The Fall 2024 Biederman & Burleson Champions of Justice Scholarship

Brayden Van der Burgt

In his essay, Brayden shares the experiences that sparked his interest in becoming a lawyer. He has discovered a passion for criminal defense and aims to advocate for reform within the criminal justice system. Congratulations, Brayden on your determination and hard work!

Read Brayden’s Essay:

My desire to become an attorney began the summer I spent with my uncle before entering the fifth grade. The only thing I knew about my uncle was that he was a lawyer, always was on the phone, and had a desk crowded with papers. This ultimately led ten-year-old me to refer to him as a “paperwork lawyer.” Throughout middle school and into high school I was certain that I wanted to become a lawyer, but I wasn’t overly excited about any particular subject within law until my Government class. For the final project in my government class, we had to perform a mock trial relating to a criminal case and I was on the defense performing the closing statements. This sparked my interest in criminal defense and opened the idea of a possible career within it.

On the way to my hopeful future as a criminal defense attorney, I hope to learn how to effectively protect the constitutional rights of defendants, ensuring the correct procedure with the court system. In my current legal environment of business class, I learned the importance of procedures, especially in criminal cases as the results can have a profound impact on the defendant’s life. Within the system, I hope to advocate for criminal justice reform ensuring a fair and honest system within our courts.

My only concern for my dream to serve as a criminal defense attorney is wondering if I have the financial stability to make it through law school. My undergraduate expenses have already caused me to take out loans that I have planned to pay in the next couple of years, but the economic future seems very uncertain. Although I am working two jobs and graduating a year early, I am still surprised by the expenses that I will accumulate with my desire to attend law school. This scholarship would assist me in my dream of becoming a criminal defense attorney. Its support would allow me to advocate for criminal justice reform within the entire court system by relieving some of the financial issues that I have.