Now Accepting Applications: 2026 SAIL Scholarship & Judicial Council Internships

Two Opportunities to Support Your Journey to a Legal Career

2026 SAIL Scholarship
Deadline to Apply: June 30, 2026

The NAPABA Law Foundation is now accepting applications for the distinguished SAIL Scholarship Program—a rare, career-shaping opportunity created to uplift and empower the next generation of leaders in the legal profession.

The SAIL Scholarship offers far more than financial support. Selected scholars receive:
– $7,500 in funding (distributed evenly across their 2L and 3L years)
– One-on-one mentorship from seasoned legal professionals
– Exclusive access to executive-level networking and leadership opportunities

Who Should Apply?

  • Current 1L students (rising 2Ls in Fall 2026) who demonstrate:
  • Strong academic achievement (undergraduate and 1L performance)
  • Leadership potential and a commitment to “paying it forward”
  • Volunteer or public service experience
  • Knowledge of or dedication to advancing AAPI communities

This program provides sustained support throughout law school — financially, professionally, and personally — helping recipients build a foundation for a career rooted in leadership, service, and impact.

If you know an exceptional first-year law student, please encourage them to apply.

Students: Be sure to review the SAIL Scholarship FAQ to confirm eligibility and expectations before submitting your materials.

Let the SAIL Scholarship help launch your path toward meaningful change in the legal field. To apply, click this link.

2026 NAPABA Judicial Council Summer Internships
Deadline to Apply: January 15, 2026

We are pleased to announce that the NAPABA Judicial Council is offering three prestigious summer internship opportunities with distinguished federal judges for Summer 2026. Each selected intern will also receive a $1,500 scholarship stipend to support their experience.

These internships provide invaluable exposure to federal judicial work, insights into the court system, and the opportunity to learn directly from leaders in the judiciary. Each full-time internship will last approximately 4-10 weeks, with dates and times to be arranged between each intern and judge.

To view application requirements, click here.

NAPABA Receives Grant from American Arbitration Association’s International Centre for Dispute Resolution Foundation to Combat Anti-Asian Bullying in Schools

In recognition of October as National Bullying Prevention month, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is proud to announce that the American Arbitration Association’s International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR) Foundation has awarded it grant funding under its Rapid Response Fund which focuses on conflict-resolution initiatives helping Asian American/Pacific Islander communities combat the surge in anti-Asian hate across the United States. 

“NAPABA is grateful to the AAA-ICDR Foundation for its generous support on this critical project,” said A.B. Cruz III, president of NAPABA. “With thousands of cases of anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents—and seemingly no end in sight—we must do all we can to protect the most vulnerable victims of hate—children, and stand up for them harnessing the power of our nationwide network of affiliates as trained advocates.”  

The award, made through the NAPABA Law Foundation, will be used, in part, to develop a toolkit to combat COVID-19-driven anti-Asian bullying in schools as well as for other anti-bullying advocacy efforts. The toolkit will seek to equip and train NAPABA affiliates on legal and non-legal responses alike and provide best practices on how to interact with school officials. The toolkit is aimed at educating not only NAPABA lawyers on conducting best advocacy practices, but also to help families, students, educators, and communities understand the availability of remedies including appropriate alternative dispute resolution approaches to addressing anti-Asian bullying. For more on the AAA-ICDR Foundation and its Rapid Response efforts to combat the surge in anti-Asian hate, please visit here

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), represents the interests of over 60,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting APA communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.