Summer 2025 Law Student Scholarships!
|
CILA is proud to announce that it will be offering two (2) $2,500 scholarships to current Native law school students (classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028, or later if completing a JD program longer than 3 years) to assist with law school related expenses. Incoming 1Ls are encouraged to apply. Sorry, recent graduates (class of 2025) are not eligible.
This application is due by July 31, 2025 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Eligibility:
To learn more about apply, visit the Application Google Form. |
|
Congrats to the 2025 CILA Bar Prep Scholars!
Raquel Anakalea is an enrolled citizen of the Bishop Paiute Tribe. She graduated from University of New Mexico School of Law, Class of 2020. As a young mom of two, stepping back into the workforce, she is excited to put her legal training to good use by seeking opportunities to strengthen tribal communities.
|
|
Sadie Red Eagle, an enrolled member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe from San Diego, California, and Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is a graduating law student at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. She is earning certificates in Indian Law and Trial Advocacy and has served as Vice President of NALSA, Co-Lead of the Arizona Native Vote Election Protection Project, and Symposium Co-Chair for her law journal. Sadie has worked as a summer associate at Kanji & Katzen and Drummond Woodsum, and she externed for Judge Diane Humetewa. She will clerk for Judge Sunshine Sykes in 2026.
Joseph Gregory (Koyukon Athabascan, Alaska Native descendant) is a 3L at the UCLA School of Law, where he specializes in Indian Law, Environmental Law, and Public Interest Law. Joseph proudly served on local and national Native American Law Students Association boards as well as the Indigenous Peoples' Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance and the UCLA Law Review. Joseph came to law school after serving eight years teaching in Southern California high schools. Joseph looks forward to using the law to benefit Indigenous peoples and lands across Turtle Island.
Joseph Gregory (Koyukon Athabascan, Alaska Native descendant) is a 3L at the UCLA School of Law, where he specializes in Indian Law, Environmental Law, and Public Interest Law. Joseph proudly served on local and national Native American Law Students Association boards as well as the Indigenous Peoples' Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance and the UCLA Law Review. Joseph came to law school after serving eight years teaching in Southern California high schools. Joseph looks forward to using the law to benefit Indigenous peoples and lands across Turtle Island.
CILA's 2025 Bar Prep Scholarship Now Open!
|
The California Indian Law Association, Inc. ("CILA") was formed with the purpose of serving as the representative of the Indian law legal profession in California. CILA works to promote the study of Indian law and related topics in public and higher education and to provide guidance and assistance, through mentoring, scholarships, and other activities, to Indigenous students in their pursuit of law studies and the legal profession.
CILA is proud to announce that it will be offering bar prep scholarships for those committed to taking the July 2025 California Bar Examination. Scholarship funding is intended to cover bar exam fees, the cost of bar prep courses, expenses related to taking the exam, and living and other expenses during time spent preparing for the exam. CILA will award scholarships ranging in amounts from $2,000 to $5,000 to those first time California Bar Examination test takers committed to take the July 2025 exam. This application is due by May 4, 2025 at 11:59pm Pacific. Scholarship Criteria Must be FIRST-TIME California Bar test taker sitting for the July 2025 California Bar Exam. (Note: applicants may be admitted to another Tribal or State Bar, but must have never taken the California Bar Exam before) Preference is given to applicants whose application demonstrates alignment with CILA's mission statement, found here. Preference may be given to Native American/Alaska Native or Indigenous law school students. |
Congratulations, CILA Scholarship Recipients!
About our Scholars:
JoAnne “Jo-Joe” Lee is an enrolled citizen of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California and a 3L at UC Davis School of Law- King Hall. She serves as the Vice President of the National Native American Law Students Association, and as a Law Clerk for the California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC). She received her Master of Social Work from Columbia University, and is the Executive Director of Urban Reziliency, a 501(c)(3) focused on ameliorating homelessness within the Bay Area. Once admitted to the California Bar, she hopes to implement positive change for Tribal sovereignty.
