The Foley and Mansfield Scholarship Program, which includes the Stephen Foley Litigation Scholarship for entering law students, and the Beranton Whisenant Jr. Scholarship for college bound high school students, is now open for application submissions. Both annual scholarships are meant to provide financial incentives for entering college and law school students from historically underrepresented groups to consider litigation as a future career in law. This scholarship program is also meant to help diversify the pipeline of future litigators in the legal profession. Please note, any student awarded the scholarship will not receive a net disbursement, but instead the funding will take place of a portion of the awarded merit scholarship and you will be recognized as a recipient of the scholarship. The candidates understand that the final recipient must use the funds for qualified tuition and/or related school expenses at the law school and no other purpose.
Students interested in applying can submit an essay to the Financial Aid office via e-mail at finaid@mitchellhamline.edu
Selection Process Via External Organizations: The firm has partnered with Mitchell Hamline School of Law (Stephen Foley’s alma mater) to identify eligible candidates from the entering first year law student class for the Stephen Foley Litigation Scholarship and has partnered with Florida A&M University (FAMU) (Beranton Whisenant Jr.’s alma mater) to identify eligible college bound minority student candidates for the Foley & Mansfield Scholarships. Only one scholarship is awarded each year by the Foundation to one college bound high school student and one law school bound college student.
Mitchell Hamline School of Law and FAMU, as the selecting organizations, have no affiliation or connection with the Firm’s foundation. The selection committee of the Firm will select a final candidate and will inform the selecting organization of its decision. Minimum criteria to be used by the selecting organization when considering applicants for the scholarship: the student must i) be from a historically underrepresented group (racial/ethnic, LGBTQ, and/or differently abled), ii) submit a transcript demonstrating good academic credentials, iii) submit a short essay (less than a page) describing their interest in becoming a litigator, and iv) has already been accepted by FAMU’s School of Business and Industry or Mitchell Hamline School of Law, whichever is applicable.
Background
Stephen J. Foley and Kyle B. Mansfield founded Foley & Mansfield in 1989, with a vision of creating a law firm that not only emphasized the high levels of service and accountability that businesses demand and deserve, but doing so at reasonable rates. Steve Foley passed away in 2014 as the firm celebrated its 25th year in business, but his legacy lives on.
Foley’s career was one of remarkable success representing insurers and their insureds in complex product liability, toxic tort and commercial litigation cases nationwide. The breadth of his practice across the country gave him both an understanding of the legal culture, law, and procedures in most of the “difficult” jurisdictions, as well as a reputation in those same jurisdictions as a very formidable player in the courtroom. He took pride in being a true trial lawyer, always ready to take a case to verdict in front of a jury – and his influence helped shape the national asbestos defense landscape.
Beranton Whisenant Jr. graduated cum laude from Florida A&M University in 2001 with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration degree. In 2004, he received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. Whisenant served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Before joining the U.S. Department of Justice, he was a partner in the Miami office of Foley & Mansfield for several years, where he focused his practice in civil litigation, product liability, contracts, personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice defense. Whisenant passed away in 2017. He was a devoted father, husband, son, and friend, and a proud Rattler.