Fall 2025 Winner of the Legal Leaders Scholarship

Amna Rizvi

Amna’s personal experience with loss, along with her studies, has led her to want to pursue a career as a lawyer. Congratulations, Amna, we truly admire your resilience and dedication to helping others!

Read her essay

On November 26, 2023, my life changed in an instant. My boyfriend John and I were returning to Chicago after Thanksgiving with his family, following a day we had carefully planned. I have always been someone who values structure and routine, and that day began no differently. But it ended with a devastating car accident that took John’s life and left me physically injured and emotionally shattered.

In the weeks that followed, I had to process both the physical effects of the accident and the overwhelming grief of losing my partner. I struggled to manage daily tasks, battled anxiety, and felt lost without the life I had once known. The emotional toll was heavy. The pain was constant, and the future I had imagined disappeared in an instant.

Recovery, both physical and emotional, was slow and difficult. I had to learn how to move forward, one small task at a time. Getting out of bed, attending therapy, returning to work, became daily acts of strength. I discovered that perseverance means continuing even when your world feels broken. With support from my loved ones and mental health professionals, I began to heal. The process was not easy, but every small step helped me regain a sense of purpose.

At the time of the accident, I was working as a settlement paralegal at a personal injury law firm in Chicago. After the crash, my role took on new meaning. I understood what it meant to experience sudden loss, to feel powerless, and to need guidance during a time of chaos. My own experience allowed me to connect more deeply with our clients. I did not just see cases, I saw people in pain, and I wanted to help them find stability, justice, and hope. This experience also revealed the legal gaps that exist for unmarried partners during times of crisis. I had no legal right to make decisions for John, no access to his medical information, and no claim to many aspects of our shared life. It was a painful and disempowering reality. This lack of legal recognition made me passionate about advocating for reforms that reflect the diverse relationships people build today. I believe our legal system must evolve to offer greater fairness and protection for those whose lives do not fit into traditional molds.

Academically, I have prepared for law school through my studies in Philosophy and Criminology, Law, and Justice. Philosophy sharpened my ability to think critically and analyze complex ideas. My criminology courses gave me a deeper understanding of the legal system and how it affects different communities. These academic experiences, along with my personal loss, shaped my desire to pursue law with compassion and purpose.

My goal is to become an attorney who advocates for people during their most difficult times. I want to support clients who are navigating tragedy and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect. I want to work toward a legal system that acknowledges the complexities of modern relationships and protects the rights of all individuals, not just those who fit within traditional frameworks.

To me, perseverance is not about being unaffected by hardship. It is about showing up despite the pain. It is about continuing forward when everything inside you wants to stop. Through this experience, I have learned the strength that can come from heartbreak. I have developed resilience, empathy, and a deep commitment to using the law as a tool for justice and healing. The Lucas Law Legal Leaders Scholarship would support my journey as I turn personal tragedy into meaningful advocacy. I hope to honor John’s memory by building a career that helps others through their darkest moments. I am ready to take the next step and use my experience to bring comfort, fairness, and hope to those who need it most.