Margaret Wilson Scholarship
We have for a long time offered the Margaret Wilson scholarship to exceptional women law students in Auckland. The scholarship’s kaupapa is to support undergraduate and postgraduate studies in law which encompass the wider objectives of AWLA, and taking into account scholastic ability, financial hardship, the applicant’s current and future contribution to the New Zealand community, and their involvement in and promotion of legal issues affecting women. The value of the scholarship is $3,000. Any person who identifies as a woman who is studying towards an LLB, LLB (Hons), LLM or PhD in Law at the University of Auckland or Auckland University of Technology may apply.
Application is now open for 2025 Margaret Wilson Scholarship. More information on the criteria and how to apply for this scholarship can be found here – https://awla.org.nz/margaret-wilson-scholarship-2025/
Writing Prize
The Writing Prize aims to foster and reward research and writing on the intersection of the law and issues of concern to women and/or women and children. Applicants must submit one 3,000 word essay on the intersection of the law and issues of concern to women and/or women and children.
The winner of the Writing Prize will be awarded $1,000 and the best entrant from each of the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology may be entered for selection for publication in the New Zealand Women’s Law Journal – Te Aho Kawe Kaupapa Ture a ngā Wāhine. All law students (including LLB, LLB (Hons), LLM and PhD) at the University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology may submit their work for the Writing Prize.
Application is now open for 2025 Writing Prize. More information on the criteria and how to apply for this scholarship can be found here –https://awla.org.nz/writing-prize-2025/
New Law Student Scholarship
The New Law Student Scholarship is designed to support women who are heading to law school in Auckland but who may otherwise face financial barriers to pursuing a legal education.
AWLA is committed to supporting greater diversity within the legal profession and we hope this scholarship will help create pathways for talented students from a range of backgrounds.
The AWLA scholarship provides $5,000 per year for four years of study, offering a total of $20,000 to each recipient to assist with university costs. This significant financial commitment is made possible through AWLA’s fundraising initiatives and donations from generous donors.
In addition to financial support, AWLA will provide ongoing mentoring, encouragement and practical support throughout the recipient’s studies and as they enter the legal profession. Ultimately, we aim to build a strong community of AWLA scholars who will support and inspire others in the future.
Application is now open for 2026 New Law Student Scholarship. More information on the criteria and how to apply for this scholarship can be found here – https://awla.org.nz/new-law-student-scholarship-2026/
Donations
AWLA would like to thank the following donors:
- A senior member of AWLA
- Laura Mikkelsen
- Jacque Lethbridge
- Jenny Baldwin
- Miriam Dean
- Maria Dew
- Denese Bates KC
- Antonia Fisher KC
- Richard and Sarah-Jane Lawson
- Justice Anne Hinton
- Akash Lodhia
- Anna Kirk
- Naresh Perinpanayagam
FAQs
Why $20,000, when smaller amounts could support more people?
We want this scholarship to really make a difference to someone who would otherwise struggle to attend law school. We realise that raising $20,000 for each scholar is a big commitment, and will limit the amount of students we can support, but the costs of attending law school these days are very high (this will not cover a student’s entire costs), so the amount needs to be significant to really have an impact.
How can I help?
The first thing we need is donations. So please consider donating yourself, circulating this to your friends and ask them to consider donating, and ask your employer to consider donating. If you have ideas for fundraising, or if you would like to talk to us about donations at any stage, please contact us.
Once we have scholars at university, and then entering the profession, we’ll be asking the AWLA community to support and awhi them, to help ensure their success.
What is the credit card transaction fee?
Our payments provider charges us a fee for processing credit card payments. If you donate enough to cover this fee, AWLA will use that money to pay the payment provider. Otherwise, those fees are covered by AWLA’s usual resources. If you want to help us avoid these fees, please make your donation using the bank transfer option.
Why are only students living in Auckland eligible?
For 2022, we decided to keep eligibility limited to residents of the Auckland region. This is primarily because this is our first year offering this scholarship, and we wanted to keep it administratively manageable while we build our capability. Ensuring we disseminate this opportunity to the right people is a big job, and limiting this to Auckland helps. Over time, as we build our capacity we hope to be able to extend this – particularly to Te Tai Tokerau, as the Auckland universities are the closest law schools for these students.
Who can I contact for more information about the scholarship fund, or to discuss donation options?
You can email us on admin@awla.nz with any questions, and someone will give you a call if you want to talk.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash