Jeffrey J. Douglas First Amendment Scholarship
The Jeffrey J. Douglas First Amendment Scholarship was established through the Free Speech Coalition to help support the next generation of attorneys defending the freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment and the rights of those most vulnerable to censorship. The scholarship’s namesake, Jeffrey J. Douglas, is a leading adult industry attorney who focuses on criminal defense in state and Federal courts. Since 1982, he has advised all segments of the adult industry, from creation, manufacturing, and distribution, to direct consumer sales. His clients include most of the prominent manufacturers, distributors, and resellers of sexually explicit products and services, as well as hundreds of internet companies.
This scholarship is open to current law students and undergraduate students entering law school in Fall 2026. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in the area of free expression. They must be law students in good standing at a U.S.-based law school in the academic year for which they apply. This includes incoming law students.
To apply, submit a personal statement of no more than 500 words detailing your demonstrated interest in free expression. Optionally, you may also include a single link to a writing sample of up to 30 pages. Please note that if a linked document exceeds 30 pages, only the first 30 pages will be reviewed.
Please submit a statement of no more than 500 words detailing your demonstrated interest in free expression. Examples of such interest include, but are not limited to, participation in organizations, activism, academic or journalistic writing, or personal experiences with censorship or advocacy.
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FAQ
The application deadline is May 30, 2026. Winners will be announced on Jul 1, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Jul 1, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
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Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.
