First-Generation
Law Student Scholarship

The First-Generation Law Student Scholarship was established to support law students who are the first in their families to pursue a legal career.  AEF applauds their important decision to attend law school, oftentimes in the face of difficult obstacles stemming from being the first in their families to do so. The First-Generation Law Student Scholarship aims to bridge opportunity gaps in the legal industry and promote a more inclusive legal community.  

This year, the AEF First-Generation Law Student Scholarship will award $8,000 to 1-2 law students, who are the first in their families to pursue a legal career and who have demonstrated outstanding academic success in the face of challenging cultural, social, and economic circumstances. 

Eligibility: Current 2L and 3L students in law school who are the first in their families to pursue a legal career with demonstrated financial need. 

IInstructions:  Please submit the following items to applications@aefdc.org: 

(1) A completed application form; 

(2) Resume; 

(3) Two personal statements;

First Statement: In 300 words or less, please submit a statement describing your experience and journey as a first-generation law student.

Second Statement: In 300 words or less, please submit a statement describing what motivated your decision to go to law school. Please also tell us your short-term and long-term career goals.

(4) Law school transcript; and/or

(5) An optional letter of recommendation: 

If you would like, we welcome you to submit a letter of recommendation. This can be from a non-lawyer or a lawyer—anyone who knows you from a professional, extracurricular, volunteer, and/or academic setting would be appropriate. The letter of recommendation should be limited to one page in length. We encourage letters that speak to your public interest experience and/or interest. (This is optional.)

Format: Applications must be submitted in one single PDF file, labeled as “FirstName LastName - Fall 2026 First Gen Application,” and organized in the order delineated above.  Items (1)-(4) are required for a complete application.  The optional letter of recommendation can be emailed separately by your recommender, or combined directly with the application. 

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. 

Interview: You may be contacted for a 20-minute interview with the AEF Board of Directors in late-October.  More information will be provided by email.  

If you have any questions, please contact us at applications@aefdc.org.

Previous winners include:

Anna Li and Gabbie Santos, 2025 Recipients

Lallane Guiao-Seng and Katelyn Zou, 2024 Recipients

Muhammad Ali Ilahi, 2023 Recipient

Amy Lyons, 2022 Recipient

Arshi Baig, 2021 Recipient

Annie Dang, 2020 Recipient