Scholarships
Dozens of scholarships are provided to School of Law students each year from the Arkansas Bar Foundation and other donors. These are listed below.
For a current list of scholarships, information on how to apply, and deadlines, visit the Office of Career Planning & Placement.
Arkansas Bar Foundation Scholarships
The Arkansas Bar Foundation offers a number of law scholarships every year. Criteria vary, but financial need, scholarship, and probability of success at the School of Law are most important. The foundation's scholarships are identified by the individuals and/or firms whom the scholarships honor. The following foundation scholarships are offered:
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Judge John E. Miller -- established in honor of Senior Judge John E. Miller, U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas.
R.A. Eilbott Jr. -- established in memory of the distinguished Pine Bluff lawyer.
Judge John Fogleman -- honors the well-known lawyer and former justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Henry Woods -- honors the Little Rock lawyer and former senior U.S. district judge.
Edward Lester -- established in memory of the Little Rock lawyer and one of the founders of the Arkansas Law Center.
Henry P. Warner -- established in memory of this respected Fort Smith lawyer.
Cecil R. Warner -- established in memory of the respected Fort Smith lawyer.
Bud & Bernard Whetstone -- established by the Whetstones for law students from Arkansas.
Judge J. Smith Henley Scholarship Fund -- established in honor of the late judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Judge George Rose Smith -- established in honor of the late justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Judge Frank Holt -- established in memory of the former justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
M. Jeff Starling Jr. Labor Law Award -- established by the Starling family in memory of this respected Pine Bluff lawyer.
Smith, Stroud, McClerkin, Dunn & Nutter Scholarship -- established by this Texarkana firm in memory of deceased members of the firm: Willis B. Smith, Charles M. Conway, and James N. Nutt.
Shackleford Scholarship -- established by the El Dorado firm Shackleford, Shackleford & Phillips in memory of John Dennis Shackleford, John M. Shackleford, John M. Shackleford Jr., and Dennis L. Shackleford.
Thomas Clark Trimble Memorial Scholarship -- established in memory of outstanding U.S. District Judge Thomas Clark Trimble III and distinguished lawyers Thomas Clark Trimble I, Thomas Clark Trimble II, and Thomas Clark Trimble IV.
Rather, Beyer & Harper -- established by the Little Rock insurance firm.
Sharp-Bogle Memorial Scholarship -- established in memory of Arkansas Bar Association President William Wilson Sharp and Arkansas Lt. Gov. G. Otis Bogle, who were law partners in Brinkley, Ark.
Friday, Eldredge & Clark Scholarship -- established by the firm to honor deceased members of the firm Jerry T. Light and Boyce R. Love. The scholarship amount is based upon individual contributions to the Boyce R. Love Memorial Fund.
Joe C. Barrett Scholarship -- established by a bequest from Joe C. Barrett, a prominent Jonesboro attorney and one of the authors of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Colonel C. E. Ransick Scholarship -- established in honor of Colonel C. E. Ransick upon his retirement as executive director of the Arkansas Bar Association.
Arkansas Bar Foundation -- The lawyers of the state have been very sensitive to the financial problems of law students and very generous to the School of Law. In addition to the individual scholarships herein, the Arkansas Bar Foundation annually supports other scholarships in its name.
Vincent W. Foster Jr. Scholarship -- established in memory of Vincent W. Foster Jr. by his family and friends.
Horace H. McKenzie Scholarship -- established in memory of Horace H. McKenzie by the law firm of McKenzie, McRae, Vasser & Barber and the James McKenzie family.
Judge William R. Overton Scholarship -- established in memory of Judge William R. Overton by his friends and family.
David Solomon Scholarship -- established in honor of David Solomon by his family.
Guy Amsler Jr. Scholarship -- established in honor of Guy Amsler Jr. by the law firm of Barber, McCaskill, Jones & Hale.
Wilson & Associates Ethics Scholarship -- awarded to the most outstanding student in the professional responsibility course.
Other Scholarships
Alumni and other friends of the University of Arkansas School of Law also have made gifts to support School of Law students. These scholarships are described below:
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Odom, Elliott, Winburn, Odom & Smith Scholarships -- These scholarships, provided by individual members of the Odom & Elliott law firm of Fayetteville are awarded to four students who have demonstrated excellence in trial advocacy based upon their performances in the William H. Sutton Barrister's Union Trial Competition.
Vol Boatright Scholarship -- awarded annually to a student with high honors and financial need.
Wright, Lindsey & Jennings Scholarships -- provided by the law firm of Wright, Lindsey & Jennings of Little Rock to give two tuition scholarships annually. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic potential and financial need. The School of Law Scholarship Committee nominates recipients, and final selections are made by the firm.
Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) Scholarships -- provided annually by the Board of Directors of the IOLTA Foundation as a continuing priority for IOLTA revenues.
Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard Scholarship -- provided annually by this Little Rock law firm to the student who serves as chair of the Board of Advocates.
Waterman Memorial Scholarships -- Under authority of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, the Waterman Memorial Trust Fund was established in June 1947 to honor the memory of Dean Julian S. Waterman, founder of the School of Law and its dean from the school's inception until his death in 1943. Contributions to the fund are held in trust for School of Law scholarships, expenses of visiting lecturers, and other activities. The dean of the School of Law is the trustee of the fund, guided by the law faculty. A scholarship is awarded from the fund each year.
Silas Hunt Memorial Scholarship -- created by the Harold Flowers Society in memory of Silas Hunt, the first black student at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Lee & Bernal Seamster Memorial Fund -- created through contributions made in memory of Lee Seamster, chancellor of the 13th Chancery Circuit and chief justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas from 1955 to 1957, and Bernal Seamster, son of Judge Seamster, member of the Arkansas Bar Association and graduate of the School of Law. The income from this fund is used for the annual scholarship.
F. H. Martin Scholarship -- established in memory of this former faculty member and distinguished Fayetteville lawyer.
Edward Baylor Meriwether Scholarships -- Under the authority of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas, the Edward Baylor Meriwether Trust Fund was established in October 1963. Earnings are made available to “worthy, needy students in the School of Law.”
James E. McDaniel Scholarships -- established in honor of the prominent Jonesboro attorney. These scholarships are awarded to deserving law students.
J. W. Fulbright Scholarships -- funded by an endowed gift from the Fulbright family to the School of Law. Several scholarships are awarded annually.
Anna McGee Memorial Scholarship -- created in memory of Anna McGee for a second- or third-year student with high academic standing. Need and excellence in scholarship are criteria for selection.
Jim G. Ferguson Sr. Memorial Scholarship -- established in honor of Jim G. Ferguson Sr. by his son, Jim G. Ferguson Jr., of San Antonio, Texas.
John J. Cravens Memorial Scholarship -- established in honor of John J. Cravens for his service as an attorney in Ozark, Ark. Earnings from this fund generate several tuition scholarships annually.
John Grabiel Scholarship Fund -- established in honor of John W. Grabiel by his daughter, Ruth Grabiel. Income from the fund is used for merit scholarships.
Rose Law Firm Scholarship -- established by this Little Rock law firm and awarded annually to the editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Law Review.
Jack Yates Scholarship Fund -- established in honor of Jack Yates.
Robert E. Boyer Endowed Scholarship -- established by a gift from Tommy and Sylvia Boyer to honor his brother, the former circuit-chancery judge in Sebastian County and a 1950 graduate of the School of Law.
Norma Lea Beasley Endowed Law Scholarship -- provided by Norma Lea Beasley, a 1953 graduate of the School of Law, to assist needy students.
Morris & Jessie Waterman Herrman Endowed Scholarship -- provided by Cecil W. and Gus W. Herrman in honor of their parents. Their mother, Jessie Waterman Herrman, was the sister of Dean Julian Waterman, the founder of the School of Law.
Leland F. Leatherman Endowed Scholarship -- provided by the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) for students interested in the law of cooperatives. The scholarship is named for Leland F. Leatherman, a 1939 graduate of the School of Law, who served for many years as corporate counsel to AECC.
Charles Thomas & Mary Alice Pearson Fellowship Fund -- established in 1995 in honor of the memory of Charles Thomas and Mary Alice Pearson. It provides for as many as 16 fellowships. Awards are based on standard School of Law scholarship application procedures and include these criteria: class rank (top 20 percent of first-year class), letters of recommendation, and a three- to five-page memorandum reporting on a book on ethics or professionalism from an approved reading list.
Governor Francis Cherry Scholarship -- awarded from an endowed gift, established by the Honorable William J. Smith, a Little Rock attorney and former judge, to honor former Arkansas Gov. Francis A. Cherry for his outstanding service to the state. This scholarship is awarded annually.
Max Ostner Scholarships -- established by Max Ostner, a 1941 graduate of the School of Law. Two full-tuition scholarships benefit deserving law students.
Jay W. Dickey Sr. Scholarship -- established through a bequest from Jay Dickey Sr., a 1934 graduate of the School of Law and a former member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.
Don S. Smith Scholarship -- established in honor of Don S. Smith, a 1962 graduate of the School of Law. The scholarship, made possible by a gift from Keck, Mahin & Cate and from family and friends outside the firm, provides an annual scholarship.
William E. Browning Scholarship -- provided by William E. Browning, a 1941 School of Law graduate, of Little Rock.
Emeline Vincent Scholarships -- established through a bequest to benefit School of Law students.
Joseph C. Kemp Scholarship -- established by various donors to honor Joseph C. Kemp, a Little Rock attorney.
Benton County Bar Scholarship -- This partial scholarship is awarded to a student from Benton County, Ark.
