Burnham & Gorokhov, PLLC is pleased to announce our annual White Collar Criminal Defense Scholarship.

While our firm specializes in white collar criminal defense, all of our attorneys have a background in indigent defense, and are committed to the values underlying the Sixth Amendment’s Right to Counsel.  Therefore, for the 2018-2019 academic year, we have set aside a $1,250 scholarship for a student who is working for, or plan to work for, a federal or state public defender’s office–in any unpaid capacity.

The application period runs from January 1, 2018 to May 30, 2018.  Only one applicant will be selected to receive the scholarship.  Applicants should submit their applications to scholarship@burnhamgorokhov.com.  Please read the following for more information.

Important Dates

Applications accepted:  January 1, 2018 – May 30, 2018
Scholarship recipient announced: June 30, 2018

Scholarship Eligibility

This scholarship is eligible to applicants who meet the following criteria:

1. Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited university or other institution of higher learning in the United States.
2. A minimum 3.2 GPA or 75th percentile class rank, whichever is lower.
3. Working for, or will work for, a federal or state public defender’s office in any unpaid capacity.
4. U.S. Citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit the following:

1. A cover letter addressing all of the eligibility criteria. Please be sure to indicate which federal or state public defender’s office you have worked for or will work in, and in what capacity.
2. An essay that conforms to the requirements below. (See Essay Topic for more information).
3. A current copy of your academic transcript.
4. A copy of employment offer letter or contact information from someone in the public defender’s office who can verify employment.
5. Recommended but not required: letters of recommendation from current or past professors and employers.

All documents should be submitted by email to scholarship@burnhamgorokhov.com.

Essay Topic

Please submit a concise essay of 1500 words or less addressing the following topic:

“If you could enact a policy change to the system of indigent defense throughout this country, what would it be and why?”

Selection Process

We will accept applications from January 1, 2018 until May 30, 2018.  From the pool of eligible applicants who submitted completed applications, we will select one individual to receive the scholarship based on his or her academic achievement and written essay.  We will notify the winning applicant by June 30, 2018, and will pay the scholarship in one lump sum.

Scholarship money should be used by applicant for education related expenses.