Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship

The sexual harassment lawyers at Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, believe in investing in communities in need. We pride our team on its willingness to dive head-first into efforts that better the lives of our clients. It’s with that dedication in mind that we are proud to debut our new Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship.

The Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship promises $2,500 in winnings to an outstanding student. Interested applicants should complete an original essay between 500 and 1,000 words detailing what a fair and respectful workplace should look like.

Students have until April 30, 2027, to complete their essays and submit them for consideration. Our legal team looks forward to awarding our winning student $2,500 that they can dedicate toward their continuing education.

Application Requirements

Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, invites undergraduate and graduate students across all schools of study to apply for the Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship. Students interested in competing for the $2,500 in financial support need to agree to the scholarship’s terms and conditions before finalizing their applications.

Applicants will also need to prove that they are enrolled in or accepted at an accredited college, university, or graduate school in the United States. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA and submit an unofficial transcript as proof.

The scholarship selection committee with Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, will only accept applications from students who meet these qualifying criteria and submit complete application packets for the firm’s consideration. Make sure to check your work before submitting!

How to Apply

If you want to apply for the Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship, be prepared to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria. Then, complete an essay within the 500 to 1,000-word range based on the prompt below. Finally, submit your essay as a PDF along with the completed form on this page.

Scholarship Essay Topic

In a 500 to 1,000-word essay, discuss the importance of understanding employee rights and recognizing workplace discrimination or harassment.

You may explore topics such as discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation; sexual harassment; retaliation; equal employment opportunities; or the importance of speaking up when workplace rights are violated.

Explain why awareness of workplace rights matters and how education about employment laws can help create safer, more equitable workplaces. Feel free to share any personal experiences or stories of those around you who experienced workplace discrimination or harassment.

Formatting Your Scholarship Essay

When writing an essay for the Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship, please make sure to include your original thoughts and ideas. Do not use AI to generate your essay.

Please double-space your essay, use a 12-point font with 1-inch margins, and include a bibliography with proper citations. We encourage you to include a catchy and original title. When you submit your essay, please save it as a PDF using the following naming scheme: “[Scholarship Name and Year] – [Student Name].”

What’s the Scholarship Deadline?

Students interested in applying for the Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship have until April 30, 2027, to complete and submit their applications. Unfortunately, the scholarship selection committee cannot consider any applications submitted after this deadline passes.

The team reserves up to three months after the submission deadline passes to select its scholarship recipient. Please do not contact Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, about your application during this time. Our team members cannot offer applicants or their families any updates on the status of a student’s application.

Terms and Conditions

All applicants to this scholarship must meet the eligibility requirements as laid out on the scholarship application page, including:

• Applicant must be enrolled at a college, trade school, university, or graduate school.
• Applicant must have at least a 3.0 GPA.
• Applicant must be at least 18 years old at the time of enrollment.
• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise authorized to work or attend school in the United States.
• Applicant must be in good academic standing.
• Applicant must submit some personal information, including name, contact information, and academic information.
• Applicant must author an original essay on the scholarship topic provided.

Anyone who meets the following conditions is NOT eligible to apply:

• Employees or children of employees of Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC
• Past recipients of the Building a Fairer Workplace for Everyone Scholarship
• Applicants who are unable/unwilling to be interviewed by a representative of Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, if they were to be awarded a scholarship.
• Applicants who submit the same essay for multiple scholarships or for multiple years in a row

Selection & Award Notification Process

While the scholarship selection committee will review every application submitted to Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, Derek Smith will select the final scholarship recipient. This process may take upward of three months following the scholarship application submission deadline.

Age, race, religion, gender, national origin, familial status, or other protected classes will have no influence on the committee’s decision. Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, will award its scholarship based on a student’s merits and their answer to the aforementioned scholarship question.

Please do not reach out to the firm during the consideration process for updates on the status of a student’s application. We cannot provide additional information about the selection process at this time. Once Derek Smith chooses the scholarship winner, the firm will send the student’s winnings to the academic institution of their choosing.

Privacy Statement

Your personal information will not be given, sold, or distributed to third parties.

We reserve the right to use the winners’ names and photos in any announcement or communication related to the scholarship on Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC’s website, in marketing materials, or in social media posts.

By submitting your application, you agree to our public use of your name and image.

Previous Winners

The legal team with Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC, looks forward to celebrating the achievements of its scholarship recipients here at a later date.

Scholarship Application