The HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship is a $1,000 law school scholarship open to pre-law, paralegal, and J.D. students across the United States. Now in its second year, the 2026 program has expanded to 39 cities nationwide. Students attending school within 60 miles of a participating HKM city with a GPA of 3.0 or higher are encouraged to apply before the October 15, 2026 deadline. HKM Employment Attorneys LLP has represented employees exclusively since 2003 and offers this employment law scholarship as a direct investment in the next generation of legal advocates.
The HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship is a $1,000 annual award for students pursuing a legal career. HKM Employment Attorneys LLP has represented employees in employment law matters across the United States since 2003. In 2025, the firm awarded $1,000 scholarships to 24 students in 23 cities. In 2026, the program is open to applicants near 39 HKM office cities nationwide.
Award amount: $1,000
Who can apply: Students enrolled in a pre-law, paralegal, or J.D. program at an accredited U.S. college or university
GPA requirement: 3.0 or higher
Age requirement: At least 18 years old at the time of submission
Location requirement: Attending school within 60 miles of a participating HKM city
Application deadline: October 15, 2026
Essay prompt: “How I will use my legal education to serve my community”
How winners are chosen: Essays scored for clarity, originality, and community impact; GPA and resume reviewed for fit
Not eligible: Employees of HKM Employment Attorneys LLP or their immediate family members
HKM Employment Attorneys LLP has been fighting for employees in the workplace since 2003 – and investing in the next generation of legal advocates since the firm launched its scholarship program. Every attorney who walks into a workplace discrimination case, a wrongful termination hearing, or a wage dispute brings with them years of education. We believe that education should be accessible, and we put money behind that belief.
The HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship awards $1,000 to students in pre-law, paralegal, and J.D. programs, making it one of the few active law school scholarships for 2026 open to students at all program levels, near HKM’s offices across the country. Applications for the 2026 program are open now.
In 2025, HKM awarded $1,000 scholarships to 24 students pursuing legal careers across the United States. In keeping with our commitment to student privacy, we recognize recipients by city rather than by name. Last year’s scholarship reached students attending school near HKM offices in the following cities:
To every 2025 recipient: congratulations, and thank you for choosing a path in law! The work you will do matters.
Building on the success of 2025, the 2026 program has expanded to reach students near all 39 HKM office locations nationwide. $1,000 awards are available to eligible students in pre-law, paralegal, and J.D. programs. Applications are open now through October 15, 2026.
Applying is straightforward. Find your nearest HKM city in the table below, and visit that city’s scholarship page. Each page has an online application form where you will submit your essay, GPA, and resume. You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of submitting. The deadline for all applications is October 15, 2026. Whether you are pursuing a paralegal scholarship to fund a certification program or searching for J.D. funding, the HKM scholarship is open to students at all levels of legal education.
The essay prompt is: “How I will use my legal education to serve my community.” Essays are evaluated for clarity, originality, and community impact. GPA and resume demonstrate commitment and fit. The top-scoring applicant in each eligible area receives the award. All decisions are final. Scholarship funds are delivered directly to the recipient for education-related expenses.
What Makes a Strong Essay
Scholarship reviewers read a lot of essays. The ones that stand out are specific, honest, and grounded in real experience. Reviewers are not looking for a polished answer about wanting to help people in the abstract – they are looking for a concrete vision: a real community you care about, a real problem you want to address, and a genuine explanation of how your legal education will help you do that.
Connect your personal background to a specific gap in legal access. Explain what drew you to law and what you intend to do with it. Clear and direct writing almost always outperforms elaborate language. A well-written 400-word essay will consistently outperform a vague 800-word one.
