MABA is committed to helping our students navigate the high cost of attending law school. The list below includes a number of state and local scholarships and fellowships available to Latina/o law students. Students are encouraged to contact the appropriate school or organization for the most up-to-date information regarding each scholarship listed below.

Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla Law Clerkships

The Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla offers law clerkships in our Washington D.C. office. Law Clerks’ responsibilities will include conducting research, drafting memoranda, tracking legislation, preparing for committee hearings, evaluating court decisions and legal trends, and assisting counsel with Senator Padilla’s portfolio on the Judiciary Committee.  Please click here to submit your application. All applications must be submitted through the OAM system. Should you have any questions regarding our clerkships, please do not hesitate to contact us at internship_padilla@padilla.senate.gov.

Deadline: May 3, 2021 by 11:59pm ET

MABA High School Scholarship Application

In 2015, the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County (“MABA”) launched its High School Scholarship Program (HSSP) for Latino/a high school seniors attending schools that participate in MABA’s Student Outreach Program. The scholarship seeks to assist students with college-related expenses. In awarding the scholarship, MABA considers each applicant’s financial need, community service, leadership experience, and any hardship experienced in pursuing an education. Because MABA is firmly committed to community empowerment, all students, including undocumented students, are eligible to apply. MABA will award a minimum of (5) $1,000 scholarships.

Deadline: April 16, 2021

To download an application, please click here. 

Mexican American Bar Foundation Scholarship

The Mexican American Bar Foundation is a tax-exempt section 501(c)(3) charitable corporation dedicated to providing financial assistance to men and women of Chicano and Latino heritage who intend to pursue careers in the law. Since 1991, working with minimal overhead, we have awarded over $600,000 in the form of 216 scholarships to 183 individual students attending ABA-accredited law schools in Los Angeles County, including Loyola, Pepperdine, Southwestern, UCLA, and USC. Nearly two-thirds of our scholars are Latinas.

Deadline: February 12, 2021

For application information, click here.

Latina Lawyers Bar Association

The Latina Lawyers Bar Association announces a scholarship program for law students enrolled at a law school in California. The scholarship program will award scholarships to outstanding law students. The scholarship funds may be used towards expenses related to a student’s attendance at a California law school or towards the expenses related to preparation for the California Bar Examination. Preference will be given to Latina law students.

Deadline: TBD 2021 

For application information, click here.

California Bar Foundation Diversity Scholarship

Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded more than $2.9 million through its scholarship programs. Launched for the first time in 2008, the Diversity Scholarship seeks to support newly admitted law students from groups historically underrepresented in the legal profession who have committed to attend a California law school. Candidates apply for the Scholarship at the beginning of the summer prior to commencing their law school studies. The Scholarship helps pay the costs of obtaining a law school education, including tuition, fees, books, and related education expenses. Awards of up to $7,500 recognize incoming first year law students with financial need who demonstrate a desire to make a positive impact as a community leader.

Deadline: February 16, 2021

For application information, click here.

USC’s Rodolfo Montes Scholarship (USC Law School Only)

Dr. Rodolfo Montes was born in Mexico in 1918, the oldest of four children. His father was president of the largest oil company in Mexico, but because of the Revolution his family left the country and eventually settled in Los Angeles. Most of the family fortune was lost during the Depression, and after deciding to pursue a profession to support himself, Rodolfo enrolled in USC’s School of Dentistry. After graduating, Dr. Montes set up practice in East Los Angeles where he was impressed by the challenges and hardships faced by members of the community. In addition to being an important source of free or highly discounted dental service for many of those in need, his practice became a supportive center of the neighborhood in a wider sense. The Dr. Rodolfo Montes Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the spirit of a self-made man who worked hard for his community and who valued the notion of giving people the resources to help themselves.

Dr. Rodolfo Montes Memorial Scholarships are paid in the form of tuition awards. Scholarships are awarded only to USC graduate student nominees who demonstrate a need for financial assistance, who have outstanding academic records and a history of community involvement, and who are enrolled full-time at the Gould School of Law. Preference will be given to those candidates who exemplify leadership, or demonstrate a potential for leadership, within the local Hispanic community.

Deadline: Varies

For application information, click here.

USC Latino Alumni Association (LAA)

The USC Latino Alumni Association (LAA) is one of the nation’s leading Latino alumni organizations, devoted to the academic advancement and development of Latino students attending USC. The association is made up of USC students, alumni and friends, working together to provide support, leadership training, service opportunities and networking.         

Deadline: March 21, 2021 

For application information, click here.

Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund Scholarship

Since MALDEF's founding, it has been an organizational hallmark to support the next generation of lawyers who will advance the civil rights of the Latino community. MALDEF's Law School Scholarship Program awards scholarships of varying amounts to several students each year based on their commitment to serve the Latino community through law; their past achievement and potential for achievement; and their financial need.

Deadline: Varies 

For application information, click here.

Loyola Law School Scholarships

These scholarships are open to currently enrolled Loyola Law School students .

Deadline: Varies

For application information, click here.

Beverly Hills Bar Foundation Scholarship

Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than one million dollars in scholarships to deserving law students attending UCLA, USC, Loyola, Pepperdine, and Southwestern law schools. Today prominent lawyers, judges, legislators, and community leaders stand among the ranks of scholarship recipients.

The Foundation is expanding its law school scholarship program to outstanding students from other area law schools. Recently, the Foundation initiated an innovative program of "bridge loans" for graduating law students to assist them with living expenses while preparing for the California Bar Exam.

Deadline: TBD 2021

For application information, click here.

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles is pleased once again to offer tuition scholarships to law students who have demonstrated a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children.  WLALA is an active bar association that seeks to promote the interests of women, and to promote equality and equal opportunity of all people.

Deadline: Closed 2021

For application information, click here.