Chase Hobson (Bustin La'Dul/Whitebull) is Yurok, Hoopa, Modoc, and Klamath and is an enrolled member of the sovereign Elk Valley Rancheria (EVR). As a 2026 Juris Doctor candidate at the University of New Mexico School of Law, he is on track to be the first attorney from EVR. His academic and professional backgrounds demonstrate his passion and commitment to community empowerment and service. With a background in Tribal governance and economic development, Chase aims to strengthen Tribal sovereignty through legal advocacy, collaboration, and policy work that uplifts Indigenous communities.
Gabriella Blatt, a proud member of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe from the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, is a first-year student at Stanford Law School. She is pursuing a career in federal Indian law and Tribal Law, with a focus on civil adjudication and regulatory matters. Before law school, Gabriella served as a policy advisor in Native Affairs for Senator Jon Tester. As a first-generation college graduate and law student, she is deeply committed to expanding educational access for other first-gen and Native students.
Madelaine is a 1L at Berkeley Law and is a lineal descendent of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa (Loon Clan) and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa (Crane Clan).
Taressia M. Garcia is a member of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and a rising second-year law student at The University of New Mexico School of Law. Committed to advocating for Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous rights, Taressia’s passion for law is deeply rooted in her upbringing on the Fort Mojave Reservation in California. Her experiences in Indigenous governance, environmental justice, and domestic violence advocacy have shaped her legal journey. Taressia aims to specialize in Tribal law and serve as legal counsel for California Tribes, ensuring their self-determination and protection of cultural and natural resources.
JoAnne “Jo-Joe” Lee is an enrolled citizen of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California and a 3L at UC Davis School of Law- King Hall. She serves as the Vice President of the National Native American Law Students Association, and as a Law Clerk for the California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC). She received her Master of Social Work from Columbia University, and is the Executive Director of Urban Reziliency, a 501(c)(3) focused on ameliorating homelessness within the Bay Area. Once admitted to the California Bar, she hopes to implement positive change for Tribal sovereignty.
Chase Hobson (Bustin La'Dul/Whitebull) is Yurok, Hoopa, Modoc, and Klamath and is an enrolled member of the sovereign Elk Valley Rancheria (EVR). As a 2026 Juris Doctor candidate at the University of New Mexico School of Law, he is on track to be the first attorney from EVR. His academic and professional backgrounds demonstrate his passion and commitment to community empowerment and service. With a background in Tribal governance and economic development, Chase aims to strengthen Tribal sovereignty through legal advocacy, collaboration, and policy work that uplifts Indigenous communities.
Gabriella Blatt, a proud member of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe from the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, is a first-year student at Stanford Law School. She is pursuing a career in federal Indian law and Tribal Law, with a focus on civil adjudication and regulatory matters. Before law school, Gabriella served as a policy advisor in Native Affairs for Senator Jon Tester. As a first-generation college graduate and law student, she is deeply committed to expanding educational access for other first-gen and Native students.
Madelaine is a 1L at Berkeley Law and is a lineal descendent of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa (Loon Clan) and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa (Crane Clan).
Taressia M. Garcia is a member of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and a rising second-year law student at The University of New Mexico School of Law. Committed to advocating for Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous rights, Taressia’s passion for law is deeply rooted in her upbringing on the Fort Mojave Reservation in California. Her experiences in Indigenous governance, environmental justice, and domestic violence advocacy have shaped her legal journey. Taressia aims to specialize in Tribal law and serve as legal counsel for California Tribes, ensuring their self-determination and protection of cultural and natural resources.
