The Lake County Bar Foundation (LCBF), the charitable arm of the Lake County Bar Association, has made a generous $100,000 gift to DePaul Law to establish a new scholarship fund. The fund will provide financial support to law students with a meaningful connection to Lake County, Illinois—whether through residency, work, family ties or personal history.
This scholarship represents a major step in LCBF’s mission to foster greater diversity within the legal profession and improve access to justice. In addition to financial aid, recipients of the scholarship—designated as Lake County Bar Foundation Scholars—will benefit from mentorship and networking opportunities with members of both the Foundation and the Association, strengthening their ties to the local legal community.
"We are deeply grateful to the LCBF for investing in our students and their futures," said Dean Julie Lawton. "This scholarship reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to legal education and ensuring that the legal profession better reflects the communities it serves."
Scott B. Gibson (JD ’82), chair of the LCBF Long-Range Planning Committee and a former president of both the Lake County Bar Association and the Foundation,
was instrumental in coordinating this scholarship effort. “These scholarships are about more than money,” he said. “The Lake County Bar Foundation is inspired by the passion of our mission: helping individuals and organizations gain access and participation in our legal profession and system, and supporting those in need who are the future of our democracy. DePaul Law is an outstanding partner in expanding access to legal education for those who otherwise might not have the opportunity to become our future legal leaders.”
DePaul is one of the first two law schools to receive such a scholarship from LCBF—the other being Northern Illinois University College of Law. The Foundation hopes to expand the program to additional law schools across Illinois in the future.