Edward Friedman Receives Future Attorneys of America Scholarship Award

Every year since 2017, the Answering Legal Foundation has awarded its $5,000 Future Attorneys of America Scholarship to up-and-coming law school students. The applicants represent the future of the legal world, and each year there are so many great candidates that our selection committee has trouble choosing a winner. Nevertheless, we are proud to announce that Edward Friedman, a 1L at Yale Law School, is the newest recipient of our scholarship.

Friedman, like many of this year’s scholarship candidates, has an incredible track record in academics. He finished an undergraduate degree in 2018 as a valedictorian at Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in Political Science, certificates in Public Policy and Human Rights, and minors in Legal Studies and International Relations. But it was his outstanding advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities that set him apart from the rest of the applicants.

Friedman was born with cerebral palsy and is a power (motorized) wheelchair user. As the Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator at the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) prior to attending law school, he was the main contact for stakeholders, including high-level New York City and State partners, on all policy and legislative matters related to people with disabilities. His work to improve accessibility is unwavering and he even took the time to share MOPD’s digital accessibility resources with us at Answering Legal, to ensure our content is as accessible as possible.

In the short time he has been at Yale, Friedman has earned a reputation as a leader on campus. He currently represents the law school on the Graduate & Professional Student Senate, and provides a voice for students with disabilities on the University Provost’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility Resources.

Friedman plans to continue disability work as an attorney once he graduates from Yale Law: "As a passionate disability justice advocate, I plan to use my JD to ensure disability representation among legal decision-makers and advance accessibility for all. Thank you to Answering Legal for awarding me the Future Attorneys of America Scholarship, and I look forward to my work as an attorney."

Our CEO, Brooke Shatles, had this to say about Friedman’s award:

“The future members of the legal profession continue to impress and inspire. Edward embodies the spirit of the Future Attorneys of America Scholarship. Our mission is to help hopeful lawyers become the best and brightest that our legal system has to offer. Thanks to Edward’s hard work, boundary pushing, and advocacy, we know that the future is in great hands.”

Learn about our past scholarship recipients:

2021: Felicia Gordon

2020: Juan Bedoya

2019: Martin McSherry

2018: Irene Hong

Students and Future Attorneys of America, visit our scholarship page and apply to be our next recipient!