Cognitive Care Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Hackard Law

Announcing the Fair Inheritance Scholarship from Hackard Law

Hackard Law is pleased to introduce the Fair Inheritance Scholarship, a new scholarship inviting students across the country to reflect on fairness in estate and inheritance disputes. We encourage applicants to consider how assets should be divided, how courts ought to address contested or complex wills, and how the law can respond to human circumstances underlying estate litigation.

We created this award to support students pursuing higher education and to help ease the financial burden of college. Through this scholarship we hope to empower the next generation of leaders who care about fairness in inheritance matters. Applications will be accepted through May 31, 2026.

Key details
- Application deadline: May 31, 2026
- Award amount: $1,000
- Winner selected during the month after the application deadline

Eligibility
- Open to high school seniors, vocational students, undergraduate and graduate students, and any student enrolled in higher education who will be attending a post-secondary institution in Fall 2026.
- Applicants must be legal residents of the United States and physically residing in the U.S. at the time of application.
- Current employees of Hackard Law, their family members, and anyone living in the same household as such employees are not eligible.
- Applicants should have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in good academic standing.

Application requirements
To be considered, applicants must submit all items below by the deadline:
1. Completed application form (see form below).
2. Essay (750–1,000 words): Respond to the prompt — Disputes over inheritance often hinge on the question of what is fair. In estate litigation, fairness can conflict with legal formalities, unequal family relationships, or old estate planning documents. Discuss the concept of fairness in inheritance: should assets be split equally among heirs, or divided based on need or contribution? How ought courts treat wills that suggest favoritism, undue influence, or mental incapacity? Offer your view on how the legal system can better address the human complexities behind estate conflicts.
- All essays will be screened for AI-assisted writing. Any submission found to contain AI-generated content will be disqualified.
3. Professional résumé outlining academic and work experience.
4. School transcript:
- Returning students should provide an official transcript from their current school.
- First-year college students, graduate students, or recent transfers may submit an unofficial transcript from their current institution plus the most recent official transcript from their previous school.
- High school applicants may submit proof of acceptance to a post-secondary institution in lieu of a college transcript.

Additional note
Preference will be given to applicants who are from, or attending secondary school in, the state.

Selection timeline
The scholarship recipient will be chosen during the month following the application deadline. We look forward to reading thoughtful submissions from students who share Hackard Law’s commitment to fairness in inheritance matters.