The Honorable Reginald Lindsay Public Service Scholarship Award

Judge Reginald C. Lindsay

The Honorable Reginald Lindsay Public Service Award seeks to support the development of students who, like Judge Lindsay, have overcome adversity to use their outstanding academic ability and skills in public service.

Judge Lindsay was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up in the deeply segregated South during the pre-civil rights era. In 1983, Judge Lindsay began using a wheelchair due to illness. Despite enduring obstacles and disadvantages attendant to his upbringing and his disability, Judge Lindsay overcame barriers, likely too great for most, to rise to the highest levels of the legal profession. In 1993, he became the second African-American appointed to the federal bench in Massachusetts. Most important, Judge Lindsay exemplified the true meanings of altruism and public service.

In his honor, this award is aimed at law school students of color who have demonstrated a commitment to public service. Nominees should exhibit academic ability, and should possess the very qualities that made Judge Lindsay such an asset to the legal profession: compassion, perspective and honor. This Award is given annually by the MBLA in the amount of $1,000.00.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

Each student may apply for each of the three MBLA scholarships offered: The Honorable Justice Roderick L. Ireland Leadership and Juvenile Advocacy Award ($2,000), The Honorable Reginald Lindsay Public Service Award ($1,000), and the Fletcher “Flash” Wiley MBLA Legacy Award (two (2) students, up to $5,000). Although students may apply for more than one scholarship, no student will be awarded more than one scholarship in any given year.

Applicants for the Honorable Reginald Lindsay Public Service Scholarship Award must:

Demonstrate exceptional compassion and commitment to public service;
Enrolled and in good standing at your law school at the time of nomination;
Exhibit strong academic achievement;
Demonstrate a commitment to practicing law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and
Be an MBLA member.

To be apply for this award, the applicant must submit the following:*

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Law School Transcript
• One (1) Letter of Recommendation (Must be from an Employer or Professor)

Recommendation Letter should include:
▪ How long and in what capacity the recommender knows the applicant
▪ Evaluation of the applicant’s commitment to public service
▪ Evaluation of the applicant’s ability to serve the interests of groups that lack access to legal services
▪ Any other relevant, special skills possessed by the applicant

*All scholarship application materials should be emailed to scholarships@mablacklawyers.org as a single PDF document. In the title of your PDF document, please indicate your name and the scholarship for which you are applying.

If you would like to support our scholarships you can do so by making a contribution to the MBLA Building The Legacy Scholarship Fund. This fund was created through a partnership with the Boston Bar Foundation. As the BBF is a 501(c)(3) organization, all contributions to the fund are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.