The Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco, a networking group and nonprofit, has announced new scholarships for law students whose upcoming summer jobs will include a focus on issues related to the Jewish community.
The scholarships come at a complex moment for Jews entering the legal profession, according to Adam Kaplan, co-president of the group.
“It’s incredibly important now following the October 7 attacks and all the scrutiny around Israel,” he said. “There’s been so much antisemitism, especially on college and law school campuses, and also in the workplace.”
The ongoing problems of antisemitism mean that it’s an “important time to look at legal issues involving freedom of speech versus regulations of campus protests,” he added.
The association is accepting applications for $1,800 scholarships, with up to five recipients. The program is open to all students, Jewish and non-Jewish, enrolled in Bay Area law schools. The deadline to apply is May 16.
Kaplan said applicants’ summer jobs can be within the government, academic or nonprofit sector, as long as the work includes a focus on issues tied to the Jewish community.
“Usually, summer work is to learn about your interests and the sorts of legal work you want to do,” Kaplan said. “Students can use it to get a foot in the door. [The work] could be research, writing an article, or directly representing, but it’s framed pretty broadly.”
In the decade since its founding, the Jewish Bar Association of San Francisco has sponsored lectures on legal topics, offered networking opportunities for its 750 members and hosted social events.
Kaplan, an in-house attorney with Intel, said association members represent top firms, companies and legal service providers. They also include judges, academics, law students, lawyers in small firms and solo practitioners. The organization’s 2024 gala honored Ninth Circuit Judge Daniel A. Bress and Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny’s cafe in San Francisco.
Law students interested in the scholarships can apply here.