Barnes & Thornburg Announces 2022 Class of Prelaw Scholars

INDIANAPOLIS – Six recent undergraduates have been selected to participate in Barnes & Thornburg’s Prelaw Scholars Program, designed to assist students interested in the legal profession and pursuit of a law degree.  

Barnes & Thornburg covers the cost of the students’ Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and the LSAT prep course. After successful completion of the LSAT, the firm will help them offset the cost of law school applications by providing funds for a credential assembly service.

In its second year, the Prelaw Scholars Program also provides attorney mentors to help guide students through law school. Scholars selected for this program have demonstrated excellent academic and personal achievements, will be taking LSAT in the next 12 months, and have demonstrated a financial need.  

“These students are all accomplished individuals and Barnes & Thornburg is thrilled to be a part of their journey to law school,” said Sarah Evenson, Barnes & Thornburg’s director of law school programs. “Our hope is this program decreases the financial burden and administrative obstacles of applying to law school and provides key mentoring connections to prepare these students for law school – and the legal career they desire.” Evenson noted that many of the individuals are either international students or first-generation Americans.

The 2022 Prelaw Scholars participants are:

• Kenna Chic, Georgetown University
  “As the first in my family to attempt to go to law school, I do not feel as if I have the resources to succeed. Having mentors and support from Barnes & Thornburg will make a world of difference!” said Chic, who is expected to graduate in May 2022 with a B.S. in foreign service.

• Jiin Jeong, Hamilton College
  “I am excited to be part of a diverse group of scholars who will be enriching the legal field and their communities with their experiences, passions, and commitments. I am looking forward to the mentorship and support from the program,” said Jeong. She graduated in May 2021 with degrees in computer science and economics.

• Aylin Murillo-Valle, Xavier University of Louisiana
  “I am excited for the opportunity to be a Barnes & Thornburg Prelaw Scholar because it means that I will be learning alongside experts who truly believe in the work that they are doing. It is preparation to serve a more compassionate and just society,” said Murillo-Valle, who is expected to graduate in May 2022 with a B.A. in political science and pre-law.

• Jeannine O. Nwade, University at Buffalo
  Nwade, who is expected to graduate in May 2022 with a B.A. in political science and a B.S. in business administration and marketing, said, “I am excited to be a Prelaw Scholar because I'll have the opportunity to prepare for and take the LSAT without the financial burdens commonly associated with it. I'm also looking forward to working alongside exceptional mentors while growing close to the other amazing people in my cohort.”

• Moses Okpala, University of Illinois
  “In my world, sometimes I feel alone, and parts of the world could get overwhelming, however, as a Prelaw Scholar the loneliness will be alleviated. I’ll have the support of people who have immense experience in the field of study that I am interested in and people who have been in my shoes before,” said Okpala, a Division 1 football player who is expected to graduate in May 2023 with a degree in psychology.

• Iyunola O. Owoyemi, Alcorn State University
  “I am excited and supremely grateful to be a Barnes & Thornburg Prelaw Scholar because of the mentorship the program offers. Also, I am confident that Barnes & Thornburg is a firm where my unique self can thrive and become a greater inspiration to girls like me globally,” said Owoyemi, who is expected to graduate in May 2022 with a B.A. in English.

Applicants must meet the following requirements for admission to the Prelaw Scholars Program: 

• Be a college senior or graduate from an accredited college whose background, experience, personal attributes, and characteristics contribute to Barnes & Thornburg’s diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment and goals
• Demonstrate excellent academic and personal achievement
• Be planning to take the LSAT in the next 12 months
• Demonstrate financial need

With more than 700 attorneys and other legal professionals, Barnes & Thornburg is one of the largest law firms in the country. The firm serves clients worldwide from offices in Atlanta, Boston, California, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, New York, Ohio, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit us online at www.btlaw.com or on Twitter @BTLawNews.