2020 Scholarship Recipients
General Counsel, P.C. was honored to award the 2020 General Counsel, P.C. First Generation Law Student Scholarship to Christoper Pineda and Yongbin Chang. The First Generation Law Student Scholarship seeks to help students by “Remembering the Past, Building the Future.” Mr. Pineda and Mr. Chang are exceptional not only in what they have accomplished by being first generation law students; they are exceptional as individuals and leaders.
Mr. Pineda is a 2nd year student at the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law. He is the son of Salvadoran-immigrant parents and a first generation law student. As described within one of his recommendations, Mr. Pineda “had a special connection to USC even before he stepped on campus . . . [h]is mother has worked at USC since the 1980s. Chris was proud that his mom, a Salvadoran immigrant and campus cashier-turned administrator could finally say that one of her kids was a “Trojan.” In his essay, Mr. Pineda wrote that “[a]s first-generation Latinx professionals, our intersectionality puts us at a higher risk of feeling underserved or alienated at elite institutions. We must be proactive in supporting each other to maximize our potential. . . . We deserve to be here, and we deserve to feel that way too.” Read Mr. Pineda's full essay here.
Mr. Chang is a 2nd year student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. As stated in his LinkedIn profile, Mr. Chang is a first-generation, AAPI-identifying, and undocumented professional. As written in his essay, “I carry not just the weight of my own future but the weight of my family’s. . . . My perspectives are motivated by my personal experience as a low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented student . . . and fueled by my desire to pay it forward. My own lived experiences drove me to the field of law, as I learned how competent, just lawyers could make a big impact. The law can illegalize and harm, but it has the power to humanize and protect as well. This is a reality that I have not only seen but lived. I believe that through the law and the legal profession, I can serve the underserved, build generational capital for my family, and shape the legal profession to a better place.” Read Mr. Chang's full essay here.
Learn more about our former First Generation Law Student Scholarship recipients.
General Counsel, P.C. will accept applications for the 2021 General Counsel, P.C. First Generation Law Student Scholarship from October 1st to October 31st, 2021. No early or late applications will be accepted.
This scholarship is open to 2nd Year Law Students who are the first in their family to attend law school. We will be awarding $1,500 to two (2) outstanding applicants.
Application Submissions:
Applications must be submitted between October 1st and October 31st, 2021. No early or late applications will be accepted.
Due to the time required to review each application, only the first fifty (50) applications will be accepted. When/if fifty (50) applications have been received, we will provide notice here.
Applications should be sent to scholarships@gcpc.com
Award: $1,500 Per Recipient
Eligibility:
- Must be the first in your family to attend law school
- Must be 2nd Year Law student currently attending an accredited law school in the U.S.
- Must have first year law school GPA of 3.0 (or better)
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident; 18 years or older
Requirements:
- 1-2 page essay describing your personal journey, what it means to you to be a first generation law student, and your goals/aspirations
- At least one (1) letter of recommendation discussing why you should be awarded the First Generation Law Student Scholarship
- Law School Transcript
- Current Resume
Other:
- Winning recipients agree and grant General Counsel, P.C., its agents and/or representatives, permission to post the applicant’s name, picture, school or university, and winning essay on the firm’s website, www.generalcounsellaw.com, and the firm’s marketing platforms, including but not limited to blog, newsletter, and social media accounts.
- “Family” as used herein is defined as grandparents, parents, and/or siblings.
“We are delighted to offer this scholarship to students who are the first in their family to attend law school,” said Merritt Green, Founder/Managing Partner, General Counsel, P.C. “We feel this scholarship is a great way to educate the legal community on what it means to be a first generation law student, and how these students can help pave the way for future generations.”
