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Schwartz Scholarship

Scholarship for NCDC/National Criminal Defense College

In 2001, the WACDL Board of Governors honored WACDL member Irwin Schwartz, who became president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in August, 2001, by creating a scholarship in his name for WACDL members attending the Trial Practice Institute of the National Criminal Defense College.

Scholarship Guidelines
WACDL awards one scholarship each year, to a WACDL member attending the Trial Practice Institute sponsored by the National Criminal Defense College. The scholarship provides full tuition to attend the Trial Practice Institute; the scholarship recipient must provide travel expenses. The Dean of the NCDC will award the scholarship each year from applications received by WACDL.

WACDL has established the following criteria to guide the NCDC in the process of awarding the scholarship:

  • The scholarship must be awarded to a member of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers who is presently practicing criminal defense in the State of Washington. If no qualified member of WACDL applies in any year, the scholarship will not be awarded in that year.
  • The recipient must agree to remain a member of WACDL for at least three years following receipt of the scholarship. Failure to remain a WACDL member for three years following receipt of scholarship funds will require the recipient to refund to WACDL the full amount of the scholarship funds received.
  • The recipient's law practice should reflect a demonstrated commitment to the representation of indigent criminal defendants.
  • Otherwise, in the exercise of his or her discretion in awarding the scholarship, the Dean of the NCDC should consider such factors as financial need, aptitude, experience, and the applicant's likelihood of benefiting from the program.


To apply

  • Fill out the NCDC's application for the Trial Practice Institute, including their scholarship application. List WACDL in the section asking for your affiliations. Note that their application deadline is March 15.
  • Fill out WACDL's application for the Schwartz Scholarship and return it to WACDL by March 15.


Scholarship recipients
2002 - Kim Gordon
2003 - Ramona Brandes
2004 - Marvin Lee
2005 - Amy Muth
2006 - Maggie Smith Evansen
2007 - Mary Kay High
2008 - Nicholas Juhl
2009 - Jennifer Mauricio
2010 - Jeri Bonkoski
2011 - Laura Martin
2012 - Merwin Moe Spencer