The Taxation Section of the Indiana State Bar Association annually awards several individual, one-time, nonrenewable scholarships to Indiana law students who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to the study and practice of tax law. The minimum scholarship award is one thousand dollars ($1,000); however, the ISBA Tax Section reserves the discretion to award or not award scholarships in any particular year and to increase the amount and number of the awards based on the number of applicants, the strength of the applicants’ submitted materials, and the availability of scholarship funds.
Purpose: The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage students to enter the practice of tax law in Indiana and to become active members of the ISBA Tax Section by assisting students with their financial needs.
Eligibility: Any law student is eligible who is in good academic standing, who is enrolled in an Indiana ABA accredited law school at the time the application is submitted, and who intends to practice tax law in Indiana. Individuals who have been accepted to law school, but have not yet started classes at the time the application is filed, are ineligible to apply. Students anticipating graduating in the year of the scholarship award are eligible to apply.
Criteria: Selection criteria for the scholarships include: merit, scholarship performance, demonstrated experience, and interest in the field of tax law (regardless of particular field of practice, e.g., ERISA, Federal Income Tax, State Tax, or Estate Tax). Consideration is also given to extracurricular activities both inside and outside law school, including but not limited to legal externships or internships with state or federal taxing authorities such as the Internal Revenue Service, Indiana Department of State Revenue, the Indiana Tax Court, the Indiana Board of Tax Review, the Department of Local Government Finance, or Indiana-based legal aid societies and clinics.
Application Materials: Transcripts do not need to be in original or certified form. Please scan upload all relevant documents below.
Application Submission Deadline: The scholarship application submission window opens on January 1. Completed applications and all supporting documentation must be uploaded via this form (or emailed to Leah Baker at lbaker@inbar.org with the subject line “Scholarship Application Enclosed”) no later than May 1.
Notification: Scholarships will be awarded by October 1 via email notification to the successful applicant(s), who will be recognized in the ISBA’s Addendum or Res Gestae and at the Annual ISBA Tax Section Recognition Ceremony (usually in November in Indianapolis). Scholarship recipients do have not be present to accept the award but are welcome to attend.
Questions about the scholarship application may be emailed to Leah Baker at lbaker@inbar.org.