NJWLA Scholarship Program

Purpose: Benefit students pursuing a Juris Doctorate degree at New Jersey law schools.

Geographic Scope: New Jersey

Eligible Institutions

• Rutgers University Law School – Camden
• Rutgers University Law School – Newark
• Seton Hall University School of Law

Award Amount

• $3,000 per scholarship (one award to one student from each of the three law schools annually, for a total of three scholarships per year)

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be a matriculating law school student at one of the three New Jersey law schools
• Have completed at least 12 credits at the time of application
• Be carrying a minimum of 6 credits per term
• Provide a letter of recommendation from:
  • A professor, instructor, adjunct faculty member, clinical instructor, Practitioner in Residence, or Dean/Director of their law school, OR
  • A lawyer or judge with at least 10 years legal experience with whom the applicant has worked as an intern or clerk for at least 3 months during the past 2 years
• Previous scholarship winners are not eligible

Selection Criteria

• Commitment and dedication to law school and the practice of law
• Quality of essay submission

Award Uses

Scholarship awards may be used for:

• Tuition
• Fees
• Books
• Personal expenses

Awards are given directly to students. Applicants who work for companies offering tuition reimbursement are eligible to apply.

Contact Information

Colleen Skinner, Executive Director

• Phone: (973) 819-9488
• Email: cskinner@njwla.org
• Address: 372 Franklin Avenue Suite 713, Nutley, NJ 07110

Application Process

Application Materials Required:
Each applicant must submit one (1) original and three (3) photocopies of:

1. Application form
2. Letter of recommendation
3. Essay
4. Law school transcript (first year students should submit undergraduate transcript)

Total submission requirement: Four (4) complete applications with all attachments in submission envelope

Submission Format:

• No electronic submissions accepted
• Paper applications only
• Applications must be mailed to NJWLA mailbox

Key Deadlines and Requirements:

• Applications must be received by stated deadline (check current year announcement)
• Incomplete applications will NOT be considered
• Applications postmarked or received after deadline will NOT be considered
• No exceptions will be made
• All scholarship winners are required to attend the NJWLA Gala to receive their awards
• Failure to attend the Gala is grounds for forfeiture of scholarship

Application Availability:

• Forms are mailed to New Jersey's three law schools
• Forms are also available on NJWLA website for download

Award Announcement Timeline:

• Candidates and law school deans are notified of results
• Scholarships are awarded at the NJWLA Gala (typically in March)
• Award recipients featured in Gala Program