The Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship

The Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship was founded in 2016 to honor CWL Past President Nancy E. O'Malley for her dedication and commitment to the organization by recognizing a law student whose prior and current activities demonstrate a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children.

Applications for the 2026 Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship will open August 1, 2026, and the application deadline will be September 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. The scholarship recipient will be announced in October 2026, and will be presented with the scholarship at the CWL Annual Dinner. The scholarship was founded in 2016 to honor CWL Past President Nancy O'Malley (2009-2010) for her dedication and commitment to promoting California Women Lawyers and protecting all women and children in our society. One scholarship is awarded annually to a law student whose prior and current activities, and future plans, demonstrate a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children in the community. Everyone who meets the requirements may apply. One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded.

To be eligible, students must meet the following requirements:

• Current membership in CWL
• Be currently enrolled in a law school accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State of California; Be in the top fifty percent of their law school class currently;
• Demonstrate financial need; and
• Demonstrate a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children in the community.

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• A personal statement addressing your commitment to issues affecting women and/or children. Be sure to address how your commitment will continue after law school graduation.
• Current resume listing at least two references;
• Completed online application;
• Law school transcript;
• Letter of good standing from current law school; and
• Minimum of one letter of recommendation (maximum of three letters). At least one letter of recommendation must be from someone with personal knowledge of the applicant’s dedication to issues affecting women and/or children in the community.

Past Recipients:

2025: Janaya Sanchez, Lincoln Law School
2024: Katrina Hibdon, University of San Francisco School of Law
2023: Anna Judson, UC Berkeley School of Law
2022: Corina Yetter, UC Davis School of Law
2021: Amelia Andrews-Jubelt, Loyola Law School
2020: Mariah Cooks, Golden Gate University School of Law
2019: Janani Ramachandran, UC Berkeley School of Law
2018: Edrina Nazaradeh, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
2017: Jenna Klein, UC Berkeley School of Law