The Merel Future of Chicago Family Law Scholarship
Merel Family Law is a full-service family law firm serving clients across Chicagoland and metro Detroit. Our attorneys blend compassionate family law advice with tenacious client advocacy, shepherding people through some of the most stressful and contentious events of their lives. With our focus exclusively on family law matters, we’ve honed our skills at the negotiating table and in the courtroom. Firm founder and lead attorney Jonathan Merel takes pride in operating a firm that challenges the expectations people have of large firms, with a focus on meeting the complete needs of each client. We offer legal advice and advocacy, as well as divorce coaching and compassionate support.
We believe in giving back to our community, from participating in local philanthropic organizations as volunteers to providing free access and insight through our national monthly series, ATD: All Things Divorce podcast.
As part of our commitment to giving back, Merel Family Law is pleased to announce The Merel Future of Chicago Family Law Scholarship, open to undergraduates who plan to attend law school and focus on family law. Valued at $5,000, The Merel Family Law scholarship is designed to help aspiring family law attorneys achieve their goals.
We’re proud to sponsor the future of Chicago family lawyers and eagerly anticipate seeing our scholarship winners in the courtroom for years to come. Our firm is comprised of bright, energetic legal minds, and we bring energy, innovation, and creative approaches to our clients’ legal challenges. We hope that by helping talented budding legal talent succeed, we will leave a legacy of family attorneys who share our values of zealous advocacy and client care.
Eligibility Criteria
The Merel Future of Chicago Family Law Scholarship is open to undergraduate students who plan to enroll in law school. An intention to practice family law after obtaining a Juris Doctorate is preferred but not required.
As part of the selection process, applicants must be able to explain how they plan to utilize their education to support individuals navigating a family law legal crisis. We seek compassionate individuals with keen legal minds and a thirst for knowledge.
Candidates must be in good academic standing with their college or university and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above.
Essay Questions
Please draft a 1,000-word essay explaining why you chose to pursue a family law specialization and what has inspired you to achieve your academic goals.
Application Requirements
To be considered, applicants must submit the following materials:
- A current resume
- An essay (up to 1,000 words) responding to the prompt above
- A current unofficial transcript
Deadline
All application materials must be received by August 31, 2026.
Scholarship Award Notification
The selected recipient will be announced in September 2026.
Application Requirements
$5000 will be awarded to the scholarship recipient, to be used towards their education.
Submission Instructions
Please email all materials to [email protected]
For questions or additional information, please do not call the office; instead, direct all inquiries to the email address listed above.
