SLU Law tops in MC Bar Association scholarship competition

Madison County law students will benefit from $16,236 in donations from the Madison County Bar Association toward their legal education at five area law schools.

In a contest where law school alumni vied for matching funds from the bar association to maximize benefits to the scholarship funds, donations from St. Louis University Law School alumni won a recent competition, resulting in a $4,905 donation from the bar association.

Washington University alumni came in second, helping the school's scholarship fund to receive $4,367. The University of Illinois College of Law will receive $3,362.50.; Southern Illinois University Carbondale Law School will receive $2,856 and University of Missouri Law School will receive $745 for their scholarship funds.

Co-chairs for the scholarship committee included Mary Nalefski, Irv Slate and Larry Taliana.

Nalefski has co-chaired the committee for 20 years.

“I believe the work of the committee and the generosity of the MCBA and its members in helping future attorneys with ties to Madison County is one of this organization’s greatest accomplishments," she said. "It has been my privilege to serve the bar association in this effort.”

Over the years, the MCBA has continually endowed scholarship funds at some of these law schools.

The goal of the scholarship committee has been to initiate annual endowment contests to help area students achieve a legal education.

In addition to receiving the most funds from competition this year, representatives from St. Louis University and SLU alumni will be honored at the January meeting of the Madison County Bar Association.

Contact Mary Nalefski, at (618) 327-9751 for more information.