Winter 2025 CILA Law Student Scholarship Application Now Open
|
CILA is proud to announce that it will be offering multiple scholarships ranging in amounts from $1,000 to $5,000 to current Native American/Alaska Native/indigenous law school students (classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027, or later if completing a JD program longer than 3 years) to assist with law school related expenses. This scholarship is generously funding through California ChangeLawyers. This application is due by February 28, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Scholarship Criteria
More information and the application form may be viewed at: forms.gle/iCfcbGnPzffky6HL9 |
|
CILA Affinity Scholarship: 2025 3L Next Gen Award from California ChangeLawyers
Announcing CILA's partner scholarship with California ChangeLawyers! CILA will award one $5,000 scholarship. Applications must be submitted by February 24, 2025 at 5 PM.
|
|
2024 CILA Law Student Scholarship Application Now Open
CILA is proud to announce that it will be offering three (3) $5,000 scholarships to current Native law school students (classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027, or later if completing a JD program longer than 3 years) to assist with law school related expenses. This application is due by September 13, 2024 at 11:59pm.
Please read the application form for full details. The application can be viewed at:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSegC7Scg8wJ9fAsNFLIIr2hi9YDOoZYLYY__KmdmBDSEAFURw/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawEuTihleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXTJvFWwPwihkSmQGP25KsWkyBe6l5D4-e3ZGRS-4RgiymNd4UD_7QjM-g_aem_Ns3dH25Mip9SW1VSEa25Zg
Please read the application form for full details. The application can be viewed at:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSegC7Scg8wJ9fAsNFLIIr2hi9YDOoZYLYY__KmdmBDSEAFURw/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawEuTihleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXTJvFWwPwihkSmQGP25KsWkyBe6l5D4-e3ZGRS-4RgiymNd4UD_7QjM-g_aem_Ns3dH25Mip9SW1VSEa25Zg
2024 CILA Bar Scholar: Maryam Gary Nez
|
Join CILA in congratulating this year's 2024 CILA Bar Scholar, Maryam Gary Nez!
Maryam Gary Nez is a recent graduate of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where she also earned the Indian Legal Certificate. Maryam is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. With a passion for advocating for Tribal rights, Maryam will begin her career in ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) dependency by joining the California Families Tribal Coalition Fellowship after taking the California bar exam. |
|
Celebrating CILA's 2024 3L Affinity Scholar Sinnai Pedro-Avila
|
Join CILA in congratulating the 2024 ChangeLaywers and CILA 3L Diversity Scholar, Sinnai Pedro-Avila!
Sinnai (Maya Q'anjob'al/Xicana) studies at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law, pursuing certificates in Indigenous Peoples Rights and Environmental Law. The environmental injustices she witnessed growing up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles paralleled many injustices her Maya relatives faced in Guatemala - a dangerous place to be a land defender. This fueled her commitment to become an advocate for Indigenous peoples’ rights and environmental justice. To that end, she focused her clerkship experiences on working with Native rights organizations and environmental issues, including California Tribal Families Coalition, Earthjustice, The Circle Law Group, and Native Hawaiian Rights Legal Corporation. Through her work, Sinnai is committed to uplifting Indigenous brilliance while supporting Indigenous communities in the fight to protect their cultural sovereignty and natural resources. |
CILA Bar Scholarship Application Has Closed!
Apply now for CILA's 2024 Bar Scholarship! CILA will award one $5,000 scholarship to a recent law school graduate that will be taking the bar exam this summer. Application closes on April 8, 2024 at 11:59pm.
|
|
3L Next Gen Scholarship Now Open!
CILA is accepting applications for the 3L Next Gen Scholarship! CILA and ChangeLawyers are co-sponsoring one $5,000 scholarship award for a recent/soon to be law school grad that will be taking the bar for the first time in July 2024. Applications are due by Monday, March 4th at 11:59pm.
|
|
Announcing Our 2023 CILA Law Student Scholarship Recipients
Thanks to a grant from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, CILA was able to offer five $2,000 scholarships to current Native law school students to assist with law school related expenses. Our scholarship recipients were chosen out of a competitive pool of law students. CILA is proud to announce our five scholars below!
