Attorneys Brian and Douglas Leifert believe in the importance of privacy for those who have been through the criminal justice system. As a result, they have created the Right to Privacy scholarship to take on the issue of whether those accused of criminal offenses have a right to privacy versus the public’s right to know about their arrest. Through this scholarship, Leifert & Leifert award $1,000 annually to a student whose essay they believe to make the strongest argument.
For previous winners see below, or for information on next year’s scholarship visit our page here.
2022 Scholarship Winner: Vikram Kashyap
The 2022 Right to Privacy Scholarship winner is Vikram Kashyap from Sunnyvale, California. He is currently a freshman at Northwestern University pursuing a degree in math and economics. In his free time, Vikram enjoys breakdancing and learning new languages. He is also an avid player of the puzzle game sudoku.
In his own words: “Wow, I am extremely happy to win this scholarship! To be recognized for my hard work means so much to me, and I am so grateful. Thank you to Leifert & Leifert for this generous award. This scholarship will greatly reduce the burden of tuition expenses and help me progress towards earning my bachelor’s degree.”
2021 Scholarship Winner: Justin Chan
The 2021 Right to Privacy Scholarship recipient is Justin Chan. Justin is from New York City and is currently a sophomore at Stony Brook University. He is the founder and current president of the National Security and Global Affairs Organization (NSGAO) at Stony Brook University, an officially recognized civil liberties and geopolitics organization on campus that he started during his freshman year.
In his own words: I am honored to receive the Right to Privacy Scholarship from Leifert & Leifert. Due process is a fundamental and timeless right that is firmly protected in the American legal system.
2020 Scholarship Winner: Chase Keeney
The 2020 Right to Privacy Scholarship recipient is Chase Keeney. Chase is from a rural town in southern Oregon and is currently pursuing a master’s in public administration from the University of Oregon. Developing policies and initiatives that can address the housing and homeless crisis is one of her goals. She dreams to one day develop community-based systems and infrastructure that meet fundamental human needs (housing, feelings of belonging, health care, etc.) for all members of a community regardless of their socioeconomic status.
In her own words: Being awarded the Leifert & Leifert Right to Privacy Scholarship is such a terrific boon to my confidence and motivation to continue on my educational path. Events in 2020 have made me question my desire to work in the public sector, however, receiving support from people working in criminal justice has restored faith in my belief that things can get better. I want to be a force for good, and winning this scholarship will provide me with resources to cultivate a career and life full of compassion, equity, and justice.
2019 Scholarship Winner: Karson Ashby
The 2019 Right to Privacy Scholarship recipient is Karson Ashby, a senior at Arizona State University. Currently, he is pursuing concurrent degrees in Political Science and Business Law. He was born and raised in the Phoenix Metropolitan area and has always had the intention of following in his father’s footsteps by attending Arizona State University. Upon graduating from Arizona State, Karson plans to attend Law School and get involved in the world of Corporate Law. When he is not studying or in class, Karson spends his time hiking, trail running, and taking pictures.
In His Own Words: “I am beyond excited and grateful for being selected as the winner of the Leifert & Leifert’s Right to Privacy Scholarship. Applying for the scholarship allowed me to gain a greater knowledge and appreciation for Privacy that every American, and person is entitled to. I am thankful for the opportunity that I have had to grow, and that the scholarship will assist me to continue to grow academically this year. I am extremely grateful to the team at Leifert & Leifert as I continue to focus on my academic success this semester.”
2018 Scholarship Winner: Nathaniel Bunnell
My name is Nathaniel Bunnell, and I am an eighteen-year-old native of Colorado Springs, Colorado. I come from a military family, with my father having served as an active duty Air Force officer for over twenty years. His assignments carried us around the United States and across the breadth of countries like Germany and England, with our final move to Colorado occurring in 2013. I was lucky enough to spend all four of my secondary years at Pine Creek High School, where I was able to accomplish feats like achieving Eagle Scout and conducting the school’s marching band as drum major. I am currently in my freshman year at the University of Colorado: Boulder, studying biochemistry and history in the hopes of pursuing a pre-law track following my undergraduate degree. I have a great passion for the CU Band Programs, and have participated in marching, concert, and basketball band in my time here at CU. I am also becoming involved with the Biochemistry/Chemistry Club on campus and the Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity available at the university. One of my favorite activities outside of the academic realm is that of backpacking, particularly if it involves steep grade or a fourteener. I also love fishing, writing, and playing video games with my two younger sisters whenever possible.
In His Own Words: “Pure, unabbreviated pride. This was the emotion that first surfaced when I surprisingly learned I had been honored as the Leifert and Leifert Right to Privacy Scholarship recipient. When first reading through the prompt in mid-November, the topic resonated with me very strongly. While I am fortunate enough to have not had an encounter with a hampering mugshot or criminal charge of my own, one of my close relatives struggled with the justice system a few years ago, resulting in a complete upheaval of the structure and habits that so strongly characterized his life. Had he still been in the working environment, I cannot imagine the devastating effect a public mugshot would’ve enacted. This event served as inspiration and drove my essay’s negative tone towards the brutish publicity of mugshots, a sentiment that still drives me today. With the additional motivation I have derived from this great honor, I am more prepared to directly engage in this debate than ever before.”
