Diversity Awards

Scholarships

APABA Silicon Valley is now accepting applications for its 2023 law firm and corporate legal diversity awards. Each year the bar recognizes applicants that demonstrate exceptional commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in the greater legal community.

For more information and to download the application, please click the links below:
   •  2023 Corporate Legal Diversity Award Application
   •  2023 Law Firm Diversity Award Application

Please send completed application by August 11, 2023 @ 5pm to diversity.apabasv@gmail.com.

The awards will be presented at the annual APABA Silicon Valley Gala on September 8, 2023.

Please feel free to forward this information to other in-house or firm attorneys.

Questions? Email us at: diversity.apabasv@gmail.com.

Law Firm Award Recipients

Corporate Award Recipients

↑ Top

The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley ("APABA Silicon Valley") Charity Foundation is pleased to invite applications for the APABA Silicon Valley Achievement Scholarship. This scholarship is focused on, but not limited to, helping students who are interested in pursuing public interest legal work (e.g., government work, service to under-represented communities, immigration issues, or human trafficking issues related to the AAPI community). The scholarship aims to recognize law students in the greater Bay Area who have:

• Overcome personal hardships or challenges;

• Shown excellence and achievement in law school;

• Demonstrated leadership potential and a history of involvement with student, professional, or civic organizations; and

• Demonstrated leadership and service to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

AWARDS: Two (2) scholarships of $10,000 each OR up to four (4) scholarships of $5,000 each.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Résumé submission. Please include grade point average if applicable. Grade point average and enrollment are subject to verification.

2. Essay submission (two page maximum). The essay should address how the applicant satisfies the above-mentioned purpose of the scholarship.

3. Interview. Finalists will be interviewed on Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14, 2024.

In addition, APABA Silicon Valley Charity Foundation requires that all scholarship recipients:

• Attend and volunteer at the APABA Silicon Valley Annual Gala in Fall 2024 (assuming the event isn’t postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19);

• Become a Student Member of APABA Silicon Valley (free of charge - sign up here);

• Participate as APABA Silicon Valley’s Student Liaison at his or her law school by advertising APABA Silicon Valley events and rallying fellow law students to attend APABA Silicon Valley events and advertising scholarships for the APABA Silicon Valley Charity Foundation;

• Join and actively participate in an APABA Silicon Valley Committee; and

• Become a New Member with APABA Silicon Valley upon graduation.

Please email your applications to scholarship@apabasv.com. A copy of the flyer can be found here.

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact us at scholarship@apabasv.com.

↑ Top

The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (“APABA Silicon Valley”) Charity Foundation and the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom Foundation (“BALIF Foundation”) are pleased to announce a special joint scholarship for law students who have a demonstrated commitment to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) and LGBTQI communities.

PURPOSE: To recognize law students in the greater Bay Area who have shown excellence and achievement in
law school and have:

• Overcome personal hardships or challenges;

• Shown excellence and achievement in law school;

• Demonstrated leadership potential and a history of involvement with AAPI and LGBTQI student, professional, or civic organizations; and

• Demonstrated service in support of their local AAPI and LGBTQI communities.

AWARD: One (1) joint scholarship of $5,000.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Application for the scholarship includes the following:

• Résumé submission. Please include grade point average if applicable. The applicant’s grade point average and law school enrollment are subject to verification.

• Essay submission (two page maximum). The essay should address how the applicant fulfills the above-mentioned purpose of the scholarship.

• Interview. Scholarship finalists will be interviewed on Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14, 2024.

The APABA Silicon Valley Charity & the BALIF Foundation also require that the recipient:

• Attend and volunteer at the APABA Silicon Valley Annual Gala in Fall 2024 (assuming the event isn’t postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19);

• Attend the BALIF Annual Gala in 2024 (invited, assuming the event isn’t postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19; not required to attend);

• Become a Student Member of APABA Silicon Valley (free of charge - sign up here) and BALIF ($10 – sign up here);

• Participate as APABA Silicon Valley’s Student Liaison at his or her law school by (i) advertising APABA Silicon Valley events and scholarships, and (ii) encouraging fellow law students to attend events and apply for future scholarships;

• Join and actively participate in an APABA Silicon Valley Committee; and

• Become a New Member with APABA Silicon Valley and BALIF upon graduation.

