TEXAS YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION Diversity in the Profession Scholarship Program 2024–2025

TYLA Organizational History & Committee Overview
The Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) began over 80 years ago as the Texas Junior Bar association. Growing from an initial
membership of 200 lawyers, the organization now boasts over 34,000 members. The TYLA’s regular membership is comprised of
all members of the State Bar of Texas, irrespective of age, licensed twelve (12) years or less at the beginning of each fiscal year
beginning June 1.
TYLA has special committees that promote projects and programs aimed at either assisting lawyers in their profession or serving
the public. Each committee’s specific goals are accomplished through the work of its volunteer Board members. To further TYLA’s
commitment to the future of the profession, it also serves and helps law students throughout the state.
TYLA’s Commitment to Diversity
TYLA has a steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, to further the Bar’s purposes of improving the
quality of legal services and regulating the legal profession. To that end, TYLA’s objectives and goals for diversity are:
• to help and encourage persons with diverse experiences and backgrounds to enter the legal profession;
• to promote increased participation by diverse lawyers in the activities, programs, and projects of the Texas Young
Lawyers Association and the State Bar of Texas; and
• to encourage all members of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the State Bar of Texas to acknowledge the
importance of diversity, to promote greater inclusion of diverse members of the profession, and to facilitate greater
access to programs, services, and employment opportunities for diverse members of the profession.
The TYLA Diversity Scholarship Program is one of the many TYLA sponsored projects designed to meet these objectives each
year. A committee made up of TYLA Directors will review all applications and select the scholarship recipients based on the criteria
described below.
Scholarship Criteria and Eligibility
TYLA intends to award three scholarships, first place $5,000, second place $3,000, and third place $1,500 to one or more law
students from the ABA-accredited law schools or ABA-provisionally approved law schools in Texas. The recipient must be attending
one of these Texas law schools.
The scholarships are open to students of any ethnicity or gender, and diverse backgrounds include and are not limited to diversity
based on gender, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, socioeconomic
status, geography, and life experience.
In awarding the scholarships, TYLA will consider the applicant’s resume, response to the attached three essay questions, letter(s) of
recommendation, and criteria to include but not limited to demonstrated commitment to diversity in the profession, academic
performance, involvement in community/extracurricular activities including student organizations and affinity groups, and financial need.
These applications will be graded as follows:
1) Essay Question Response: 20 points each (for a total of 60 points)
2) Degree of Financial Need: 30 points
3) Letter of Recommendation and Resume: 10 points
An application may be downloaded from the TYLA website (www.tyla.org). Applications may also be obtained at the law school
financial aid office or by contacting either of the addresses or phone numbers listed below:

Texas Young Lawyers Association
Tracy Brown, Executive Director
1414 Colorado, 4th Floor
Austin, Tx 78701
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(512) 427-1529
Office of Minority Affairs, State Bar of Texas
Caren Cheavens, Director
1414 Colorado, 5th Floor
Austin, Tx 78701
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(512) 427-1538