The scholarship is available to students attending school within 60 miles of any of HKM’s 39 office locations. Find your city below – from a Chicago law school scholarship to a Seattle law school scholarship – and apply through your local HKM scholarship page:
| City | State | Apply / Learn More |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Alabama | hkm.com/birmingham/ |
| Huntsville | Alabama | hkm.com/huntsville/ |
| Phoenix | Arizona | hkm.com/phoenix/ |
| Los Angeles | California | hkm.com/los-angeles/ |
| Oakland | California | hkm.com/oakland/ |
| Orange County | California | hkm.com/irvine/ |
| Riverside | California | hkm.com/riverside/ |
| Sacramento | California | hkm.com/sacramento/ |
| San Diego | California | hkm.com/sandiego/ |
| San Francisco | California | hkm.com/san-francisco/ |
| San Jose | California | hkm.com/san-jose/ |
| Denver | Colorado | hkm.com/denver/ |
| Fort Collins | Colorado | hkm.com/fort-collins/ |
| Boulder | Colorado | hkm.com/boulder/ |
| Washington, D.C. | District of Columbia | hkm.com/washingtondc/ |
| Atlanta | Georgia | hkm.com/atlanta/ |
| Boise | Idaho | hkm.com/boise/ |
| Chicago | Illinois | hkm.com/chicago/ |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | hkm.com/indianapolis/ |
| Baltimore | Maryland | hkm.com/baltimore/ |
| Boston | Massachusetts | hkm.com/boston/ |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | hkm.com/minneapolis/ |
| Kansas City | Missouri | hkm.com/kansascity/ |
| St. Louis | Missouri | hkm.com/stlouis/ |
| Bozeman | Montana | hkm.com/bozeman/ |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | hkm.com/lasvegas/ |
| New Paltz | New York | hkm.com/new-paltz/ |
| New York City | New York | hkm.com/new-york/ |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | hkm.com/charlotte/ |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | hkm.com/cincinnati/ |
| Portland | Oregon | hkm.com/portland/ |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | hkm.com/philadelphia/ |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | hkm.com/pittsburgh/ |
| Houston | Texas | hkm.com/houston/ |
| Arlington | Virginia | hkm.com/arlington/ |
| Bellevue | Washington | hkm.com/bellevue/ |
| Seattle | Washington | hkm.com/seattle/ |
| Spokane | Washington | hkm.com/spokane/ |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | hkm.com/milwaukee/ |
Is there a $1,000 law school scholarship I can apply for right now?
Yes. HKM Employment Attorneys LLP is currently accepting applications for its 2026 scholarship, which awards $1,000 to students enrolled in pre-law, paralegal, or J.D. programs at accredited U.S. colleges and universities. To be eligible, students must attend school within 60 miles of one of HKM’s 39 participating office cities, maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, and be at least 18 years old. The application deadline is October 15, 2026. Find your nearest city in the table above and apply through that city’s scholarship page.
What is the HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship?
The HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship is a $1,000 annual award offered by HKM Employment Attorneys LLP to students enrolled in pre-law, paralegal, or J.D. programs at accredited U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants must attend school within 60 miles of a participating HKM city, maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, and be at least 18 years old at the time of submission. The 2026 application deadline is October 15, 2026.
How much is the scholarship?
The HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship is a one-time award of $1,000, delivered directly to the recipient for education-related expenses.
Who won the HKM scholarship in 2025?
In 2025, HKM awarded $1,000 scholarships to 24 students representing 23 cities across the country, from Baltimore to San Francisco. In keeping with HKM’s commitment to student privacy, recipients are recognized by city rather than by name.
When is the 2026 HKM scholarship deadline?
The application deadline for the 2026 HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship is October 15, 2026.
What is the scholarship essay prompt?
Applicants respond to the prompt: “How I will use my legal education to serve my community.” Essays are evaluated for clarity, originality, and community impact.
How is the scholarship winner selected?
Applications are evaluated based on essay quality (scored for clarity, originality, and community impact), GPA, and resume. The top-scoring applicant in each eligible area is selected. All decisions are final.
Is the scholarship available in my city?
The 2026 scholarship is available to students attending school within 60 miles of any of HKM’s 39 office locations across the United States. See the full city list above. If your campus falls within 60 miles of a listed city, you are likely eligible – check the scholarship page for that city to confirm and apply.
Can I apply to more than one city?
If your campus falls within 60 miles of more than one participating HKM city, check the individual scholarship pages for each location, as each is administered separately. When in doubt, contact HKM directly through hkm.com.
Is the scholarship renewable?
The scholarship is awarded on an annual cycle. While the award is not automatically renewed, students who remain eligible are welcome to apply again in subsequent years.
Why does HKM offer a scholarship?
HKM’s attorneys work daily with people whose lives are shaped by gaps in legal knowledge and limited access to qualified representation. Investing in the next generation of legal professionals – particularly those committed to serving their communities – is a direct extension of that work. The scholarship reflects the firm’s belief that access to legal education is also an access-to-justice issue.
HKM Employment Attorneys LLP represents employees in all forms of employment law, including workplace discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage and hour violations. Founded in 2003, the firm has offices across the United States and has recovered significant compensation on behalf of workers nationwide.
This employment law scholarship has now distributed $24,000 to 24 students across 23 cities, with the 2026 program expanding eligibility to 39 cities nationwide.
For more information, visit hkm.com.
Page last updated: August 2026 | Applications open through October 15, 2026
