The Tyron Garner Memorial Scholarship honors the legacy of Tyron Garner. Tyron was represented by Lambda Legal in the landmark 2003 U.S. Supreme Court case of Lawrence v. Texas, which effectively struck down the sodomy laws in all 13 states in which they still remained, thereby decriminalizing consensual adult same-sex sexual relationships and abolishing the legal stigma that was used to marginalize LGBTQ+ people in all areas of their lives. While Tyron was not an attorney, the impact of his life and bravery along with the impact of Lambda Legal’s groundbreaking case have shaped access to the legal profession for LGBTQ+ people for the last 20 years, and improving all LGBTQ+ people’s treatment within our nation’s legal systems. The Bar is proud to honor Tyron as we emerge from the 20th anniversary celebration year of the Lawrence case.
The scholarship will be awarded to one or more Black LGBTQ+ law student(s) enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school with a $2,500 one-time scholarship. Winners will be selected by a committee of Caucus member lawyers. Law students are eligible to win both the Tyron Garner Memorial Scholarship as well as one of the Bar’s 2024 Scholarship in a given year, should each committee choose the same applicant.
Scholarship Application Eligibility: Applicants must be in attendance at an ABA-accredited law school or, for the case of incoming first-year students, have applied to at least one such law school at the time of application submission. Applicants affirm that they are Black-identifying members of the LGBTQ+ community. Funds for successful applicants will be released upon proof of registration for the 2024-2025 school year.
Applications are now CLOSED.
*The Bar also wishes to recognize Lambda Legal’s Tyron Garner Memorial Fellowship for African-American LGBT Civil Rights, established in 2015 to encourage and mentor recent law graduates dedicated to LGBT issues within African-American communities to become engaged in civil rights work on behalf of LGBT individuals and people living with HIV.