Please email your applications to scholarship@apabasv.com. A copy of the flyer can be found here.

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact us at scholarship@apabasv.com. Please note that applying for this scholarship doesn’t preclude you from applying for the APABA Silicon Valley Achievement Scholarship as well. We encourage you to apply for both if applicable, but two separate essay submissions will be required if so.

↑ Top

The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley (“APABA Silicon Valley”) Charity Foundation has partnered with the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association (“CLA”) to present a scholarship for law students in their final year of law school who have demonstrated an intent to pursue a career in litigation and have shown commitment to serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) community.

PURPOSE: To recognize a law student in their final year of law school who will sit for the California Bar Exam, has shown excellence and achievement in law school, and has:

• Overcome personal hardships or challenges;

• Demonstrated financial need (preference will also be given to students who do not already have bar study expenses covered);

• Demonstrated intent to pursue a career in litigation following graduation;

• Demonstrated leadership potential and a history of involvement with AAPI student, professional, or civic organizations; and

• Demonstrated service in support of their local AAPI communities & commitment to social justice.

AWARD: One (1) scholarship of $5,000.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Application for the scholarship must include the following:

• Résumé. Please include any litigation work experience you have.

• Transcript. Please include a copy of your law school transcript. The applicant’s grade point average and law school enrollment are subject to verification.

• Essay submission (two page maximum). The essay should address how the applicant fulfills the above-mentioned purpose of the scholarship.

• Proof of Financial Need. Include any supporting documentation to verify the applicant’s law school debt and overall student loan debt.

• Proof of Eligibility. Priority will be given to applicants who do not already have bar study expenses covered. Please disclose in your application email if you will already be receiving funds to help cover bar study related expenses (i.e., from employer stipends and/or other bar study scholarships).

• Interview. Scholarship finalists will be interviewed on Saturday-Sunday, April 13-14, 2024.

The APABA Silicon Valley Charity & CLA Litigation Section also require that the recipient:

• Attend and volunteer at the APABA Silicon Valley Annual Gala in Fall 2024 (assuming the event is not postponed/cancelled due to COVID-19).

• Become a Student Member of APABA Silicon Valley (free of charge - sign up here).

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to become members of the Litigation Section of CLA after passing the California Bar Exam and securing full-time employment.

• Applicant must be planning to sit for the California Bar, and use the scholarship for bar study/exam expenses within 9 months of award disbursement (anticipated award disbursement: May/June 2024).

• Applicants may only receive one bar study scholarship sponsored by the CLA Litigation Section. If you have already received one from another bar association, you are not eligible to apply.

Please email your applications to scholarship@apabasv.com. A copy of the flyer can be found here.

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact us at scholarship@apabasv.com. Please note that applying for this scholarship doesn’t preclude you from applying for the APABA Silicon Valley Achievement Scholarship or joint APABA Silicon Valley & BALIF Scholarship as well. We encourage you to apply for as many as you are eligible for, but please note that separate essay submissions will be required for each, if so.

↑ Top

APABA Silicon Valley is partnering with California ChangeLawyers to award a cash scholarship totaling $5,000, which includes California bar exam-related support and discounted bar prep rates. This scholarship is open to all diverse recent 2023 law grads and soon-to-be graduates that intend to sit for the July 2024 California Bar Exam. APABA Silicon Valley is specifically looking to award the “3L Diversity Scholarship” in recognition of a law student in the Bay Area who (1) has demonstrated a commitment to Asian Pacific American communities in the Bay Area, (2) has an interest to continue practicing law and serving Asian Pacific American communities in the Bay Area after graduation, (3) is an active member of or plans to become an active member of APABA Silicon Valley, and (4) wants to pursue a public interest career or has demonstrated a commitment to social justice

Scholarship recipients will be recognized at virtual events and online by APABA Silicon Valley and ChangeLawyers.

The application will remain open until March 4, 2024. ALL materials must be submitted by that deadline. No exceptions or extensions will be provided.

Scholarship recipients will be announced in the week of March 25.

To apply, click HERE.

↑ Top