The 2017 CBF Abraham Lincoln Marovitz
Public Interest Law Scholarship
Information and Guidelines
Background Information
Throughout his distinguished life and career, the Honorable Abraham Lincoln Marovitz
was a firm believer that financial need should not be a bar to dedicated young students
who want to pursue careers in public service. For almost a century, Judge Marovitz
consistently demonstrated his commitment to young people from disadvantaged
backgrounds through a variety of charitable activities. Prior to his death in 2001, Judge
Marovitz insured that this legacy would continue by establishing funding for a number
of charitable initiatives, including The Chicago Bar Foundation Abraham Lincoln
Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholarship.
The CBF Marovitz Scholarship is awarded annually to an incoming first-year law
student pursuing a J.D. degree at one of the nine Illinois law schools (Chicago-Kent
College of Law, University of Chicago Law School, DePaul University College of Law,
University of Illinois College of Law, John Marshall Law School, Loyola University
School of Law, Northern Illinois University Law School, Northwestern University School
of Law and Southern Illinois University School of Law). These funds, payable over a
three-year period to the recipient’s law school, enable an incoming J.D. student who
intends to pursue a career in public interest law to have a significant portion of his or
her tuition and related expenses covered by Scholarship funding. Contingent on the
recipient’s continued compliance with the terms of the Scholarship, the student will
receive $10,000 in the first year of law school, $15,000 in the second year, and $15,000
in the third year. (The payment schedule may be modified for part-time students.)
A recipient of the CBF Walter H. Moses Sr. and Walter H. Moses Jr. Scholarship is not
eligible to receive the Marovitz Scholarship, and vice versa.
Purpose of the Scholarship
The CBF Marovitz Scholarship is intended to support an incoming needy J.D. student
who is deeply committed to public interest work so that upon graduation financial need
will not prevent the student from pursuing a public interest legal career. The
Scholarship provides funds for needy public interest-minded students so they may
complete law school with as little debt as possible. In addition to the financial aspect of
the award for the individual student recipient, the broader goals of the Scholarship are
to:
- Create a support structure for individual recipients so they have a richer, more
complete public interest focus during law school.
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Create recognition by the greater public interest law community of the commitment
or special talent of the recipient, thus assisting that individual in job searches upon
graduation from law school.
Raise awareness about the practice of public interest law.
Create an incentive for law schools to promote and support public interest law
activities.
Build, over time, a group of former recipients who will benefit the public interest law
community of the Chicago area through their practice of law.
Financial Administration of Scholarships
The CBF Marovitz Scholarship recipient’s law school is responsible for all aspects of
administering Scholarship funding. Law school financial aid offices are best equipped to
administer such funds. The CBF distributes the Scholarship funds to the law school,
which in turn handles disbursement to the student.
Administrative Responsibilities of Law School
A law school whose student receives the CBF Marovitz Scholarship must:
(1) Publicize the Scholarship and application process to potential recipients;
(2) Provide the CBF with an update each semester, which states that the Scholarship
recipient remains in good academic standing and chronicles student compliance
with the required terms as listed below;
(3) Provide a statement to the CBF upon disbursement of funds for each year of the
Scholarship; and
(4) Maintain updated contact information of the Scholarship recipient during law school
as well as contact information and employment information from graduation
onward.
Criteria for Selection
The CBF will select the incoming first-year J.D. student candidate who best
demonstrates the following:
(1) A solid commitment to public interest issues, as demonstrated by past and present
activities.
(2) The desire to practice public interest law by working at a legal aid or similar public
interest law organization or entity. While the CBF recognizes the importance of all
public service work and commends all attorneys who pursue such careers, for
purposes of this Scholarship “public interest law” is defined consistent with the
CBF’s mission - to ensure that everyone in the Chicago metropolitan area has equal
access to justice, particularly the low-income and disadvantaged Chicagoans who are
in the most critical need of the protections of our civil legal system. Consistent with
this focus, not included in this definition of “public interest law” are judicial
clerkships, private practice, pro bono work in a traditional firm or corporate setting,
most academic work, and state’s attorney and other government work not fitting the
above definition.
(3) A commitment to pursue a career in public interest law, as demonstrated by an
application essay, and possibly a personal interview.
(4) The ability to achieve success as a lawyer, as demonstrated by past achievements in
school or other activities, and taking into account any personal obstacles that the
candidate may have overcome and other relevant considerations.
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(5) Financial need, taking into account other means of funding tuition, such as other
scholarship awards or personal assets.
(6) A demonstrated commitment to live and work in the Chicago area after law school
graduation.
Application Method
Applicants should submit the following materials for consideration by the selection
committee:
(1) Cover letter
(2) Completed “Application Form”
(3) Resume
(4) Official transcript from undergraduate institution (and any graduate institutions)
(5) A minimum of two (2) signed letters of reference speaking to the applicant’s
commitment to public interest work. Applicants may submit up to three (3) letters
of reference. The reference may submit a signed letter directly by mail, fax or pdf or
applicants may submit original signed letters directly.
(6) Brief essay, no more than three (3) pages, explaining the applicant’s interest in and
commitment to pursuing a career in public interest law. Applicants should also
include any information they feel is relevant to the committee’s decision, including
information about the applicant’s financial need, biographical information and/or
particular circumstances.
Complete applications are due by May 19, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. and should be mailed to
Marovitz Public Interest Law Scholarship Selection Committee
c/o Ryanne Easley
The Chicago Bar Foundation
321 S. Plymouth Court, Suite 3B
Chicago, IL 60604.
Applicants with questions regarding the process may contact Ryanne Easley at (312)
554-1247 or [email protected]. The selection committee may choose to conduct a
personal interview with finalists before making their determination.
Recipient Requirements
Recipients of the Scholarship are required to demonstrate a continued commitment to
public interest law to continue receiving funds after the first year. In order to remain
eligible for funding, the Marovitz Scholarship recipient must:
(1) Make a commitment to practice public interest law for at least three of the first five
years following graduation from law school, as the foundation for a career in public
interest;
(2) Participate in a public interest law clinic, internship or other CBF approved project
that will give public interest law experience during the second and third academic
year (this could be for academic credit);
(3) Remain in good academic standing at the law school;
(4) Become a student member of The Chicago Bar Association;
(5) Participate in the Legal Aid Committee of The Chicago Bar Association after the first
year of law school;
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(6) Report to law school administration and the CBF each semester about participation
in public interest activities and compliance with the specific requirements of the
Scholarship; and
(7) Complete an evaluation upon graduation from law school about the recipient’s
Scholarship experience and offer suggestions on how to improve the program for
future participants.
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