Last June, the OCBA and OCBF awarded scholarships to Lily Kawahata and Jackson Otlewski. Pictured with the students were then OCBA President Dean Googasian, OCBA Treasurer Vicki King, and OCBF Treasurer Robert Levine.
Pair of $5,000 scholarships offered for
students pursuing a legal career
By Tom Kirvan
Legal News
As any recent law school graduate can attest, the financial cost of obtaining a juris doctor degree is high and is increasing yearly, putting a dent in student budgets that can make every dollar spent a precious commodity.
Fortunately, the Oakland County Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Foundation have partnered to offer some financial relief in the form of a pair of $5,000 scholarships that have been awarded annually to high school seniors in Oakland County who plan to pursue a career in the legal profession.
The Diversity in the Legal Profession Scholarship Fund was established in 2023 with “the help and guidance” of Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe, who when appointed to the court in 2021 became just the second African American male to serve on the Sixth Circuit bench, according to Katie Tillinger, deputy director of the OCBA.
“Initial funding (for the scholarships) came from donations during the 2023 Affinity Bar Charity Challenge and proceeds from the 2023 Meet the Judges event,” Tillinger said. “Additionally, OCBA members were given the option to add a $10 donation to the fund when they joined or renewed their membership.
“The number of scholarships and the amount awarded each year are determined by the funds raised through OCBA member contributions from the previous year,” Tillinger noted. “For the past two years, the committee has awarded two $5,000 scholarships and will again for the 2025-26 year. Award recipients are selected by a subcommittee of the OCBA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. This small group of volunteers read through the applications, meet to discuss, interview via Zoom, and then score essays and interviews to determine two winners.”
The 2024 scholarship recipients were Emily Kim and Marlien William, while the 2025 award winners were Lily Kawahata of Novi High School and Jackson Otlewski of the International Academy of Bloomfield Hills. Lily currently is a student at Georgetown University, while Jackson is a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University.
The application deadline for the 2026 scholarships is January 30, according to Tilllinger, and details can be found at ocba.org/DEIscholarship.
“Considerations include family financial need, student academic performance, career goals, and extracurricular activities,” Tillinger indicated, who noted that applicants must reside in Oakland County and are scheduled to graduate from high school in the spring of 2026.
In concert with the scholarship program, the DE&I Committee in recent years also has honored an OCBA member who has worked toward increasing diversity in the legal profession, Tillinger said.
“The first year, the committee honored the legacy of Clarence Dass,” Tillinger said of the former assistant Oakland County prosecutor who died of colon cancer in 2022.
The second-year honoree was the late Laurel McGiffert, a partner at Plunkett Cooney who was the firm’s first director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
This year, retired Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Denise Langford-Morris will be honored.
“She was the first African American circuit court judge in Oakland County and first female dean of the bench since its inception in 1948,” Tillinger said of Langford Morris, who is a neutral with the Detroit office of JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services). “She is known at home and abroad. Her patience, perseverance, and integrity are unparalleled.”
Legal News
As any recent law school graduate can attest, the financial cost of obtaining a juris doctor degree is high and is increasing yearly, putting a dent in student budgets that can make every dollar spent a precious commodity.
Fortunately, the Oakland County Bar Association and the Oakland County Bar Foundation have partnered to offer some financial relief in the form of a pair of $5,000 scholarships that have been awarded annually to high school seniors in Oakland County who plan to pursue a career in the legal profession.
The Diversity in the Legal Profession Scholarship Fund was established in 2023 with “the help and guidance” of Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe, who when appointed to the court in 2021 became just the second African American male to serve on the Sixth Circuit bench, according to Katie Tillinger, deputy director of the OCBA.
“Initial funding (for the scholarships) came from donations during the 2023 Affinity Bar Charity Challenge and proceeds from the 2023 Meet the Judges event,” Tillinger said. “Additionally, OCBA members were given the option to add a $10 donation to the fund when they joined or renewed their membership.
“The number of scholarships and the amount awarded each year are determined by the funds raised through OCBA member contributions from the previous year,” Tillinger noted. “For the past two years, the committee has awarded two $5,000 scholarships and will again for the 2025-26 year. Award recipients are selected by a subcommittee of the OCBA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. This small group of volunteers read through the applications, meet to discuss, interview via Zoom, and then score essays and interviews to determine two winners.”
The 2024 scholarship recipients were Emily Kim and Marlien William, while the 2025 award winners were Lily Kawahata of Novi High School and Jackson Otlewski of the International Academy of Bloomfield Hills. Lily currently is a student at Georgetown University, while Jackson is a freshman at Carnegie Mellon University.
The application deadline for the 2026 scholarships is January 30, according to Tilllinger, and details can be found at ocba.org/DEIscholarship.
“Considerations include family financial need, student academic performance, career goals, and extracurricular activities,” Tillinger indicated, who noted that applicants must reside in Oakland County and are scheduled to graduate from high school in the spring of 2026.
In concert with the scholarship program, the DE&I Committee in recent years also has honored an OCBA member who has worked toward increasing diversity in the legal profession, Tillinger said.
“The first year, the committee honored the legacy of Clarence Dass,” Tillinger said of the former assistant Oakland County prosecutor who died of colon cancer in 2022.
The second-year honoree was the late Laurel McGiffert, a partner at Plunkett Cooney who was the firm’s first director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
This year, retired Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Denise Langford-Morris will be honored.
“She was the first African American circuit court judge in Oakland County and first female dean of the bench since its inception in 1948,” Tillinger said of Langford Morris, who is a neutral with the Detroit office of JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services). “She is known at home and abroad. Her patience, perseverance, and integrity are unparalleled.”
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
