Tony Patiño Fellowship

The Tony Patiño Fellowship is a prestigious merit award created to support law students whose personal, educational, and professional experiences exemplify leadership, character, academic success, good citizenship, and initiative.

The Tony Patiño Fellowship was established by Francesca Turner in memory of her son Antenor Patiño, Jr., a law student who passed away on December 26, 1973. Tony believed deeply in helping his fellow students. The Tony Patiño Fellowship operates collaboratively at the University of Chicago Law School, Columbia Law School, and U.C. College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly U.C. Hastings).

Each year, one or two Fellows-Elect are selected from the incoming class of students. Candidates are selected from a diverse array of personal and professional backgrounds. Recipients receive a financial award of at least $17,500 per year for their law school education and are invited to participate in Fellowship events, including quarterly dinners with faculty members. The Fellowship may renew the annual scholarship for two additional consecutive years of law school for Fellows-Elect who uphold Fellowship standards and practices. Upon graduation from law school, Fellows-Elect become Tony Patiño Fellows and join a worldwide community of 250 lawyer leaders of character and distinction.

You can find more information about the Tony Patiño Fellowship on the Fellowship's website.

How to Apply

The 2024 online application provides a secure form to submit all required information and supplemental materials (autobiographical essay, resume, and three letters of recommendation) directly to the Fellowship Selection Committee. 

Application deadline: Friday, June 17, 2024

A complete application consists of the following primary parts:

  • An online application that includes:
    • Applicant Information
    • Education and Employment
    • Leadership Roles and Public Service
    • Two (2) Personal References
    • Signed Statement of Understanding
  • Brief Autobiographical Essay (between 1,200 and 1,500 words, PDF format)
  • Resume (PDF format)
  • Two (2) Letters of Recommendation (must be different from your personal references)

All materials listed above can be attached to your online application. For those recommenders who prefer to submit their letter directly to the Fellowship, they can send the Letter of Recommendation to the Financial Aid Office via an email to financialaid@law.uchicago.edu by the deadline stated above. The Financial Aid Office will then forward the letter to the Fellowship and confirm receipt of the letter with you (the student).

What it means to be a Tony Patiño Fellow-Elect

Throughout their law school education, Tony Patiño Fellows-Elect are supported in a variety of ways:

  1. Financial assistance. Each Fellow-Elect receives a financial stipend of at least $17,500 per year for their law school education. This stipend is independent of any law school-provided financial aid the Fellow-Elect may receive. Questions about adjusting your loans in light of this financial stipend can be directed to financialaid@law.uchicago.edu.
  2. A ready network of support. Patiño Fellows-Elect join a network of accomplished students and alumni who can help ease the transition to law school, as well as professional opportunities thereafter.
  3. An opportunity to engage with the law school community. The Fellowship sponsors several events each year, including quarterly dinners with faculty members and lunches with other Fellows-Elect.

What experience makes for a strong Fellowship application?

Applicants from all personal, educational and professional backgrounds are encouraged to apply for the Fellowship. There are not specific characteristics or experiences required to be selected. However, candidates with experiences exemplifying the following characteristics often make for the strongest candidates:

  • Leadership
  • Academic achievement
  • Ethical and honorable conduct
  • Good moral character
  • Dedication to humane values
  • Past participation in public service activities
  • Well-adjusted personality
  • Sound judgment

One of the factors in evaluating character is past participation in public service activities. For this purpose, public service is broadly construed to include any activity the primary object of which is to benefit others or the community as a whole.

Financial need is not a factor for consideration.

When is the application due?

The application and all accompanying materials must be received by the Tony Patiño Fellowship by the deadline stated above. Some materials, such as letters of recommendation, can be sent by recommenders directly to the Financial Aid Office via email, and must likewise be received by the deadline stated above.

Where do I send my application?

The Tony Patiño Fellowship application can only be submitted online using the link above. You will have the opportunity to attach all supplemental materials to the application. Some materials, such as letters of recommendation, can be sent by recommenders directly to the Financial Aid Office via email at financialaid@law.uchicago.edu. The Financial Aid Office will then forward the letter to the Fellowship and confirm receipt of the letter with you (the student).

Mailed materials and faxes will not be accepted. 

Can my recommenders send their letters of recommendation directly to the Law School?

Yes. You can either attach your letters to your online application or your recommenders can email them directly to the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@law.uchicago.edu. The Financial Aid Office will then forward the letter to the Fellowship and confirm receipt of the letter with you (the student).

Can I use the same personal statement and/or letters of recommendation for the Patiño Fellowship that I used in my admissions application?

The Fellowship Selection Committee will receive a copy of your admissions application. Therefore, submitting duplicative materials would not be to your advantage.

Do Fellows-Elect need to work in public service after graduation?

No. There are no restrictions on Fellows' career choices. Fellows are expected to apply their legal training to the broader good in whatever career paths they choose. Given the mission of the Fellowship, many Fellows are involved in public service work.

What prior experiences are necessary for selection?

There is no single "right" background for a Patiño Fellow-Elect. Instead, the selection committee focuses upon how a candidate's background reflects the selection criteria. One of the factors in evaluating character is past participation in public service activities. For this purpose, public service is broadly construed to include any activity the primary object of which is to benefit others or the community as a whole.

Is financial need taken into account in selecting Fellows-Elect?

No. Financial need is not a factor for consideration. The financial stipend that Fellows receive is independent of any scholarship provided by the Law School. Questions about adjusting your loans in light of this financial stipend can be directed to the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@law.uchicago.edu.

How many Fellows-Elect are selected?

Up to three new Fellows-Elect are selected from each incoming class at the University of Chicago Law School.

How does the selection process work?

Each application is read, reviewed, and discussed by the Fellowship’s Screening Committee, which narrows the applicant pool to approximately 15 finalists. The Selection Committee then interviews these finalists during Selection Day at their respective law schools. At the University of Chicago Law School, Selection Day is typically held during the first or second week of the Autumn quarter and is capped with a Selection Day dinner honoring the Fellows-Elect and the recently graduated students who have received the Tony Patiño Fellows title.

Fellows-Elect are awarded the Fellowship for a one-year term, renewable annually at the discretion of the Fellowship’s Renewal Committee, which considers each Fellow-Elect’s continued academic and personal achievement. Upon graduation, Fellows-Elect, who have successfully renewed for their second and third years of law school, graduate as Tony Patiño Fellows. The title and the beautiful cast statuette are bestowed upon the Fellows during the annual Selection Day dinner.

You can find more information about the selection process, as well as a list of past members of the Selection Committee, on the Fellowship's website. You can also read more about the 2023 University of Chicago Selection Day dinner on the Fellowship's website.

What is required for the Fellows-Elect?

The Fellowship is awarded on a year-by-year basis. This means that each Fellow-Elect must renew his/her status at the end of each academic year. Renewal is awarded based upon, among other factors, the Fellow-Elect's personal and academic performance and his/her summer work. A Fellow-Elect's summer work should either be in the legal field or in a public service position.

What is the difference between a Fellow and a Fellow-Elect?

Fellow-Elect refers to current law students. Once a Fellow-Elect has received renewals for his/her second and third year of law school, and has received a Juris Doctor degree, the Fellow-Elect becomes a Tony Patiño Fellow.