2025 Right to Privacy Scholarship
Our 2024 winner is currently in the process of being chosen, find out more about our previous winners here!
The Law Offices of Leifert & Leifert is steadfastly committed to giving back to the community. We continue to stand by this commitment through different artistic, civic, academic, and philanthropic causes.
One of the fundamental ways we give back is by helping young people achieve their full academic potential so they can then have a positive impact within their community and those around them. To promote this idea we have created the Leifert & Leifert Right to Privacy Scholarship.
Right to Privacy
Today, those who go through the criminal justice system have very little privacy. Personal information that is easily accessible, like mug shots, can often harm an individual’s opportunity to find a job, decent housing, or remain involved in the community after their release.
Should we limit some of the information that is publicly available like mug shots? Should there be a difference between “celebrity” arrests and arrests of “ordinary” citizens in terms of the right to privacy?
The Leifert & Leifert Right to Privacy Scholarship will award $1,000 to the candidate who can best discuss whether or not those who have been arrested have a greater right to privacy versus the public’s right to know and view all of the details surrounding their arrest. More specifically, does mug shot publication and general access to the public outweigh any potential violations of invasion of privacy interests of individuals who have been arrested?
Award Amount: $1,000
Application Deadline: January 31, 2026
Eligibility
- The scholarship is open to any current high school senior, vocational student, college student or graduate student who is a legal resident of the United States residing in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia and who is enrolled in a vocational program or two to four year post-secondary institution.
- Employees of Leifert & Leifert, their immediate families (parent, child, sibling, and spouse), and persons living in the same households of such individuals (whether related or not), are not eligible to participate in the competition.
- Applicants must be in good academic standing with their university and have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
Application Requirements
- The candidate must fill out the form below with all necessary information
- The candidate must submit a 750 -1,000 word essay response to the prompt: What rights should the public have to view information, specifically mugshots, on defendants and what protections should defendants have so that their information is not necessarily public. Please describe any solutions to the problems you have outlined in your essay.
- Please note that all essays will be checked for AI writing. If AI writing is deemed present in the essay, the application will be denied.
- The candidate must submit a professional resumé that lists their experience, both professional and academic.
- The candidate must submit a transcript from their current school. First-year college students, graduate students, or individuals who have recently transferred schools may submit an unofficial transcript from their current school, as well as the most recent official transcript from their prior school. High school students can submit proof of acceptance to their college or university.
- Preference will be given to students either from or attending secondary school in the state.
The recipient of the Right to Privacy Scholarship will be chosen during the month following the scholarship deadline. We will not be available to answer scholarship-related questions by phone. Please send any scholarship questions to in**@le********.com with the subject line “Right to Privacy Scholarship”
