Description:

This scholarship reflects our firm's commitment to investing in the future of the legal profession and supporting the development of a strong, inclusive legal community in Michigan. We believe that the legal industry is strengthened when it reflects a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, and we are committed to helping cultivate the next generation of thoughtful, forward-looking legal professionals.

Through this scholarship, we seek to support exceptional law students who bring fresh ideas, intellectual curiosity, and a demonstrated commitment to equity, service, and leadership. Our goal is to help ease the financial burden of law school while empowering students to pursue meaningful and impactful legal careers that will benefit their communities, the justice system, and the legal profession as a whole.

Two eligible 1L law students will receive a tuition scholarship of up to $10,000 to support their legal education. This scholarship is awarded independently of any employment opportunity. Except for the public recognition activities identified below, this scholarship award is not contingent upon participation in any firm program.

The application process is open to all law students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school, regardless of race, color, religion, citizenship, national origin, gender, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military service, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Application Requirements

Current Resume
Undergraduate Transcript
1L Transcript reflecting enrollment in an ABA-accredited law school. GPAs of 3.0 or above are preferred, but lower GPAs will be considered with context included in the personal statement.
Personal Statement: Please describe your commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within your community and/or the legal profession. Include specific examples of your experiences, actions, or initiatives that demonstrate your engagement with these principles and how they inform your professional goals.

Applications will be accepted from 1L students from January 5 through February 28. The scholarship recipients will be notified by mid-March.

Selection Criteria:
Applications will be evaluated holistically based on the following factors:

Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community and/or the legal profession
Academic achievement and leadership experience
Challenges or obstacles encountered in pursuing educational or professional goals, including financial considerations
Personal experiences that have shaped the applicant's values, perspective, and commitment to the legal profession
A clear interest in building a legal career and contributing positively to the legal community in Michigan

Scholarship Payment Details
The scholarship award will be applied directly toward the recipient's law school tuition. Payment will be issued directly to the recipient's ABA-accredited law school, subject to the school's financial aid policies and procedures. The total scholarship amount of up to $10,000 may be disbursed in one or more installments, depending on the law school's requirements and academic calendar. The scholarship is intended solely for tuition and mandatory academic fees and may not be used for housing, travel, or personal expenses. Recipients must remain enrolled in good academic standing at an ABA-accredited law school at the time of disbursement. If a recipient withdraws from law school or is no longer enrolled at the time of payment, the scholarship may be reduced or withdrawn. Scholarship funds may be subject to applicable tax reporting requirements, and recipients are encouraged to consult a tax advisor regarding any potential tax implications.

Media Consent and Release
As part of accepting the scholarship, the recipient must participate in limited firm-related recognition activities. These may include, but are not limited to:

Providing a brief written biography and photograph for use in firm communications
Participating in a firm announcement recognizing the scholarship recipient
Allowing the firm to reference the recipient's name, law school, and general background in marketing, recruiting, and public-facing materials related to the scholarship
Participating in occasional interviews, testimonials, or events highlighting the scholarship and its impact on the legal profession.

Participation in these activities is intended to help promote the scholarship program and the firm's broader commitment to investing in the future of the legal industry.

The recipient grants to Warner Norcross + Judd LLP and its affiliates, agents, representatives, successors, assigns and anyone acting under its permission (collectively as “WNJ”) the worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual right and permission to record and use the recipient's name, image, likeness, voice, biographical information, statements, appearance, and personal information (“Likeness”) for any purpose and in any media now known or later developed, including but not limited to websites, social media, press, and marketing or educational materials. The recipient waives any right to approve, edit or inspect the recording and use of the recipient's Likeness and acknowledge having already received all consideration that the recipient is entitled to in exchange for this consent and release. The recipient releases WNJ from any and all claims the recipient may have at any time arising out of any recording or use of the recipient's Likeness, as described in this consent and release. The recipient acknowledges and agrees that the recipient has all rights necessary to grant this consent and release, and this grant does not violate any rights of third parties. The recipient understands and agrees that all materials created by WNJ using the recipient's Likeness belong solely to WNJ.

For questions, please contact Kristin Williams (kwilliams@wnj.com).

To learn more about our summer associate program, please visit us at https://www.wnj.com/careers/summer-associates/.

To learn more about our commitment to diversity, please visit us at https://www.wnj.com/firm/overview/commitment-to-diversity/.