The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Foundation is investing in the next generation of practitioners through its new Future Advocates Law School Scholarship Program. For the 2026–27 academic year, the Foundation will award up to four $3,500 scholarships to JD students at ABA-accredited law schools who plan to enroll in a qualifying course in elder or special needs law.
“Each of us in this profession had someone who invested in our legal journey,” said NAELA Foundation Chair Bridget O’Brien Swartz. “This scholarship program is about paying that support forward and ensuring talented law students can discover and enter this critical and undeniably rewarding field.”
The need for skilled elder and special needs law attorneys is growing rapidly amid significant demographic shifts. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 73 million Americans will be 65 or older by 2030, increasing demand for legal services related to long-term care planning, public benefits, guardianship, and disability rights.
Practitioners nationwide who work with older adults and individuals with disabilities are already experiencing a crisis of capacity as the need for their services grows.
“If we don’t invest in future advocates now, we risk leaving these vulnerable populations without the legal protection they deserve,” Swartz added.
Each scholarship includes:
• $3,500 in tuition support for one qualifying 2–3 credit course
• A complimentary one-year NAELA student membership
“These scholarships are more than financial assistance — they are invitations to join a community dedicated to protecting and preserving the dignity of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and their families,” said Swartz.
Applications are open through April 1.
For additional information and to apply, go to NAELA.org/LawSchoolScholarship.
“Each of us in this profession had someone who invested in our legal journey,” said NAELA Foundation Chair Bridget O’Brien Swartz. “This scholarship program is about paying that support forward and ensuring talented law students can discover and enter this critical and undeniably rewarding field.”
The need for skilled elder and special needs law attorneys is growing rapidly amid significant demographic shifts. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 73 million Americans will be 65 or older by 2030, increasing demand for legal services related to long-term care planning, public benefits, guardianship, and disability rights.
Practitioners nationwide who work with older adults and individuals with disabilities are already experiencing a crisis of capacity as the need for their services grows.
“If we don’t invest in future advocates now, we risk leaving these vulnerable populations without the legal protection they deserve,” Swartz added.
Each scholarship includes:
• $3,500 in tuition support for one qualifying 2–3 credit course
• A complimentary one-year NAELA student membership
“These scholarships are more than financial assistance — they are invitations to join a community dedicated to protecting and preserving the dignity of older adults, individuals with disabilities, and their families,” said Swartz.
Applications are open through April 1.
For additional information and to apply, go to NAELA.org/LawSchoolScholarship.
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