Charles R. Garner Scholarship -- honors Charles R. Garner, a distinguished member of the Fort Smith, Ark., bar and a 1950 graduate of the School of Law. This scholarship was established by his wife. Recipients must be entering their third year, have demonstrated financial need, and a record of commitment and skill in the area of advocacy.
Sidney Parker Davis Jr. Scholarship -- established in 1998 by Sidney Parker Davis Jr., a 1960 high-honor graduate of the School of Law, a lecturer from 1961 to 1981, and an outstanding lawyer in Fayetteville. The recipient must have demonstrated financial need and strong academic performance.
Rodney Momon Scholarship -- a diversity scholarship named for an African-American student in the class of 1999.
John N. Stern Scholarship -- established by the Ben J. Altheimer Charitable Foundation Inc. to honor longtime and last trustee of the Altheimer Foundation, appointed by Ben J. Altheimer prior to his death in 1946.
Robert F. Fussell Pro Bono Scholarship -- established by friends and colleagues of retired Bankruptcy Judge Robert F. Fussell, '65, to honor his lifetime of pro bono work. The scholarship is awarded to a student interested in pro bono law practice.
Hugh Hardin Memorial Scholarship -- established to honor the memory of long-time Fort Smith attorney P. H. “Hugh” Hardin, '50.
Frederick W. Whiteside Jr. Endowed Scholarship -- established by Martha Whiteside in memory of her husband, Frederick W. Whiteside, who served as a faculty member at the School of Law from 1940 to 1948.
Michelle Bartlett Endowed Award -- established by friends and family of Michelle Bartlett, a second-year student who died in September 2003. The award benefits an incoming second-year student in the top 20 percent of the class with an interest in criminal law.
Leflar Fellows
In 1980, friends of Dr. Robert A. Leflar organized a campaign to raise funds to create the Leflar Fellowship program at the School of Law. As a lawyer, teacher, dean, civic leader, and associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Leflar proudly served the state of Arkansas. As one of the foremost authorities on conflict of laws and one of the leading figures in judicial education, he served lawyers and judges everywhere.
“It is not exaggeration to suggest that Robert Leflar may well have had more influence on the development of common law since 1950 than any other single individual,” said former John Wade, former dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Under the terms of the Robert A. Leflar Scholarship Fund, up to three outstanding applicants to the University of Arkansas School of Law are selected each year as Leflar Fellows and awarded a three-year fellowship.
Graduation Awards & Honors
At the School of Law graduation ceremony each spring, several monetary and book awards are given to graduating seniors (including mid-year graduates):
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Outstanding Academic Achievement Award -- awarded by the Niblock Law Firm of Fayetteville to the graduate ranking first in the graduating class.
High Academic Achievement Award -- awarded to the graduate ranking third in the graduating class.
W. J. Arnold Memorial Award for Academic Achievement -- awarded to the graduate ranking second in the class.
Trial Advocacy Prize -- awarded by the Bassett Law Firm of Fayetteville for exceptional achievement in trial advocacy competitions.
Appellate Advocacy Prize -- awarded by the law firm of Davis, Wright, Clark, Butt & Carithers PLC of Fayetteville, for exceptional achievement in appellate advocacy.
Outstanding Contribution to the School of Law Community Award -- for outstanding positive contributions and service to the School of Law community.
Outstanding Contribution to Law School Publications Award -- for outstanding contributions to law school publications.
James H. McKenzie Professional Responsibility & Ethics Award -- provided in memory of James H. McKenzie, '66, for a graduate with outstanding performance in the area of professional responsibility and ethics.
Bard Rogan Natural Resources Law Award -- sponsored by Kevin Vaught, '82, of Fort Smith for excellence in the study of oil and gas law, public lands law, water law, and other geothermal regulation.
American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence -- for excellence in bankruptcy studies.
Medico Legal Prize -- for outstanding work in medical legal studies.
Craig Sterne Memorial Award for Estate Planning & Taxation -- for outstanding work in the study of estate planning and taxation.
W. B. Putman American Inns of Court Pupil Award -- for professional excellence in the American Inns of Court Program.
Joe C. Barrett Award for Commercial Transactions -- for excellence in commercial transaction course work.
T. C. & Rosemary Carlson Memorial Award -- for excellence in the study of constitutional law.
M. Jeff Starling Jr. Labor Law Award -- for excellence in labor and employment law.
Bobby Fussell Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award -- established in 2007 for the student who gives the most hours to pro bono service, exemplifying Judge Fussell's distinguished career in public service and his dedication to pro bono work.
ALI-ABA Scholarship & Leadership Award -- awarded by the American Law Institute and the American Bar Association for outstanding scholarship and leadership.
Bogle-Sharp Award -- for the student, selected by his/her peers, who is most likely to succeed in the practice of law.
Lewis E. Epley Jr. Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching -- awarded annually to a professor and funded by Lewis E. Epley Jr., '61, former chairman of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.
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