Abby Gallardo is a 1L at UCLA School of Law. Recently, Abby graduated from UCLA with a BA in American Indian Studies. As a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, Abby hopes to impact the Native American legal community positively. Abby is interested in Federal Indian Law, concentrating on land claims, natural resources, and environmental law.
|
JoAnne “Jo-Joe” Lee is pursuing her Juris Doctor at the University of California Davis School of Law. She was a Summer 2023 Tribal Law Fellow at The Circle Law Group where she worked on complex legal issues for California Tribal clients. Prior to law school, Jo-Joe received her Master of Social Work within the Accelerated Policy Program at Columbia University in May 2022. She was a 2021-2022 Fisher Cummings Research and Policy Fellow for the Office on Trafficking In Persons addressing barriers to social services for people with lived experience in trafficking including Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). Jo-Joe continues to work with Tribes for special projects at the California Indian Environmental Alliance (CIEA), to address land and water rights. She is also Co-Executive Director for her non-profit Urban Reziliency (UR) which seeks to alleviate the houselessness crisis plaguing the Bay Area’s Native American, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. Once she receives her Juris Doctor Degree and is admitted to the California State Bar, she hopes to assist Native and Indigenous Peoples at a policy and legal level to implement positive change within systems that have treated Native/Indigenous sovereignties and autonomies unjustly.
|
|
Juliette grew up in Northern California, and is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes. She received her J.D. from American University (AUWCL) Washington College of Law (2022), and B.A from the University of California, San Diego (2013). In law school, she was an active student leader and served as President/Founder of the Native American Law Students Association AUWCL Chapter, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Sustainable Development Law & Policy Brief, and Director of Sustainability for the Student Bar Association. She was selected as an AU Changemaker for her continued efforts to make a difference in her community following graduation. She is pursuing her Master of Laws degree in Environmental & Energy Law, focused on Indigenous Rights, at George Washington University Law School.
|
|
Joseph Gregory (Koyukon Athabascan, Alaska Native descendant) is a second-year law student studying both Indian and Environmental areas of law. Joseph was born and raised in Southern California and came of age walking, trekking, and climbing the mountains, canyons, and deserts of the North American West. Joseph plans to use his legal skills to empower native communities and care for the lands, waters, and ecosystems that care for us, as they have cared for our ancestors in countless ages past.
|
|
Nizhoni McDarment is a proud Tule River Yokut tribal member and Navajo descendant. A daughter of a U.S. Army Soldier, Nizhoni has lived in 8 states over the years, but she is beyond excited to come back home to California for law school. In December 2022, she graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism Sum Cum Laude.
Nizhoni is a Juris Doctorate Candidate at the University of California, Davis School of Law in her 1L year. Prior to law school, she worked as a Digital Content Assistant for the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences where she wrote stories uplifting unique student voices. She was the Historian for University of Kentucky Mock Trial Team, Panhellenic Affairs Vice President for Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Junior Panhellenic Advisor and Delegate for the Panhellenic Council, and a member of Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society. Nizhoni is committed to serving her community and has volunteered as a Head Coach for Girls on the Run Central Kentucky and as the Historian for the Hardin County Teen Court Program. She plans on using her law degree to continue to advocate and represent Native communities. |
CILA 2023 Law Student Scholarship Application is Open!
Celebrating CILA's 2023 3L Affinity Scholar Lena Hutzler
|
Join CILA in congratulating our 2023 3L Affinity Scholar, Lena Hutzler! This scholarship will support Lena as she studies to take the Bar. Lena Marie Hutzler is a Karuk tribal member and Yurok descendant from Orleans, California. In May she graduated from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at ASU with a Juris Doctor as well as an Indian Law Certificate. During law school, Lena worked as a summer law clerk for the California Tribal Families Coalition, the Yurok Tribe and externed with the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group. Before law school, she worked as a Cultural Resources Technician and as a Natural Resources Technician for the Karuk Department of Natural Resources. She plans in using her law degree to continue to advocate for Native communities.
