

About the Scholarship

DRI’s annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program is open to rising (2023–2024) second-and third-year law students who come from historically marginalized groups, including those who identify as:

  • African American
  • Hispanic
  • Asian
  • Native American
  • LGBTQIA+
  • Multiracial
  • Second- and third-year female law students, regardless of race or ethnicity
  • Any other second-and third-year law student who comes from backgrounds that would add to the cause of diversity, regardless of race or gender

To qualify for this scholarship, a candidate must be a full-time student. Evening students qualify for consideration if they have completed one-third or more of the total credit hours required for a degree by the applicant’s law school.* The goal of these scholarships is to provide financial assistance to three worthy law students from ABA-accredited law schools to promote, in a tangible way, the DRI Diversity Statement of Principle.

Scholarship recipients will be announced at the Diversity for Success Seminar in June 2023.

*Students who are a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), law school, or law student members of AAJ, or students otherwise affiliated with or employed by AAJ, are not eligible for DRI’s Law Student Diversity Scholarships.

How Much is the Scholarship?

One scholarship in the amount of $10,000 and two scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each will be awarded to applicants who best meet the following criteria:

  • Demonstrated academic excellence
  • Service to the profession
  • Service to the community
  • Service to the cause of diversity

What do I Need to Submit?

A Completed Application Form

Each applicant must complete the application form in order to apply for the scholarship.

Fill Out the Application Form (PDF)

A Cover Letter

When applicants submit the application, they must include a cover letter. In that cover letter, each applicant should identify academic, personal, and professional accomplishments and how those accomplishments qualify the applicant for a DRI Law Student Diversity Scholarship.

Three Recommendations

Applications must also include three (3) recommendations, one each from the following individuals:

  • The dean or an associate dean of the student’s law school;
  • A current or past law professor; and
  • An individual who is personally acquainted with the applicant, but who is not related by blood line or adoption.

Letters of recommendation may be submitted directly by the applicant.

An Essay (No More than 2,000 words)

In addition to submitting the attached application and required recommendations, applicants must complete an essay of no more than 2,000 words based upon the following question:

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY HAVING DEI POLICIES?

For years, companies, governments, and organizations have been putting forth diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to increase diversity in the workforce. Recently, these initiatives / DEI have been met with resistance and even demands for DEI policy retractions, accompanied by threats of reverse discrimination litigation. You were recently hired as an assistant general counsel of a publicly traded company that has robust DEI policies. The General Counsel came to your office asking you to prepare an internal memo evaluating the pros and cons (both public policy and potential liability) of a publicly traded company having DEI policies. She asked that the memo be limited to no more than 2,000 words.

Submission Information and Deadline

All applications, essays, and required materials may be submitted in PDF format to scholarship@dri.org, or mail a hard copy format to:

Diversity Scholarship
DRI
222 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 1870
Chicago, IL 60606

Applications and all other requested materials must be received by March 31, 2023.

LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.