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Zelle LLP is committed to increasing diversity in the legal profession.  To that end, Zelle is pleased to offer this Diversity in Law Scholarship again in 2025. The Scholarship is designed to encourage and assist students from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, as well as students with a proven interest in diversity-related issues in pursuing the law as a profession. Applications are due January 6, 2025, at midnight PT.

Applicants must either be: (1) first-year law students pursuing their Juris Doctor degree who are currently enrolled full-time at an ABA-accredited law school and who have completed at least one semester of law school; or (2) be part-time (four-year program) or joint-degree students currently enrolled in their second year of law school at an ABA-accredited law school.

Applicants also must either (1) be a member of a population or group whose background and perspectives are historically underrepresented in the private practice of law; or (2) demonstrate a long-standing commitment to diversity that will be furthered by award of the scholarship.

Selection considerations will include but not be limited to: academic performance, writing skills, demonstrated leadership skills, an interest in litigation (including antitrust and insurance litigation), financial need, and a desire to practice in one of the cities where Zelle maintains an office. Applicants are required to have a 2.8 cumulative law school GPA (or its equivalent).

The Scholarship awards the selected recipient a total of $15,000.00 to be applied towards the selected recipient’s law school tuition, fees, and text books, with one half of the scholarship paid for the student’s second year of law school and one half of the scholarship paid for the student’s third year of law school subject to the following:  To receive the second installment of the scholarship, the recipient must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (or its equivalent) through the student’s second year of law school.

The Scholarship recipient will be offered and must accept a paid summer clerkship at one of the firm’s offices for the summer following the student’s first year of law school. The specific location of the clerkship will be decided by the firm in consultation with the recipient and will be based upon both the recipient’s interest and the firm’s need. Please note that the Scholarship recipient may elect to split the summer between the Zelle clerkship and an unpaid public sector internship (defined as a nonprofit/public interest organization, government employee, or judicial internship), so long as the Scholarship recipient commits to a minimum of five weeks at Zelle. 

Additional details and the 2025 application can be downloaded here.

Completed applications may be submitted by electronic mail to: diversity@zellelaw.com

Application submissions will close on January 6, 2025, at midnight PT.