chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.

An ABA conference in-person can be a game-changer. You’ll see relevant substantive CLE, meet high-profile attendees, and attend amazing receptions. Travel costs can be a hurdle for law students and young lawyers, so many ABA member groups offer support.

Other Young Lawyer and Law Student Opportunities

Career-advancing fellowshipsinternships & clerkships. Professional recognition through awards and writing competitions. Financial assistance like funded travel and scholarships. Each year the ABA offers 100+ opportunities and programs for young lawyers and law students.

Affordable Housing & Community Development Law — Forum on Affordable Housing Annual Conference

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Affordable Housing & Community Development Law
  • Description: This conference may offer scholarships that favor young lawyers. Please follow up with them for more information.

    This past year, individuals and communities across the Nation have faced unprecedented challenges resulting from COVID-19, which has exponentially magnified the affordable housing crisis. Many of us also have a lot to learn and work to do in acknowledging and rectifying the systemic racism and injustices in our communities and industry.

    Each day of the two-day Conference will kick-off with a morning Plenary. Thursday’s Lunch Hour will provide opportunities to connect with colleagues, and Friday’s will feature our Forum’s Awards and Elections. In the afternoon, there will be two Sessions for each of the three tracks (Community and Economic Development, HUD and IRS/LIHTC). Our industry’s seasoned experts as well as emerging ones will lead our Sessions.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in March.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers, Pro Bono, Legal Educators, Academia, Government

Affordable Housing & Community Development Law — Fall Boot Camp

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Affordable Housing & Community Development Law
  • Description: This conference may offer scholarships that favor young lawyers. Please follow up with them for more information.

    Join us in October for panels focusing on the preservation of affordable housing, including projects utilizing low income housing tax credits and those financed or operated with HUD assistance. Panels will include discussions on the practical approaches to affordable housing preservation, including how to best utilize RAD and other HUD programs for preservation and how to negotiate option and right of first refusal documents, as well as provide a broader policy perspective on proposed legislation and ongoing litigation over Year-15 transitions in LIHTC Projects.

    This conference will be spread over two-days in an effort to accommodate continued work productivity and meaningful conference participation, using an innovative platform that will provide valuable substantive information as well as the opportunity to interact with speakers and panelists and network with other Deep Dive participants through a real-time chat feature.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in August.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers, Pro Bono, Legal Educators, Academia

Air & Space Law — Washington Update Conference

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Air & Space Law
  • Description: This conference may offer scholarships that favor young lawyers. Please follow up with them for more information.

    The Forum on Air & Space Law Update Conference provides an insider’s perspective on the leading topics in air and space law, as well as a look forward to the leading policy issues at the forefront of the industry The Conference will present panels and distinguished speakers, who put current industry developments into perspective and offer their visions for the policy and legal issues that lie ahead. Panels will discuss current issues and offer their assessments for the future.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in January.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers

Air & Space Law — Space Law Symposium

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Air & Space Law
  • Description: This conference may offer scholarships that favor young lawyers. Please follow up with them for more information.

    This year’s program is focused on the evolving state of space activities in – both from domestic and international perspectives, as well as from Civilian, Defense and Commercial vantage points. Esteemed panelists from a diversity of space sectors will share insightful perspectives, lessons learned, as well as “What’s Next?” on the immediate and future space horizon.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in April.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers

Air & Space Law — Fall Annual Conference

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Air & Space Law
  • Description: This conference may offer scholarships that favor young lawyers. Please follow up with them for more information.

    The ABA Forum on Air & Space Law is pleased to announce it will hold 2022 Annual Conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. With the advent of the COVID-19 vaccine, the aviation and space industries are getting a glimpse of what the new landscape will look like post-pandemic. Airlines, airports, aerospace companies, and other industry players are charting their paths to recovery as air travel demand recovers and businesses around the world gradually reopen. This year’s Conference will focus on that recovery – and, in the case of domestic U.S. air travel, a recent “resurgence.” It will also highlight industry and government efforts to ensure that this growth will be sustainable.

    Like previous years, this year’s Conference will feature a diverse set of panels with speakers and moderators from across the industry, including senior lawyers and executives at major aviation and aerospace companies, key government officials, and leading aviation and space law practitioners. All panels will be presented live and in an interactive format, with opportunity for audience input, including Q&A.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in July.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers

Business Law — Law Student Scholar Program

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Business Law
  • Description: The Law Student Scholar Program is designed to help law students navigate Section Meetings and meet with practicing business lawyers to network and learn more about a career in business law. Participants in the Law Student Scholar Program receive mentorship, professional recognition, and enhanced law school experience through continued opportunities for involvement in the ABA Business Law Section.

