Since 1985, the lawyers affiliated with Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp have dedicated their practice to helping people when they need it most and to fighting against injustice in the civil trial practice. Our personal injury attorneys have spent almost four decades fighting for clients who are unable to fight for themselves and seek to balance the scales of civil justice. Our law firm has successfully represented countless numbers of personal injury accident victims in the Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads, Virginia, areas who suffered serious injuries due to the negligent and reckless acts of others.
Our attorneys have obtained over $100 million in personal injury insurance settlements and jury awards for victims of vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and railroad/FELA injuries. We also fight for the families of victims who tragically do not survive their injuries, pursuing damages in wrongful death lawsuits.
In keeping with our firm’s dedication to advocating for accident victims and our commitment to the civil justice systems in the local communities we serve, we are very proud to announce the Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp Bright Futures Scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria
Because our home office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, this scholarship is open to any student aged 16 to 18 years of age currently enrolled in an accredited high school in the five “sister” cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Suffolk, and when submitting their essay has not yet obtained their high school diploma.
- The scholarship applicant must be dedicated to trying to improve the lives of others and be able to demonstrate this commitment in their essay.
- All eligible candidates must be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 or above and provide a transcript from their current high school along with their submission.
Essay: Injustice in Our Society: 2022-2023
Civil justice involves all forms of U.S. constitutional, federal, or state-enacted rights besides criminal laws or enforcement of criminal laws. Our nation, as of 2023, seems highly divided about what constitutes “equal justice” for all our citizens. The civil justice system allows individuals to sue the government or to sue other groups or individuals in the state and federal courts over all forms of civil rights arising from federal or state civil laws or under what is called “common law,” which can be enforced by the civil jury system in the U.S. Civil laws and rights help stop or prevent all forms of injustice in society, whether in education, general society, or in the enforcement of governmental laws or regulations.
Please explain how you have taken an active role in seeking to prevent any form of civil injustice through your actions or deeds in the past and what job or profession you hope to fulfill in the future to help our society prevent civil injustices.
Address the essay topic above, and include the following in your essay of 1,000 words or less:
- Briefly describe how you plan to improve our society, assist you in your future education and goals, and what those goals are.
- In what ways will you give back to society and your community?
- Your submission must be typed and attached in a standard Word or PDF format.
- All essays will be analyzed for original content and may not contain more than 20 percent plagiarized content, allowing only valid citations of other sources.
- By submitting your essay in this scholarship process, you hereby agree and confirm that you are the sole author of your essay, that the material is original and not created by any digital AI resource, and that no other student or professional person has drafted or written your essay on your behalf.
- If you are a minor when the winners are announced, you must supply the name of one parent or legal guardian who must confirm in writing that the law firm may announce your selection on our websites and in media releases and include a photographic headshot of the minor who is to receive the award. Additionally, the law firm may list all winners by name and include their essays on any websites associated with the law firm. The law firm may revoke your selection and choose an alternate winner if the name and photographic authorization are not provided, with no further liability to the law firm.
- The law firm will provide the scholarship check to the minor or the parent or guardian at the sole election of the law firm within 30 days of the selection announcement, conditioned on compliance with all aspects and conditions of the award listed here.
Application Materials
- Essay response, 1,000 words maximum. See prompts and questions above.
- Current official or unofficial transcript
- (Optional) A resume with submission, or if notified you are a selected winner, you may then provide a resume about yourself within one week of notification.
Submission Deadline
All application materials must be submitted by April 1, 2024.
Award Announcement
The scholarship recipient will be announced on July 1, 2024.
Scholarship Amount
Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp will be awarding three scholarships:
- First Place Winner – $3,000 scholarship
- Second Place Winner – $2,000 scholarship
- Third Place Winner – $1,000 scholarship
Application Instructions
Submit all required materials by email only to:
In the subject line of your submission, please include “Scholarship Submission” and your first and last name. If you have any questions or seek to confirm the email was received, please email the above address. No phone calls, please.