Attorney Alexander Shunnarah's firm to grant law school scholarships for second year
Anyone who has driven through the state of Alabama is likely to recognize the face of Birmingham-based personal injury attorney Alexander Shunnarah. Thousands of billboards prominently display his photo over highways, summoning passersby to think of his catchphrase: “Call me Alabama.”
For the second consecutive year, Shunnarah and his team at Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys are offering scholarships named after the phrase to three law students in the state.
“Alabama is home to me, and I care deeply about the future of the state and its future judicial leaders,” Shunnarah said in a statement. “I am invested in the state of Alabama and it is my honor to support Alabama’s next generation of attorneys.”
Applications for the Call Me Alabama Scholarship will remain open through July 31, and the firm will announce its winners by Sept. 14. The first place winner will receive $5,000, second place will receive $2,500, and third place will receive $1,000, all applied to their law school tuitions for the 2023-24 school year.
Eligible applicants must be currently accepted or enrolled at an Alabama law school accredited by the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools. Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the winners’ schools, not to the individuals.
During the scholarship’s inaugural year, Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys’ scholarship selection committee chose University of Alabama law student Demarcus Joiner as the first place winner. There is no stipulation that winners should remain in Alabama upon graduation, but Joiner said he plans to do so.
“Having a zeal to further advance the state of Alabama, I believe my desire to reside in Alabama post law school will afford me this opportunity while giving me the chance to reinvest in my community,” he said in a statement.
The application instructs prospective winners to submit a 500-word essay describing why they are pursuing a career in law or discussing an Alabama case that they believe betters the lives of the state’s citizens.
Applicants must also include their most recent transcript and a letter of professional recommendation.
The Call Me Alabama Scholarship application form is available on Shunnarah’s website.
Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alexander Shunnarah offers scholarship for law students in Alabama
