Student Leadership Within the Law School

Scholars for Justice

Seattle University School of Law offers the Scholars for Justice Scholarship, which allows two students who have proven their dedication to this important but traditionally lower-paying field of law to earn their degrees without incurring the debt that is often an obstacle in choosing such a career. These scholars make a commitment to devote much of their careers to public interest law or to donate to the law school's scholarship fund an amount at least equal to the scholarship should their career path change. The Access to Justice Institute aims to support these Scholars in their social justice work and careers paths to public interest.

Annual Celebration of Social Justice Awards

Each year, the law school recognizes the incredible social justice efforts of our students, staff and faculty at the year-end Celebration of Social Justice. Members of the SU Law community and greater equal justice community who are nominated by their peers, co-workers, supervisors, students and friends, are recognized at this celebration.

For Celebration 2009, nominees were recognized in the following categories: Student Leader for Justice, Justice in the Community, Justice in the Classroom, Champion for Justice, and Alumni Advocate for Social Justice.

Student Leader for Justice

We recognize and honor students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in advancing social justice both on campus and in the larger community through inspiring innovation and taking initiative, achieving workable unity and collaboration, and developing new leaders.

Justice in the Community

We recognize and honor students who have consistently engaged in social justice work which serves marginalized or underserved individuals or communities through direct advocacy, educating the community, mobilizing others to take action, or facilitating collaboration.

Justice in the Classroom

We recognize and honor students, staff, faculty, and members of the larger equal justice community who have advanced social justice through a commitment to teaching and learning, putting theory into practice, community-based research, and collaborative and innovative scholarship.

Champion for Justice

We recognize and honor members of the staff, faculty, and members of the larger equal justice community who have demonstrated a lifelong and inspiring commitment to social justice as a catalyst, collaborator, servant leader, and fighter for justice.

Alumni Advocate for Social Justice

We recognize and honor Seattle University School of Law graduates who have a proven record of commitment to social justice though consistently advocating on behalf of marginalized or underserved individuals or communities, supporting and mobilizing others to support the equal justice community, and taking leadership to collaborate and foster service in the legal profession.

At the 1st annual Celebration of Social Justice in 2008, we honored the following individuals and projects:

Social Justice Project of the Year
Recipient: Section A Community Service Project

Community Service Award
Nick Allen (1L)
Maria Mena Valdivia (2L)
Emily Whitmore (2L)
Eula Garrison (3L)

Service to S.U. Law Award
James Dold (1L)
Amy Pritchard (2L)
Jessica Levin (3L)

Justice in the Classroom Award
Professor Lisa Brodoff

Leader for Justice Award
Sabrina Andrus (3L)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Professor David Boerner