2023 Winner: Erin Clifford
Bio: Erin Clifford, a senior at Mississippi State University from Ocean Springs, MS, is currently majoring in Political Science with a minor in Pre-Law. She began her academic journey at Pearl River Community College, where she earned her Associate Degree and played on the Women’s Soccer Team.
At Mississippi State, Erin serves as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Stennis Institute of Government. This position involves contributing to the institute’s efforts to enhance the efficiency of local and state government, as well as promoting civic engagement among Mississippians. Additionally, Erin serves as the undergraduate representative of the I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility) Committee and as the Policy Director of College Democrats. Looking ahead, Erin is preparing to enter her first year of law school in the fall of 2024 to pursue a career in public service.
Reaction Statement: Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Law Offices of Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz & Bhaya for selecting me as the recipient of this scholarship. Pursuing a career in law comes with significant financial challenges. Scholarships like these ease the burden, enabling students like me to chase our dreams without financial constraints. The beauty of law lies in its potential to impact millions of lives, and it’s the disparities I’ve observed in my home state that have motivated me to choose this path. I eagerly anticipate the future, grateful for committees like yours that invest in students aspiring to make a positive change in the world.
2022 Winner: Ruby Valle
Bio: My name is Ruby Valle, and I was born and raised in the south side of Chicago. My family is originally from Guerrero, Mexico, so my first language growing up was Spanish. The Spanish language has helped me extensively in assisting members of my community who are primarily Spanish speaking in navigating the judicial system. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Criminology, Law and Justice in the spring on 2020. Thereafter, I assisted pro-se litigants at the Daley Center for a year as a fellow. In the fall of 2021 I started my legal education at the UIC School of Law and am currently a 2nd-year law student, where I am also a 711 licensed clerk at the Felony Trial Division in Cook County’s Criminal Courthouse. I aspire to practice as a state’s attorney in Chicago after graduation.
Reaction Statement: First and foremost, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for selecting me as the
recipient of this wonderful scholarship. I am extremely honored and appreciative that the
scholarship committee reviewed my application and selected me. Moreover, I am appreciative in
that the scholarship committee was able to see my dedication to the legal profession and the
reason why I selected this career path. It is an amazing feeling to know that there are individuals
who took the time to read not only my story, but essentially read about my passions and my life
and still see that I am motivated to accomplish my goals.
For more information on this year’s DP Law Aspiring Attorney Scholarship, please visit our scholarship page.
