Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship
In an ideal world, the criminal justice system would be fair and treat everyone equally. In practice, however, members of historically underserved groups in society continue to fall through the cracks, receiving harsher punishments and less assistance than they deserve.
At Silver Law Firm, our Oakland criminal defense lawyers believe that reform is possible. In recognition of the importance of making the criminal justice system fair and equitable for everyone, we invite students interested in social work and public defense to apply for the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship.
Silver Law Firm invites undergraduate and graduate students with ambitions of becoming public defenders, social workers, district attorneys, and legal professionals to submit their scholarship applications before January 30, 2026. Applicants have the opportunity to win $2,500 to dedicate toward their continuing studies.
Who Is Eligible?
Silver Law Firm is proud to offer its Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship to United States undergraduate and graduate students interested in social work, public defense, and legal services.
Silver Law Firm will give greater weight to essays written by candidates who are currently or formerly justice-involved or have parents who are currently or formerly justice-involved.
The scholarship selection committee requires students to fully complete the scholarship application form found on this page and complete an essay between 500 and 1,000 words (uploaded as a PDF) addressing the topic below. Students must also be prepared to submit proof of enrollment at an accredited institution as well as agree to the terms and conditions.
Silver Law Firm and the scholarship selection committee cannot accept late scholarships or scholarships filed without all applicable materials.
Scholarship Essay Topic
To qualify for the Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship, please explain how your education will contribute to criminal justice reform and help amplify the voices of those who are often unheard or underserved. Your essay should go into detail about how you may make the legal system more equitable for everyone.
In your essay, you can address the following:
- Describe an area of the criminal justice system that is in need of reform or a group that is systemically underserved within it.
- Provide a detailed description of your educational and professional goals.
- Explain how your education will further your career and help you to contribute to the reform you think is necessary.
Strategies for Writing a Strong Scholarship Essay
Students applying for the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship should include the following elements in their scholarship essays:
- A catchy and original title
- A bibliography citing sources used to round out their essay
- In-line citations
Silver Law Firm also requests that students include a header mentioning their:
- Full name
- Student ID number
- The name of the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship
- The name of their college, university, or graduate school
- The mailing address for their school’s financial aid office
- The email address for the financial aid office
- The phone number for the financial aid office
Once students complete their essays, they should save their files in PDF format using the following naming template: “[Scholarship Name and Year] – [Student Name].”
AI and the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship
Silver Law Firm and its scholarship committee strongly recommend that students avoid using AI to brainstorm their scholarship essays. The use of AI to generate an essay wholesale or misrepresent legal facts will result in a student’s automatic removal from the application pool.
When to Submit Your Scholarship Application
If you want to apply for the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship, please submit your application through the form on this page by January 30, 2026. The scholarship selection committee with Silver Law Firm cannot accept late applications.
After January 30, 2026, the team reserves up to three months to select its winning student. The team asks that neither students nor their families contact Silver Law Firm with questions about the status of a student’s application during this timeframe. The team cannot accept emails, calls, or other communications regarding the scholarship for legal reasons.
Terms and Conditions
All applicants to this scholarship must meet the eligibility requirements as laid out on the scholarship application page, including:
- The applicant must be enrolled at a college, university, or graduate school.
- The applicant must be at least 18 years old at the time of enrollment.
- The applicant must have residency in the United States.
- The applicant must be in good academic standing.
- The applicant must submit some personal information, including name, contact information, and academic information.
- The applicant must author an original essay on the scholarship topic provided.
Anyone who meets the following conditions is NOT eligible to apply:
- Employees or children of employees of Silver Law Firm
- Past recipients of the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship
- Applicants who are unable/unwilling to be interviewed by a representative of Silver Law Firm if they were to be awarded a scholarship.
- Applicants who submit the same essay for multiple scholarships or multiple years in a row
Selection and Award Notification Process
The scholarship selection committee reserves up to three months to choose the winner of the Improving Criminal Justice Reform: Advocating for the Voiceless Scholarship from the applicant pool.
Age, race, religion, gender, national origin, familial status, or other protected classes will have no influence on the committee’s decision.
Silver Law Firm will only contact its scholarship winner upon that winner’s selection. The firm cannot connect with non-winning students at this time. Once the winner accepts the scholarship, Silver Law Firm will post a press release and blog post on its website celebrating that student’s achievements. The firm will send the winnings directly to the school of the student’s choice.
Previous Winners
Silver Law Firm looks forward to celebrating its future scholarship winners here. Check back to read blog posts and press releases applauding each scholarship winner’s academic and personal achievements.