Building on the success of 2025, the 2026 program has expanded to reach students near all 39 HKM office locations nationwide.
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.
AT A GLANCE
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.
The 2026 HKM Employment Attorneys Scholarship: Now Open
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.
Who Can Apply
- Enrolled in a pre-law, paralegal, or J.D. program at an accredited U.S. college or university
- Maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- At least 18 years old at the time of submission
- Attending school within 60 miles of one of the participating HKM cities listed below
- Not currently employed by HKM Employment Attorneys LLP, and not an immediate family member of an HKM employee
How To Apply
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.
For a list of HKM participating cities, click here.
About HKM Employment Attorneys, LLP
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.