|
APPLICATION CLOSED: CILA 3L Affinity Scholarship
|
Apply now for CILA's 3L Affinity Scholarship! CILA will award one $5,000 scholarship to a recent law school graduate planning to take the bar exam this summer! To apply, email us at [email protected] with your statement of interest, resume, and transcript. Applications are closed.
|
Congratulations to the 2023 ChangeLawyers & CILA 3L Diversity Scholar:
Chloe Freeman!
|
Chloë is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, and is of Lenni Lenape, Shawnee, and Cherokee descent. She holds a B.F.A. in Dance from San Diego State University and will graduate with a J.D. and a specialization in Critical Race Studies from UCLA School of Law this May. Chloe’s journey from dance to law is tethered by her commitment to justice—as a dance artist, Chloë’s work centered on movement as a means for social change, and as a law student and future attorney, she is committed to justice and liberation for marginalized communities. Chloë is the Co-Editor in Chief of the Indigenous Peoples’ Journal of Law, Culture, & Resistance, where she proudly supports Indigenous legal scholarship, and she has also served on the board of the Native American Law Students Association for all three years of law school. Fueled by her ancestors’ experiences of harm at the hands of colonial systems, Chloë is committed to federal Indian law as a means of liberation and self-determination for Indigenous communities in California and beyond.
|
CILA 2021 Native American Law Student Scholarship
Announcing the ChangeLawyers 3L Diversity Scholarship & CILA Co-Sponsored Scholarship
The scholarship application closed February 16, 2021. CILA is pleased to announce that Ryann Garcia is the recipient of this year's award.
The scholarship application closed February 16, 2021. CILA is pleased to announce that Ryann Garcia is the recipient of this year's award.
|
|
Please join us in congratulating The Spring 2021 CILA Scholars!
Each recipient received a $2500.00 award to continue their legal studies. Please check back in Summer 2021 for the announcement of the Fall 2021 CILA Scholarship.
|
|
Please join us in congratulating the recipient of the 2020 3L Diversity Scholarship, Ms. Janet Bill! |
|
|
|
2019 CILA Scholarship Recipients Announced at the 19th Annual California Indian Law Conference Gala
The full list of scholarship recipients is linked here. Congrats to all of these amazing students!
CILA Scholarship Announcement:
Four $2,500 Native Law Student Scholarships!
Application Deadline: September 3, 2019
| 8-1-19_cila_application_-_four__2500_scholarships_for_native_law_students_in_california.pdf |
The California Indian Law Association (CILA) is proud to announce that it will be offering four (4) $2,500 scholarships to current Native American law school students to assist with law school expenses. These scholarships are made possible through a generous donation from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Scholarship requirements:
Scholarship requirements:
- Applicants must be either a current: (1) Native American law school student studying in a California law school; (2) affiliated with federally or non-federally recognized California Tribe studying in any US law school; and/or (3) Native American law school student studying in any US law school, but planning on taking the California Bar and practicing in California. Please clearly state which requirement you meet in your personal statement.
- Preference will be given to applicants affiliated with federally or non-federally recognized California Tribes, but all Native American law school students are encouraged to apply.
- In a personal statement, please describe: (1) your past, present, and future commitment to serving Native American communities; (2) leadership and/or community service roles you currently have or have held in the past; and/or (3) what you hope to do with your law degree. Please limit your statement to three pages.
- Resume.
- Description or documentation of your tribal affiliation.
- Provide the contact information for (1) one academic reference and (1) professional reference.
- Unofficial law school transcript.
- Application form. (Download the application above)
2019 CILA Native Law Student Scholarships!
| cila_scholarship_for_native_law_students_application.pdf |
The California Indian Law Association (CILA) is proud to announce that it will be offering two $5,000 scholarships to current Native American law school students to assist with law school expenses. These new scholarships are made possible through a generous donation from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Scholarship requirements:
Scholarship requirements:
- Applicants must be either a current: (1) Native American law school student studying in a California law school; (2) affiliated with federally or non-federally recognized California Tribe studying in any US law school; and/or (3) Native American law school student studying in any US law school, but planning on taking the California Bar and practicing in California. Please clearly state which requirement you meet in your personal statement.
