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Michael Madow Bar Grant Program

Program Overview

 

For over a decade, BLSPI has auspiced a grant program offering $1,000 each to a number of graduating students who are dedicated to entering the public interest law sector.  We also give a special thanks to the Leo Rosner Family Foundation for their continued support of this Program.

 

As public interest-minded students graduate from BLS, they are faced with financial hurdles that are unique to those seeking to enter public interest or government work. Bar review courses can cost upwards of $4,000, while bar examination fees average hundreds of dollars. Studying for the bar exam is a full-time endeavor for nine weeks, leaving little to no time for graduates to earn any supplemental income. Public interest-minded graduates, oftentimes without a future employer willing to subsidize these expenses, and because federal student loans do not cover bar exam preparation and cost of living during this time, are frequently forced to seek private loans to subsidize this transitional period.

 

BLSPI responded to this need by sourcing this grant program that lowers the post-graduation financial hurdles for students pursuing public interest law. We hope many 3Ls apply, including non-BLSPI members who meet the qualifications!

To apply for a BLSPI Bar Grant, you must:

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1. Be a student who is graduating from Brooklyn Law School in Spring or Fall of 2024 and be sitting for any state’s bar exam in February or July 2024;

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2. Complete and anonymously submit the following application by 11:59 P.M., Friday, March 29. Late applications will not be considered. The independent Bar Grant Committee (explained below) expects to notify applicants of its decisions in early May; and

 

3. Please send any questions you may have, to cochairs@blspi.org

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4. Applications will go live on blspi.org on Monday, March 8, 2024. Access the application using the "Apply Here" button

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Distribution of Funding:

 

The Bar Grant Committee, comprised of Brooklyn Law School professors and alumni, will disburse Grants of $1,000 each. Applications will be anonymous and the Committee will evaluate and select Grant recipients based purely on the applicants’ merits.

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Criteria and Eligibility:

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Selection criteria will be based on:

1. Demonstrated commitment to the public interest;

2. Intent to pursue a legal career in the public interest; and

3. History of service to public interest organizations and pro bono projects at Brooklyn Law School (service to BLSPI is neither required nor prioritized).

 

Public interest is defined as the work of:

 

* 501(c)(3) organizations within the United States;

* Federal, state and city government organizations, including judicial chambers;

* International intergovernmental organizations not organized for monetary gain; and

* Foreign non-governmental organizations recognized by the committee as pursuing the public good.

 

The following is not considered work in the public interest:

 

* Employment that primarily benefits the members of a limited membership organization such as a credit union, fraternal or religious order, or a cooperative;

* Work for which one’s political support or party affiliation is taken into account in the hiring decision; and

* Direct lobbying on the federal, state or local government level.

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Any question of what qualifies as public interest work will be resolved at the Committee’s sole discretion. Committee determinations are final. Individuals who are receiving subsidization of their bar review course are eligible to apply. An awardee is encouraged to return the grant value if they are employed at a non-public interest job on the first anniversary of their graduation from Brooklyn Law School.

 

Michael Madow Bar Grant Recipients

2021

Jennifer Liles

Henna Rustami

Zachary Rippe

Kathryn Gutt

Daniella Haviv

Alex Ellefson

James Williams

Michael Vilensky

Sarah Lavy

Elizabeth Iannone

Oren Silverman

Alexandra Dudas

James Bass

Alexandra Bertolino

Hassan Ahmed

Zoe Bernstein

Mia Guthart

Karra Puccia

Jessica Phillips

Heather Todoroff

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2020

Bailey Cohen

Caitlyn Garcia

Kayla Smith

Michele Jackson

Elizabeth Potter

Vilma Ilic

Emilia Foto

Ramsha Ansari

Jessica Olive

Rebecca Del Grande

Taylor Schlussel

Katharine Schloemer

Jennifer Stevenson

Yasemin Akturk

Oren Kadosh

Lena Janoda

Karine Ter-Grigoryan

William Granados

Charlotte Thomas

Claudia Martinez

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2019

Bailee Brown

Edward Soto

Andrea Scheer

Farhana Hassan Choudhury

Valerie Tsesarenko

Reza Bonachea Mohamadzadeh

Mario Fitzgerald

John Jozkowski

Kyleen Breslin

Javionte Johnson

Alia Soomro

Spencer Smith

Aleksandra Ciric

Michael Sheftman

Michael Tal

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2018

Gilbert Zelaya
Victoria Phillips
Libbi Vilher
Erik Vande Stouwe
Allison Broad
Azizah Ahmad
Martyna Kaznowski
Elizabeth French
Ara Chung
Codruta Antonovici
Sarah Stoughton
Sean Beherec
Camillia Brown
Marvin Espana
Michelle Lee
Christina Rhode
Kenneth Zwerin
 

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2017

Crystal Peters

Delaney Rohan 
Victor Montemayor
Kyla Burke-Lazarus 
Katherine Crisona 
Caroline Roe 
Erin McMullan
Tanvee Trehan
Sarah Rizk 
Alexandra Briggs 
Taylor Poe 
Jamaal Jones 
Michelle Ward 
Christopher Antonelli 
Zack Goldberg
Suzanna Talbot 
Alexandra Goodman
Liana Goff 
Rachel Russel

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2016

Charli Cleland

Ellen Piriz Perez

Maria Ryden

Brenden Ross

Maura Heron

Caitrin Coccoma

Claire Gavin

Stephanie Michael

Morgan Guinnip

Shalisa Cumberbatch

Gabriel Guimaraes

Jill Rudge

Zareen Iqbal

Alyssa Wolfe

Raul Galan

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