The Public Interest Scholarship Program recognizes top California law students who demonstrate a commitment to public service, an intent to pursue a career in public interest law, academic excellence, and financial need. The Scholarship helps pay the costs of obtaining a law school education, including tuition, fees, books, and related law school education expenses. Candidates must be nominated by their law school.

The 2008 Public Interest Scholarship is awarded in the fall of 2008 for the 2008-2009 academic year. The 2008 Application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2008.

Criteria

1. Candidate must be enrolled in a California law school:
   • At the time of submitting a Public Interest Scholarship Application (Spring 2008); and
   • In the academic year for which the Public Interest Scholarship is awarded (2008-2009).

2. Candidate must have completed at least one year of study at a California law school by the time Public Interest Scholarships are distributed in September 2008.

3. Candidate must demonstrate and document a strong commitment to public service, as supported by a minimum of three current letters of recommendation, and intend to pursue a public interest legal career after law school.

4. Candidate must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA or equivalent on a 4.0 scale (or provide an explanation of extenuating circumstances if GPA is lower than 2.5).

5. Candidate's law school must certify:
   • Good ethical standing of Candidate while attending law school; and
   • Candidate's financial need.

6. Candidate must be chosen as one of a maximum of five Candidates nominated by his/her law school.

7. Candidates from online law schools must be California residents.

8. Any prior Foundation scholarship awards received by Candidate will be taken into consideration.

Instructions

1. All portions of the Application must be received by the Foundation by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 (the "Application Deadline"). Attachments, letters of recommendation, and law school documents may be submitted separately, but must also be received by the Application Deadline. Please note that in order to provide enough time to select its nominees, a law school typically requires that Candidates submit their Applications to the law school on a date earlier than the Foundation's Application Deadline.

2. Applications may be submitted by mail, delivery service, or fax to:
   Public Interest Scholarship Program
   California Bar Foundation
   180 Howard Street
   San Francisco, CA 94105
   Fax: (415) 856-0788
   

3. Applications postmarked by the Application Deadline but not received in full by the Application Deadline will not be accepted.

4. All documents submitted in association with Candidate's Application for the Public Interest Scholarship, including letters of recommendation, should include the name of Candidate on the upper right-hand corner of each page.

5. See the Application Checklist for a complete list of required documentation that must be submitted.

Conditions

1. Public Interest Scholarship Recipients must:
   • Attend a reception and luncheon in their honor, which is currently scheduled for Thursday, September 25, 2008, in Monterey and held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California. The Foundation will provide stipends to help cover the travel costs of attending this event. Failure to attend may result in forfeiture of Recipient's Public Interest Scholarship, without notice.
   • Provide the Foundation, in a timely fashion, contact information for every date between the end of the current academic year and the date of the Scholarship Reception and Luncheon. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of Recipient's Public Interest Scholarship, without notice.
   • Arrange to have the Foundation receive an end-of-the-year transcript for the 2007-2008 academic year by August 1. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of Recipient's Public Interest Scholarship, without notice.
   • Report back to the Foundation on their legal careers following their law school graduation.

2. Public Interest Scholarship Recipients will be requested to provide a recent digital photograph of themselves upon receiving notification of their award. Please do not send photos with Application.

3. The Foundation reserves the right to use information from Applications and letters of recommendation as part of its publicity of Public Interest Scholarship Recipients.

4. Public Interest Scholarship Recipients are expected to pursue public interest legal careers after law school.

5. Public Interest Scholarship Award Recipients receiving named scholarships may be asked to contact donors supporting their scholarships.