Scholarships
Foundation scholarships promote the practice of federal law and help young adults pursue university and law school education, ushering in a new generation of bright professionals, attorneys, and judges.
The Foundation of the Federal Bar Association Public Service Scholarship seeks to provide $5,000 as assistance to a graduating high school senior planning to attend a four-year college or university. At least one of the parents (or guardians) of the student must be a current federal government attorney or federal judge.
The annual Public Service Scholarship is funded by the Earl W. Kintner Memorial Fund. Kintner was a distinguished member of the Federal Bar Association and two-time national president. His professional and civic leadership and dedication serve as a model to any aspiring academic. Applicants must submit:
- Online application
- Personal essay
- Unaltered academic transcript
- Copy of their letter of acceptance to the college or university for which they will attend
The criteria for applicant evaluation is based on academic achievement, leadership recognition, school and community service and activities, and compelling personal essay content and quality (both substance and written communication skills).
The deadline to submit the scholarship application and the required documentation is April 30 of each year. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The scholarship recipient and nonrecipients will be notified no later than July 31. Contact foundation@fedbar.org with questions.
The Dr. J. Clay Smith Jr. Scholarship aims to ensure that the American legal profession actively provides equal opportunity and welcomes participation by all individuals regardless of their means. The scholarship provides financial assistance to law school students who have had to overcome hardships or disadvantages to attend and complete law school. The Foundation of the FBA awards the $15,000 scholarship to a first-year law student, disbursed over three years of the student’s enrollment at an accredited law school. The recipient also receives a complimentary FBA student associate membership.
The Advancement of the Legal Profession Scholarship is named in memory of Dr. J. Clay Smith Jr., the Federal Bar Associations first African American president. Dr. Smith’s long career in public service included serving as associate general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission, commissioner and then interim chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and dean of Howard University School of Law. He is the author of Emancipation: The Making of a Black Lawyer, 1844–1944, published in 1993 with a foreword by Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court’s first African American justice.
Applicants must exhibit high character and professionalism in their personal, professional, and academic lives as demonstrated in application materials. Applicants must submit this application, a personal essay, college transcript, law school enrollment verification, and two letters of recommendation (these may include a letter from a professor).
The deadline to submit this scholarship application and the required documentation to the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association is November 1. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The Robert A. McNew Law Student Scholarship promotes the practice of federal law by annually awarding at least one scholarship of $5,000 to a law student attending an accredited law school who also is an Federal Bar Association (FBA) student associate member or has an interest in federal practice.
The Law Student Scholarship is named in honor of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association past president and founder of the Fellows program, Robert A. McNew, who also served as president of the FBA. Bob was an active member of the FBA for more than 30 years and continued to support the Foundation in his retirement until his passing in 2023.
Applicants must exhibit professionalism and high character in their personal and professional lives as demonstrated in application materials:
- Online application
- Personal essay
- Unaltered academic transcript (official or student copy)
- Two letters of recommendation (these may include professors)
Letters of recommendation may be submitted with the online application or by the recommender to foundation@fedbar.org (make sure your name and “McNew Scholarship” appear in the subject line (i.e., B Smith McNew Scholarship). The criteria for recipient selection is based on student participation in the FBA, law school, community activities, and academic achievement.
The deadline to submit the scholarship application and required documentation is Nov. 1 of each year. Contact foundation@fedbar.org with questions.