- Preference will be given to applicants affiliated with federally or non-federally recognized California Tribes, but all Native American law school students are encouraged to apply.
- In a personal statement, please describe: (1) your past, present, and future commitment to serving Native American communities; (2) leadership and/or community service roles you currently have or have held in the past; and/or (3) what you hope to do with your law degree. Please limit your statement to three pages.
- Resume.
- Description or documentation of your tribal affiliation.
- Provide the contact information for (1) one academic reference and (1) professional reference.
- Unofficial law school transcript.
- Application form. (Download the application above)
Please email all application materials to John Haney at [email protected] by March 8, 2019.
Thank you for applying for the 2019 CILA 3L Diversity Scholarship!
CILA is proud to offer a 2019 3L Diversity Scholarship in partnership with California ChangeLawyers (formerly California Bar Foundation).
To learn more please visit https://www.changelawyers.org/apply.html
To learn more please visit https://www.changelawyers.org/apply.html
Thank you to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for your generous donation!
CILA is proud to announce that it will offer additional scholarships in 2019. These new scholarships are made possible through a generous donation from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Thank you for supporting the next generation of Native attorneys in California!
Learn more about San Manuel Band of Mission Indians at https://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov/
Learn more about San Manuel Band of Mission Indians at https://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov/
CILA Announces 2018 3L Diversity Bar Review Scholarship Recipient
Dylan Rain Tree
For Immediate Release
September 13, 2018
Contact: John Haney, [email protected]
The California Indian Law Association (“CILA”) is proud to announce its 2018 3L Diversity Bar Review Scholarship recipient, Mr. Dylan Rain Tree. For the second year in a row, CILA has partnered with the California Bar Foundation to offer this scholarship opportunity. This year’s scholarship provided a monetary stipend to assist with the costs of living and studying for the California Bar Examination.
Mr. Rain Tree is an enrolled member of the Dunlap Band of Mono Indians, a graduate of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University (Spring 2018), and is currently working from Fresno, California as a law clerk for Titla & Parsi, PLLC, a law firm which specializes in, among other things, Federal Indian Law and Tribal Law. He previously interned with the Office of the Prosecutor at the Gila River Indian Community, was a summer law clerk at the Native American Rights Fund, and was a judicial extern for the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County, Civil Division. CILA is proud to announce Mr. Rain Tree as this year’s Scholarship recipient, was proud to help support him through his bar studies, and wishes him the best of luck in his endeavors.
CILA extends special acknowledgement and appreciation to the California Bar Foundation for matching the funds for the Scholarship and providing the leadership and infrastructure for these important 3L Diversity Scholarships.
September 13, 2018
Contact: John Haney, [email protected]
The California Indian Law Association (“CILA”) is proud to announce its 2018 3L Diversity Bar Review Scholarship recipient, Mr. Dylan Rain Tree. For the second year in a row, CILA has partnered with the California Bar Foundation to offer this scholarship opportunity. This year’s scholarship provided a monetary stipend to assist with the costs of living and studying for the California Bar Examination.
Mr. Rain Tree is an enrolled member of the Dunlap Band of Mono Indians, a graduate of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University (Spring 2018), and is currently working from Fresno, California as a law clerk for Titla & Parsi, PLLC, a law firm which specializes in, among other things, Federal Indian Law and Tribal Law. He previously interned with the Office of the Prosecutor at the Gila River Indian Community, was a summer law clerk at the Native American Rights Fund, and was a judicial extern for the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County, Civil Division. CILA is proud to announce Mr. Rain Tree as this year’s Scholarship recipient, was proud to help support him through his bar studies, and wishes him the best of luck in his endeavors.
CILA extends special acknowledgement and appreciation to the California Bar Foundation for matching the funds for the Scholarship and providing the leadership and infrastructure for these important 3L Diversity Scholarships.