Each year, the Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers (WAAL, formerly known as the Wisconsin Association of Minority Attorneys “WAMA”) honors the professional career and community contributions of Attorneys Vel and W. Dale Phillips by awarding two scholarships in their names.

W. Dale Phillips practiced law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1950 until his death in 1988.  He was local and state President of chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and an active member of the Black Lawyers' Association; the State Bar of Wisconsin; the Boys Club of America; and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.  It is our hope that the scholarship will not only honor the contribution he made to the legal community, but also inspire future African-American and other black attorneys to strive to emulate his commitment to the black community in the United States.

Vel Phillips practiced law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until becoming a Distinguished Professor of law at Marquette Law School in 2002.  In 1951, she became the first African-American woman to earn a law degree from the University of Wisconsin.  She was the first African-American and first woman elected to the Milwaukee Common Council in 1956.  She is the first African-American woman to serve as a state court judge.  Phillips was also elected to statewide office as Secretary of State. 

WAAL seeks to continue the legacy of W. Dale Phillips and other esteemed colleagues in our profession.  Since the organization was founded, WAAL has maintained close ties to the black community.  WAAL provides community service through the NAACP lawyer referral program and sponsors an annual Mock Trial Competition with central city high schools.

At its 2009 Annual Banquet, WAAL will award a scholarship to a law student who attends the University of Wisconsin Law School and a second scholarship of like amount to a student at Marquette University Law School.

To be considered for the scholarship, an applicant must:

1. Complete the application;
2. have completed a full semester of law school and be returning for at least one more semester in the 2009/2010 school year;
3. be in good academic standing at the law school at the time of submitting the application;
4. sign an authorization permitting the Scholarship Committee to confirm your status with the law school;
5. provide three copies of the application;
6. be black or of African-American descent;
7. be committed to the goals of WAAL as exemplified by the life and dedication of W. Dale Phillips.
8. The postmark deadline is Monday, March 23, 2009. Additional instructions are included in the application.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at 414-559-1140.

Sincerely,

Leonard E. Martin 
WAAL Scholarship Chairperson 
P.O. Box 519 
Milwaukee, WI  53201

Application: Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers Velandale Scholarship

Directions

Please type your responses; an electronic version of this application may be available upon request.  You may attach additional sheets if the space provided for your responses in the application is not sufficient or if you prefer to generate your responses from your computer.  Applications must be postmarked no later than March 23, 2009.

You are advised that the Committee applies varying weights to several sections of the application.  The responses to the legal comment questions are heavily weighted.

Personal Information

• Name:
• Mailing Address:
• City, State:
• Zip Code:
• Telephone Number:

Education Information

For each undergraduate and graduate school you have attended, excluding law school, please include the following information:

SCHOOL ATTENDED

DATES

DEGREE

DEGREE DATE

Provide the following information about the law school in which you are currently enrolled:

• Name of Law School:
• Month and year you began:
• Current year and semester of study:
• Expected month and year of graduation:

If you have attended any other law school, provide the following information as to each school attended:

SCHOOL ATTENDED

DATES ATTENDED

REASONS FOR LEAVING

Employment

Please provide a copy of your resume.

Publications, Activities, Memberships and Awards

• List your publications by giving the name of any article or book, by whom or in what journal published, and date of publication:

• List any honors or awards you have received, with dates included, before you began law school:

• List any honors or awards you received, with dates included, while attending law school:

• List any extra-curricular activities and organizations in which you are currently involved:

• Provide any information about yourself that you believe is important for the Scholarship Committee to consider in evaluating your application.  (You may attach an additional sheet if necessary.  Do not allow your statement to exceed 250 words of double-spaced type.)

Legal Research and Writing

Please provide a writing sample prepared for a law school class or writing competition. (10 page limit)

Legal Comment

Your response to the following questions should reflect personal thought and/or belief.  The Committee uses the quotes from the responses below to introduce winners at our Annual Scholarship Award of Banquet.

1. Expand upon an issue you feel is pressing to the African American Community today.  What role, if any, do lawyers have in solving or changing the specific issue that you have identified?  (4 page limit)
2. 2What are the implications of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. (4 page limit)

Submitted by Ruth Robarts, Assistant Dean for Student & Academic Affairs on April 4, 2023

This article appears in the categories: Announcements