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    ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund

    Your generosity helps underrepresented law students of color earn their juris doctor and enter the legal profession.

    Celebrating 25 Years!

    The ABA has an enduring commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in legal education and in the legal profession.

    Since its start 25 years ago, the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund has been awarding up to 20 diverse students each year with a $15,000 award, payable over the three years of law school, to offset the significant costs of a law degree. Emblematic of this determination that underserved and underrepresented communities attain full access to justice, the Scholarship Fund helps to break down financial barriers to law school and open the legal profession’s door to passionate young people of color.

    YOU CAN CHANGE THE FACE OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION

    With your support of the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund, we will continue to improve diversity in the legal profession — first in our nation’s law schools and, ultimately, throughout the ranks of our profession. You are helping diverse lawyers enter the field of law. Please invest in the future of diversity in the legal profession. Your gift, of any amount, will change lives.

    Make Your Gift - Donate

    Gratitude from Yessenia Guttierez, a Scholarship Fund Recipient

    “I learned so much and am excited for the other courses I'll get to take. My school is great; it fosters a welcoming and collaborative environment which is very refreshing. I'm looking forward to making the most I can out of all the opportunities. I am grateful to this scholarship for helping make my journey possible.”

    Yessenia Guttierez, ABA Legal Opportunity/Bertram R. Greener Memorial Scholarship Fund Recipient, Class of 2023

    As the daughter of formerly undocumented immigrants from Central America growing up in a working-class household, Yessenia Guttierez realized that a legal career could be her answer to the tremendous trauma her family and others have endured — generations of sexual and domestic violence, mental illness, the disappearance of family members and forced migration during the Central American civil wars. Now a JD candidate at the University of Minnesota Law School and Scholarship Fund recipient, Yessenia’s first semester was challenging and rewarding.

    Donors empower Scholarship Fund recipients to excel in their studies and add public service to their law school experience.

    Law students of color enrollment increases

    Roughly 39% of Scholarship recipients are the first in their family to attend college and 70% are the first to attend graduate school.

    Financial assistance removes barriers to a JD

    ABA Scholars (75%) indicate that they could not have finished law school without the Scholarship Fund.

    Graduates go on to serve their communities

    Most recipients eagerly take part in pro bono activities that give back to their marginalized community or to their law school.

    AT&T
    The Tan Family Education Foundation
    Walmart

    ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship News

    For the latest updates on the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship view our recent newsletters.

    View the - Newsletters

    Know an Aspiring Law Student of Color?

    For more information about the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship application process visit the Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund FAQs webpage.

    Learn More - How to Apply

    Hundreds of Scholars Changing the Profession

    The American Bar Association awards an annual Legal Opportunity Scholarship to first-year law students. These scholarships encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and provides financial assistance while these scholars earn their Juris Doctor. Generous donors make this Scholarship possible.