    To fulfill the requirements of the program, you must complete any combination of the activities below to earn a score of at least 20 points. Meet with your Assigned Mentor (10 points). Attend the Law Student Institute (10 points) . Attend a CLE Program (5 points). Attend a Committee Meeting (5 points).
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in March.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students

Civil Rights & Social Justice — CRSJ YLD/LSD Council Liaison

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Civil Rights & Social Justice
  • Description: Young Lawyer and Law Student liaisons to CRSJ (one each, per bar year) will get reimbursed for travel and up to two days of $100 per diem for food and hotel lodging.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in March.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students, Young Lawyers

Criminal Justice — White Collar Crime National Institute Scholarship

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Criminal Justice Section
  • Description: The White Collar Crime Institute includes a number of “skills” and “ethics” sessions suitable for attorneys who are new to the practice of white collar law as well as those with more experience. The scholarship is intended to assist attorneys of diverse backgrounds in attending the National Institute on White Collar Crime (further requirements included in the application).
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in December.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyers

Family Law —  Family Law Fellowship Program

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Family Law
  • Description: Open to to family attorneys who demonstrate financial need and (1) meet diversity criteria, or (2) work in legal services or non-profit legal organizations whose work centers around providing free or low-cost family legal services to individuals in traditionally underserved diverse communities.
  • More Information: ABA site
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in May.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyers

Health Law — Emerging Issues Scholarship Program

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Health Law
  • Description: The Health Law Section of the American Bar Association is pleased to announce the Annual Scholarship Program for law students interested in the health law field to attend the Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law Conference. Applicants must be members of the ABA and Health Law Section and attend an ABA accredited law school. The partial scholarships are intended for those who would not otherwise be able to attend the conference, and those who have not previously received financial assistance from the Section to attend the Emerging Issues Conference. The scholarship includes up to $500 dollars for airfare, $150 per diem for up to three days to offset cost of hotel and meals, and conference registration fee. There will be up to five scholarships awarded each year. 
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in January.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students

Intellectual Property — ABA-IPL Young Lawyer Fellows Program

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Intellectual Property
  • Description: The ABA-IPL Section selects two fellows each year for two-year terms from applicants with proven achievement, participation, excellence, and commitment. The goal of the ABA-IPL Fellows Program is to develop future leadership and encourage diversity in the Section. Fellows are encouraged to attend Section meetings and are expected to work within areas such as ABA-IPL Action groups, Boards, and Committees. Fellows also promote diversity and membership, as they continue to develop leadership skills and responsibilities in the Section. Participants in the ABA-IPL Fellows Program are funded to attend select Section conferences during their years in the program.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in January.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyers (Section membership is not required to apply, but required if selected as a YLF)

Public Contract Law — Marilyn Neforas Scholarship for Young Lawyer Women in Public Contract Law

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Public Contract Law
  • Description: The Marilyn Neforas Scholarship, in honor of Marilyn Neforas, the Public Contract Law Section Director for over 35 years, serves to facilitate the participation and development of future leaders of young lawyer women members of the Section in Section programs and events. Scholarships will be awarded to young lawyer women who exhibit promise in developing the same traits that Marilyn has exercised so effectively on behalf of our Section — commitment, selflessness, integrity, perseverance, and heart.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in June.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyer Women

Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service — Pro Bono Video Contest

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the Center for Pro Bono
  • Description: During the National Celebration of Pro Bono, we hold a law student video contest for law students to submit a video on pro bono. The prize is registration for the Equal Justice Conference.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in October.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students

Taxation — Law Student Division Liaison

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Taxation
  • Description: Tax Section partial reimbursement of travel expenses to three Section Meetings for Law Student Division Liaison. Section reimburses up to $600 of airfare.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students

Taxtation — Young Lawyer Division Liaison

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Taxation
  • Description: Tax Section partial reimbursement of travel expenses to three Section Meetings for Young Lawyer Division Liaison. Section reimburses up to $600 of airfare.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyers

Tort Trial & Insurance Practice — Law Student Liaison Program

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Tort Trial & Insurance Practice
  • Description: Four fully funded positions to attend TIPS conferences designed to develop leadership and provide law students an opportunity to learn about TIPS and contribute to the growth of the Section
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in March.
  • Who is eligible: Law Students

Tort Trial & Insurance Practice — TIPS Now

  • Sponsoring ABA Entity: Tort Trial & Insurance Practice
  • Description: A program designed to help young lawyers get involved in TIPS at a higher level from the jump. Participants are encouraged to travel to all TIPS meetings and are fully reimbursed.
  • Deadline: Applications typically close each year in March.
  • Who is eligible: Young Lawyers

If you are an ABA entity and would like to add new or missing ABA programs or initiatives, please use this form.

To update your entry, or if you find any errors or broken links, please [email protected].