2026 Disability Rights Now Scholarship
Offered by Disability Rights Now
About this scholarship
The 2026 Disability Rights Now Scholarship awards $5,000 to one current California law-school student who has a disability and demonstrates commitment to or interest in disability rights and inclusion in the legal profession. Students in years 1L through 3L may apply. The sponsor's mission is to address the major representation gap between people with disabilities in California and employees who identify as disabled within law firms. The application is intentionally direct: candidates email their materials to the named scholarship contact on the official page. Two written responses are required, each limited to 500 words. The first explains how the applicant's disability influenced the desire to pursue a legal career; the second proposes actions that can increase opportunities for people with disabilities working in the profession. The selected recipient must permit Disability Rights Now to use the recipient's name, photograph, and essay excerpts in outreach promoting disability inclusion. Unlike many institutional awards, the $5,000 is sent directly to the student and may be used for tuition, fees, books, housing, or related educational expenses. Email submissions are due September 1, 2026.
Eligibility
- Be a current student at a California law school in year 1L, 2L, or 3L
- Be a student with a disability
- Demonstrate commitment to or interest in disability rights and inclusion in the legal industry
- Write a response of no more than 500 words about disability and the decision to pursue law
- Write a second response of no more than 500 words proposing ways to expand legal-career opportunities
- Agree, if selected, to the sponsor's stated promotional-use terms
- Email the complete application to the official contact by September 1, 2026