About Our Scholarships
A major role of the American Counsel Association (ACA) is awarding one or more scholarships to second year law students each year. The winners must demonstrate aptitude, achievement, public service, financial need, and commitment to the study of law and the legal profession. The students are chosen from law schools on a rotation of geographical areas around the United States.
The scholarships, all of which the ACA attempts to maintain in the amount of at least $5,000, are presented to the winners at the Annual Meeting in August.
About Our Scholarships
Stanley Cohn/James Dorsett Scholarship
The Stanley Cohn/James Dorsett Scholarship is funded by the American Counsel Association and is awarded every year on a rotating basis to a student from a law school in the various Federal Judicial Districts other than the Seventh Circuit.
Lowell Jacobson Scholarship
The Lowell H. Jacobson Scholarship is funded through the American Counsel Association Scholarship Foundation, which began from a legacy in honor of former ACA President Lowell H. Jacobson. It is awarded every other year to a student from a law school located within the Seventh Federal Judicial District
Pamela Bresnahan Scholarship
The Pamela Bresnahan Scholarship is funded by the Association and is expected to be awarded in 2026 to a student from a law school in the Metropolitan D.C. area.
2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Catalina Peñéñory
Winner of the 2025 Cohn/Dorsett Memorial Scholarship
Catalina Peñéñory brings a wealth of diverse experiences and a deep global perspective to her study of law. Widely recognized by her professors as an exceptional student, Catalina combines intellectual rigor, discipline, and insightful analysis in both her written work and classroom discussions. Catalina’s academic excellence has earned her roles as both a teaching assistant and a research assistant—testament to her mastery of legal concepts and her ability to communicate them with clarity and precision. She is known for her sharp analytical skills, her capacity to navigate complex legal fact patterns, and her collaborative spirit. Catalina’s personal background profoundly shapes her academic and professional outlook. Raised as an Argentinian in Jakarta, Indonesia, she attributes her worldview to the multicultural and empathetic community that surrounded her-one that, despite its tolerance and diversity, often lacked a strong rule of law. This early exposure inspired her commitment to public service and her dedication to justice.
Lydia Faith Evanson
Winner of the 2025 Lowell Jacobson Memorial Scholarship
Lydia Evanson is a second-year student at Indiana University’s Mauer School of Law who exemplifies the core values honored by the Lowell Jacobson Memorial Scholarship. Despite facing physical challenges and financial constraints, Lydia has remained steadfast in her commitment to public interest law. She ranks in the top 15% of her class and has earned Dean’s Honors every semester—an achievement that speaks to her discipline, intellect, and ability to excel in a demanding academic environment. What truly sets Lydia apart is her unwavering dedication to serving children and low-income individuals through the law. Before law school, she gained firsthand advocacy experience as a public policy intern for the Child Welfare League of America in Washington, D.C., working to support vulnerable children. This summer, she will continue her public interest work with Child Advocates in Indianapolis, further reinforcing her long-term commitment to strengthening the systems that protect society’s most at-risk populations.
Lydia embodies the values the American Counsel Association seeks to encourage—compassion, resilience, and a dedication to improving our society through the legal profession.