Thanks to the Illinois Bar Foundation, and the ISBA members who contribute to it, 12 students at affiliated law schools are being assisted by $2,000 scholarships this year.

A committee of six IBF board members, including ISBA President-elect Irene F. Bahr, and seven non-members recently narrowed down 50 applications to the best of the best.

Criteria included academic standing, financial need, volunteer and employment experience, extracurricular activities, community involvement, membership and involvement in the ISBA, and intention to practice law in Illinois.

The foundation scholars, their law schools and activities are:

Chicago-Kent College of Law – Julie Sullivan, judicial extern for U.S. Judge John W. Darrah, law clerk for Liberty Mutual Insurance, staff writer for Law Review, member of American Health Lawyers Association.

DePaul University College of Law – Crystal Spivey, chief justice of Moot Court Society, case notes editor of Health Care Law Journal, 711 licensed summer associate for Chicago Transit Authority.

John Marshall Law School – Gregory Royal, works full-time for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington and commutes, State Farm Action Network volunteer, Black Law Association and NAACP, supports his mother and sister, who are victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Loyola University School of Law – Jeremy C. Daniel, Law Review, Black Law Student Association mentor, judicial extern to Judge Mark Filip, former Marine Corps investigating officer.

Northern Illinois University College of Law – Karissa Anderson, Public Interest Law Society, Phi Alpha Delta Law Frat–ernity, Women's Law Caucus, Moot Court Society, volunteer training assistant for CASA of DuPage County.

St. Louis University School of Law – Matthew Gagnon, editor of Journal of Health Law, Access Project research assistant, legal department intern for Mew Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families.

Southern Illinois University School of Law – Chad M. Kruse, vice president of Student Bar Association, ISBA Law Student Division representative, articles editor for SIU Law Journal, Environmental Law Society, interned at Indiana Department of Environmental Management and Missouri Coalition for the Environment.

University of Chicago Law School – Jeffrey Mandell, Law Review staff member, American Constitution Society, Chicago Law Foundation, participated in Mandel Legal Aid Clinic Police Accountability Project.

University of Illinois College of Law – Jane Marie Ryan, Women's Law Society, Student Legal Services Advisory Board, semi-finalist in ABA Client Counseling Competition, law clerk for Cook County public defender.

University of Notre Dame School of Law – Kristopher Ritter, federal court practice and procedure editor of Law Review, law clerk for Alabama attorney general, summer associate at Kirkland & Ellis.

Valparaiso University School of Law – Erin Gallagly, law clerk for Lake County public defender and office of Hodges & Davis, mock trial chair, member of Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

Washington University School of Law – Audrey Aden, legal intern for Civil Justice Center in South Africa, formed law school running club.