In 21 years, the Justice & Diversity Center’s (JDC) Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship program has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to 110 students with scholarships that are generally $10,000 per year. We are excited to announce that the 2022 applications are now open. Do you know someone interested in going to law school who could use financial assistance? Let them know to apply by May 27. 

We have had great success stories of past recipients who became associates with top law firms, public interest offices, corporations and government entities including: Keker Van Nest & Peters; Morrison & Foerster; LuxBus America, San Mateo District Attorney’s Office, California Rural Legal Assistance Inc., Square, Worksafe Inc., and the U.S. Department of Justice. One recipient clerked for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, another clerked for the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California and yet another recent recipient is a Fulbright Scholar. 

In October 2018, JDC celebrated our first scholarship recipient to be named a California Superior Court judge. Judge Amarra Lee is the first African American woman judge to serve on the San Mateo County Superior Court, and with the help of the scholarship program, she was able to complete law school. Growing up, Lee recalled observing a power dynamic between her grandmother and the judge when they went to court. Throughout her journey in law, she often thought about their exchange and the structural imbalance, shaping her ambition to become a judge herself. 

"BASF's Minority Scholarship was a critical component of my legal education. It financed the pursuit of my dream of legal practice. What I didn't expect is the community and mentorship that came along with the scholarship. The BASF community was invaluable to me as a young attorney," said Lee.

"Now as a young judge, the connections that started with my scholarship still continue to support me along this journey. This is why I still serve on the BASF Minority Scholarship Committee. I hope to be a blessing to future attorneys by investing my time and resources in their success. That is what BASF's Minority Scholarship taught me and I plan to emulate that lesson in my career and service in this legal community."

Apply to the Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship today. 

---

Learn More About the Bay Area Minority Scholarship