The San Luis Obispo County Bar Association Endowment to Assist Persons of Color in Pursuit of a Career in the Legal Profession

Summary:

The Board of Directors for the San Luis Obispo County Bar Association (“SLOCBA”) is soliciting tax deductible donations to establish an endowment to provide education scholarships to persons of color who have a demonstrated interest in the legal profession. The endowment will be administered by the Community Foundation. A sliding scale of annual attribution will be provided on the SLOCBA website and the Bar Bulletin with the following donation opportunities available¹:

Donate here.

Thank you to the generous donors who have contributed to the SLOCBA endowment fund. Those who have donated will be honored in the Bar Bulletin.  Please consider making a tax deductible donation to the endowment fund and make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in our community who want to work in the legal profession.

Purpose:

In California, only 23% of licensed attorneys are from a racial or ethnic minority group². The SLOCBA endowment is being established to broaden the number of traditionally underrepresented groups by providing education scholarships to those interested in a career in the legal profession with the goal of providing greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Applicant identifies as a person of color;
2. Applicant is a graduating senior from any high school in San Luis Obispo County or an undergraduate student who graduated from a San Luis Obispo County high school;
3. Applicant has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the legal profession (e.g. lawyer, paralegal, clerk, legal assistant, certified court translator, or law enforcement);
4. Applicant is planning to attend, or is currently attending, a four-year university or community college; and
5. Applicant has a demonstrated financial need.

Award:

1. The minimum scholarship award amount is $2,000 and will increase as the endowment grows; and
2. The recipient(s) will also be invited as an honored guest to a SLOCBA event to (a) network with members of our local legal community, (b) provide an opportunity to make connections, and (c) further their legal career ambitions.

Kristal Roman Romero – 2021 scholarship award winner

Our 2021 scholarship award winner is Kristal Roman Romero. Kristal was the 2021 valedictorian of Paso Robles High School and will be attending the University of California, Berkeley starting in the fall of 2021 where she plans to double major in political science and ethnic studies. Kristal is a first generation college student and aspires to be a civil rights attorney.

Apply December through February 7th here.

For more information, please contact Executive Director, Kerrin Hovarter, at slobar@slobar.org.

¹ Limited scholarship naming right opportunities are also available.

² http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/reports/Diversity-Inclusion-Plan-Report.pdf