Two Howard Law Students Awarded Roscoe Trimmer Jr. Diversity Scholarship

Howard University School of Law students Trea Harris, 3L, and Patricia Adekunle, 2L, are two of 18 recipients of this year’s Roscoe Trimmer Jr. Diversity Scholarships, a coveted honor offered by Ropes & Gray to law students for their exemplary classroom, experiential, and extracurricular pursuits.

The scholarship, which has been presented by Ropes & Gray since 2015 and now numbers 45 recipients, honors the memory of Roscoe Trimmer Jr., an accomplished trial lawyer, the firm’s first African American partner, and a pioneering leader of its diversity and inclusion efforts.

Harris and Adekunle, whose accomplishments are many, will each receive a $25,000 award to offset the expenses of their legal education.

At Howard law, Harris is a Merit Scholar, and serves on the Howard Human & Civil Rights Law Review as executive notes and comments editor. Harris is an orientation leader, volunteer for the Thurgood Marshall Academy, and a member of the Black Law Students Association. She was a summer associate for the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and legal intern for the Real Property Tax Appeals Commission. Also, Harris played a critical role in carrying out a comprehensive public relations campaign for March for Our Lives, a national organization aimed at decreasing gun violence. Harris earned a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, in communications from University of Miami.

Adekunle is a member of the Business Law Society and Howard Human & Civil Rights Law Review, the mentorship committee director for 1L Orientation, and lead teaching assistant for Contracts. Also, she is a student attorney for the Child Welfare Clinic, providing direct legal advice to parents who lost their children due to state intervention. Adekunle was previously a summer associate at a well-established firm and LabCorp, where she conducted research on FDA matters encompassing pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare regulations, and health data privacy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Temple University.

The scholarship underscores Ropes & Gray’s commitment to attract and support the next generation of diverse lawyers.