Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants Judicial Scholarship Program

Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 2009, and served as its Chief Justice from 2014 until his passing in 2020.

The late Chief Justice Gants was a champion of access to justice and equity in the Massachusetts legal system. The Chief Justice Gants Judicial Scholarship Program was conceived in his memory to give Massachusetts law students with limited financial means the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the judicial system, while also creating equity by increasing pathways to successful legal, public service, and judicial careers.

Scholarships of $8,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible law students.

Eligibility

Law student applicants must:

  • Be enrolled in a Massachusetts law school accredited by the American Bar Association;

  • Be a student in good academic standing, as certified by the law school;

  • Demonstrate financial need; and

  • Have secured a full-time judicial internship within the Massachusetts state court system. (To be considered full-time, an intern must work a minimum of 35 hours/week for a minimum of 10 weeks. Pro-rated stipends are also available for 8- or 9-week internships.)

Application Process

Law student applicants must complete and submit the following documents to their law school internship offices:

  • A completed Chief Justice Gants Judicial Scholarship application [access materials below];

  • A personal statement that is no more than two pages in length and details the factors influencing your decision to pursue an internship in the Massachusetts judicial system; and

  • A current resumé.

Selection Criteria

Recipients will be selected by their respective law school, based on consideration of:

  • Undergraduate and law school academic performance;

  • Personal achievement;

  • Personal statement;

  • Demonstrated leadership ability; and

  • Demonstrated community or public service.

Special consideration will be given to applicants who identify as members of a group that is currently underrepresented in the MA legal community.

The Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants Judicial Scholarship Program is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.