Scholarships

The Justinian Law Society has been a wonderful resource for new lawyers since its founding in 1943. Knowing the massive financial debt many new lawyers face upon graduation from law school, the Justinians have, for decades, distributed scholarships to help ease this burden to deserving Massachusetts law students who are about to embark on legal careers.

Each year between September and November, the Justinian Law Society accepts applications for its annual scholarship awards. Up to three two-thousand five-hundred dollar ($2,500.00) awards will be presented to deserving scholarship recipients, one of which is given in honor of our late past Treasurer, Claire Campo. Scholarships are available to all second and third-year full time/day and all third and fourth-year part-time/evening students with a keen interest in Italian culture and history from any of the nine Massachusetts law schools. A fourth, specially dedicated scholarship, the Thomas A. Pannesi Memorial Scholarship, is available to all second and third-year full time/day and third and fourth-year part-time/evening students attending Suffolk Law School.

We seek to recognize students with demonstrated academic achievement, commitment to their communities, a desire to practice law in the Commonwealth, an interest in Italian-American issues and, of course, becoming members of the Justinian Law Society. To this end we have made available on this website an Application for Scholarship Award and the Scholarship Rules and Instructions (See below).

In order to be considered for the scholarship, applicants must submit the application form, a current resume, a letter of recommendation from the law school dean or a professor who can attest to the applicant’s abilities and character, a personal statement in the form of a letter, and a current law school transcript. An interview may be requested by the Scholarship Committee. The application packet for each year will be accepted any time and must be submitted to the Justinians via the online application below, or if absolutely necessary on paper and delivered to Chairperson Bardi no later than November 25, 2024.

Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit an online application or if unable to do so to obtain a hard copy from their school's Financial Aid Office.

All questions regarding the Justinian Scholarship should be addressed to your law school financial aid office or to Scholarship Committee Chairperson Bardi at jbardi@rc.com or 1-781-718-7887.

Apply For Scholarship Printable Application

JUSTINIAN LAW SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP RULES

1. Scholarships of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) each will be awarded by the Justinian Law Society to up to three qualified students from any of the nine Massachusetts Law Schools. Additional scholarships of varying amounts provided by special donors are awarded under these same guidelines.

2. The Scholarship Committee shall recommend to the President suitable candidates. Scholarships shall be granted to properly qualified students with a deep appreciation of Italian culture and history.

3. Any money donated by members of the Justinian Law Society for the purpose of scholarship grants, or interest accruing thereon, shall be awarded to properly qualified applicants through the recommendation of the Scholarship Committee to the President.

4. If all scholarships are not awarded because of an insufficient number of properly qualified candidates or other reason, the value of the unawarded scholarships shall be placed in the Justinian Law Society of Massachusetts Scholarship account for use in future years.

5. Scholarship Awards are limited to members of the second and third-year full time class and third and fourth-year part time class of each Massachusetts law school and shall be awarded on the following basis:

a) SCHOLASTIC ABILITY AND ACHIEVEMENT

b) CHARACTER

c) ACTIVITIES

d) DESIRE TO PRACTICE LAW IN THE COMMONWEALTH

e) INTEREST IN JOINING AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE JUSTINIAN LAW SOCIETY

6. All applications become the property of the Justinian Law Society of Massachusetts and cannot be returned.

INSTRUCTIONS

a. The Application for Scholarship Award must be submitted online or sent to and received by the Justinian Law Society of Massachusetts, attention of the Scholarship Chair (c/o Jessica Bardi, jbardi@rc.com, no later than November 25, 2024. It is preferable to submit applications online at www.justiniansofmass.org.

b. A complete application must contain the following five parts:

1. the application form filled out completely and signed by the applicant;

2. current resume;

3. letter of recommendation, written and signed¸ from the applicant’s dean or a professor who can attest to the applicant’s abilities and character;

4. letter, written and signed by the applicant, stating the applicant’s reasons for applying for a scholarship, appreciation for Italian culture and history, background, interests and activities, the size and circumstances of the applicant’s family, how law school is being financed, interest in joining and contributing to the Justinian Law Society, and any other pertinent information; and

5. current transcript of grades received during the first and second year (and third year if a part-time student) at law school.

c. Applications will be disqualified if all five parts listed above are not received in one envelope or submitted online, no later than November 25, 2024. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.

d. The Committee may request an interview with the applicant, upon receipt and review of their application. If an interview is requested, it will be conducted via Zoom, at a mutually agreed upon time. Failure to attend a scheduled interview is grounds for disqualification of the application.

e. Recipients will be notified by telephone or mail of their selection in December 2024.

f. All questions regarding the Justinian Scholarship should be addressed to Jessica Bardi at jbardi@rc.com or (781) 718-7887, David Vasapolli at dvasapolli@vrlawoffice.com or 781-231-2977, or Vincent DePalo at vincent.depalo@smithduggan.com or 617-228-4464.