NAELA Annual Conference Scholarship Program

Fostering professional development, inclusion, and engagement within the NAELA community for the next generation of attorneys.

Purpose

The NAELA Annual Conference Scholarship Program supports emerging professionals entering the field of elder and special needs law. This initiative seeks to advance the mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the NAELA Foundation by fostering professional development, inclusion, and engagement within the NAELA community.

Scholarship Overview

Each year, the NAELA Foundation will award a limited number of Annual Conference Scholarships to new or transitioning attorneys who demonstrate a commitment to elder and/or special needs law and who would benefit from participation in NAELA's premier educational and networking event.

Award Details

Selected scholarship recipients will receive:

  • Complimentary registration to the upcoming NAELA Annual Conference — a $975 value.
  • A $500 travel stipend to assist with transportation.
  • A complimentary hotel room for two nights.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

  • Be a licensed attorney, admitted to the bar within the past five years or currently transitioning into elder or special needs law.
  • Not have previously attended a NAELA Annual Conference.
  • Demonstrate a clear interest in pursing or expanding a practice in elder and/or special needs law.
  • Be willing to engage in NAELA's educational offerings and member activities.
  • Not be a current NAELA board member, Foundation trustee, or section chair.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated using a standardized rubric and reviewed by a designated committee. Applicants will complete an online application with a personal statement expressing a commitment to serving older adults and/or individuals with disabilities, the potential to contribute meaningfully to the field and NAELA's community, financial need, or other compelling personal circumstances, as well as information on diversity.

Conference Scholarship Application Status

Scholarship applications for the 2026 NAELA Annual Conference are now closed.

2026 Scholarship Sponsors

For 2026, the NAELA Foundation’s Annual Conference Scholarships are made possible by generous donations from Krause Financial and NAELA’s Council of Advanced Practitioners.

Would you like to support the scholarship program by contributing? Email Dannie Larkin or phone 703-349-6220.


Return to Foundation Scholarships page

 

Scholarship History

The annual conference scholarship was originally established through the NAELA Memorial Fund in memory of Vivian Cohn Smith and Lorrie Cohn. Vivian and Lorrie, sisters of NAELA Fellow Helen Cohn Needham, were tireless advocates who dedicated themselves to patients and individuals with disabilities. Vivian worked with people with disabilities in the state of North Carolina. She used her personal experiences as a patient with illness to defend individuals with disabilities. Sadly, after a 10-year battle with breast cancer, Vivian passed away in November 1997. Likewise, Lorrie was a patient advocate and worked as an intensive care and triage nurse for Kaiser Permanente. She believed that patient advocacy is integral to caregiving and strove to make it an essential part of her career. Lorrie passed away in November 2005.

The Cohn Sisters Scholarship was made possible through continuing donations in honor of Vivian and Lorrie to the NAELA Foundation by the family and friends of Vivian and Lorrie Cohn, the NAELA Council of Advanced Practitioners, and the NAELA Foundation. Before concluding in 2025, it supported 59 recipients in attending the NAELA Annual Conference.