Our Program
“DHL has provided me with tons of networking opportunities, from talking to other DHL Scholars who are just a couple of years ahead of me in law school or working full-time to mentors who have had years of experience in the legal space.”
— Viroopa V. Proddaturi, 2019 DHL Scholar
The Don H. Liu Scholars Program (DHL) strives to foster the next generation of Asian American leaders in the legal profession through financial support, mentorship, and a welcoming community.
How DHL Helps Aspiring AAPI Attorneys
The current numbers of AAPI leaders in top U.S. law firms, Fortune 500 companies, academia, and government settings do not reflect our population or our capabilities. DHL was founded to address this disparity. The goal of DHL is to increase the number of AAPI leaders within the legal profession.
We know that systemic and cultural prejudices negatively impact AAPI attorneys. There are additional barriers for aspiring AAPI attorneys, including financial need and a lack of professional connections. The DHL Scholars program seeks to remove these barriers to leadership through scholarships, mentoring, and a welcoming community that endures well beyond law school.
If you are a AAPI law student in your first year of law school and can demonstrate financial need and leadership potential, join a movement that feels like family.
How the Scholars Program Works
Each year, the DHL Scholars Program awards a $15,000 scholarship to AAPI law students who are enrolled in their first year of law school. Selection is based on specific criteria, including financial need, educational excellence, and demonstrated leadership potential. Scholars receive a $5,000 scholarship award per year over the course of three years in law school.
Ask any of our Scholars and they will tell you that DHL is so much more than a scholarship. When you’re chosen as a DHL Scholar, the support doesn’t stop there. You’re welcomed into a community that is invested in your long-term success. Part of that community experience involves being mentored by past Scholars and DHL team members who are established AAPI leaders in the legal profession.
We’re not exaggerating when we compare the DHL community to an extended family. From scholars mentoring scholars, Program leadership offering mentoring and support, or gatherings ranging from scavenger hunts to virtual quarterly check-ins to our annual awards celebration. Scholars enter the DHL community and are immediately welcomed, supported, and celebrated.
“Having grown up without any family members or mentors practicing law, I was very excited to learn about the DHL Scholars Program and its vision of cultivating Asian-American leaders in the legal space.”
— Edward Jung, 2022 DHL Scholar
“The mentorship, networking opportunities, and guidance I received as a scholar was invaluable to me. Being able to create a diverse network of legal professionals helped me learn about different career paths and practices.”
— Nora Boujida, 2016 DHL Scholar
“My favorite part about being a DHL Scholar is that feeling of family. Getting to meet the other scholars, getting to meet the mentors, getting to meet the people behind the program has been an incredibly empowering experience.”
— Raymond Magsaysay, 2020 DHL Scholar
Eligibility Criteria
Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of Asian descent
Be enrolled full-time as a 1L in a J.D. program at an ABA-accredited and approved law school in the U.S.
Demonstrate financial need
Demonstrate exceptional academic accomplishments and leadership
Intend to practice in the private sector in the New York City metropolitan area following graduation
Questions?
Our FAQ page addresses many common questions we receive about the Program.
Ready to Apply?
Learn what it takes to become a DHL Scholar, find application deadlines and requirements, and learn about our Scholar selection process.
The Law Firm Consortium
In 2021, the Program partnered with six law firms to launch our inaugural Law Firm Consortium program (the Consortium). Through the Consortium, we work closely with representatives from the participating law firms to facilitate the placement of our 2022 DHL Scholars in 1L Diversity Programs at such firms.
While we cannot guarantee placement with any of these law firms in any given year, we are proud of our success rate in helping our new class of DHL Scholars secure their 1L summer opportunity through the Consortium to date. We will continue to work with the Consortium to support our future DHL Scholars going forward.
Meet Our Scholars
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Keli Huang
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2017
Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP -
Mingzhu “Michelle” Li
New York University School of Law, 2017
Director, Perella Weinberg Partners -
Nora Boujida
St. John’s University School of Law, 2018
Senior Claims Examiner, Arch Insurance Group, Inc. -
Jin U. Kim
Harvard Law School, 2018
Criminal Division, US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington -
Manleen Singh
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2018
Associate, Dechert LLP -
Jaclyn Castelar
University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2019
Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP -
Yahui “Ellis” Liang
Yale Law School, 2019
Associate, Fenwick & West LLP -
Quyen Truong
University of Connecticut School of Law, 2020
Associate, Covington & Burling LLP -
Tenzin GGT
American University Washington College of Law, 2020
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Yuna Park
Columbia School of Law, 2020
Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP -
Andrew Yu
Fordham University School of Law, 2020
Associate, Milbank LLP -
Beth Do
St. John’s University School of Law, 2021
Associate Attorney, USAA -
Jenny Park
Columbia Law School, 2021
Associate, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP -
Viroopa V. Proddaturi
Harvard Law School, 2021
Restructuring Advisor, Alvarez & Marsal Holdings, LLC -
Grace Cho
University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2022
Associate, White & Case LLP -
Raymond Magsaysay
University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2022
Associate, Latham & Watkins LLP -
Andrew Tran
Boston University School of Law, 2022
Incoming Associate, Latham & Watkins LLP -
Narissa Ganpat
Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra, 2023
Incoming Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP -
Minji Kim
Boston University School of Law, 2023
Incoming Associate, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC -
Minh Eric Le
Penn State University Dickinson School of Law, 2023
Incoming Associate, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC -
Edward Jung
Harvard Law School, 2024
2L Summer Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP -
Brian Liu
Yale Law School, 2024
2L Summer Associate, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz -
Seung Hye (Shang) Yang
Boston College Law School, 2024
2L Summer Associate, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP -
Kristie-Valerie Hoang
Boston College Law School, 2025
1L Summer Associate, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP -
Samuel S. Kim
Columbia Law School, 2025
1L Summer Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP -
Emily Yan
New York University School of Law, 2025
Judicial Intern, US Court of International Trade