Optimize My Firm 2025
Hug-a-Lawyer Scholarship
While lawyers are stereotypically portrayed as high earners who live lavish lifestyles, the reality is that many lawyers are simply overworked and underappreciated. They have dedicated their careers to enriching lives within their community, ensuring that their clients receive just treatment under the law.
In honor of National Hug-a-Lawyer Day, Optimize My Firm is offering a $2000 scholarship opportunity for the student who hugs the most lawyers.
How it Works
Obtain consent from lawyers to participate (have each lawyer sign the provided release form here). Submissions without consent will not be counted towards your total.
Take video footage of yourself hugging a lawyer. Could also be a high-five, fist bump, or just thanking a lawyer for the work they do in the community.
Compile the video footage into a single video. Post the video on YouTube with the hashtag #hugalawyer
Submit the video link in the form below.
Videos may be published on optimizemyfirm.com.
Winning Video complilation will be independently verified to ensure legitimacy of submission (we’ll check with the law firms to make sure they are legit and not AI generated videos).
Eligibility
In order to be eligible to apply for the Optimize My Firm Hug-a-Lawyer Scholarship, applicants must be planning on attending an accredited United States college or university in 2025. This is open to high school seniors who have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Deadline for submissions: July 1st, 2025. Winner will be announced shortly after.
Hug-a-Lawyer Scholarship
Past Winners
2024's Winner
Leon
We gave applicants an opportunity to make a commercial for Optimize My Firm. The challenge was to create a 30-60 second video ad that would make lawyers want to work with us.
Leon made this great ad: https://youtu.be/rkump1oKVBQ?si=Znz1dcqiIP45xn3o
Congratulations, Leon!
2023's Winner
Kira Carver
Kira made an absolutely fantastic TikTok video.
The video was a (fake) advertisement for a Personal Injury Lawyer and was very personal, unlike many of the TV ads you see with someone standing on top of a tractor trailer.
Congratulations, Kira!
2022's Winner
Officer Mariska
Congratulations, Officer Mariska!
2021's Winner
Hepua Sorenson
The 2021 scholarship was a fun one. It asked for applicants to write a creative, quick story about a dog who goes to law school. Hepua’s story about Scrappy the Chihuahua was excellent. Scrappy went to William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and became a Pit Bull rights activist! Way to go, Scrappy!
2020's Winner
Trevor Schutes
The 2020 scholarship asked for applicants to write a 500-word article or produce a video with a unique idea on how to market a personal injury law firm. Some applicants mentioned community involvement, which is indeed a great idea that shouldn’t be overlooked. However, Trevor’s idea was the first and only idea that utilized a physical product people could use. It’s one a law firm could give away cheaply, and it’s a product people could use after an injury.
You can read more about Trevor’s idea here: Marketing personal injury law firms with first aid kits.
This was our first year running this scholarship and the response was overwhelming. We had a lot of really great ideas. To be honest, we felt really bad we couldn’t give away 200 scholarships, as there were so many great ideas. There were many excellent submissions, essays, and videos. We’re going to have to put a lot more thought into 2021’s scholarship. If you applied in 2020 and would like to apply again next year, please save this page and revisit it again!
