MDL Educational Scholarship Awarded to Jillian Royal

Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi P.C. recently selected a winner for this year’s 2015 annual MDL Educational Scholarship. The chosen winner is Jillian RoyalJillian Royal, a high school student from Academics at Englewood. The scholarship was developed as a goal the firm wanted to offer to invest in the community and the development of a deeper understanding of the law. This is the second year that the award was granted to a high school student and each year, applicants continue to participate in the scholarship opportunity. MDL hopes to offer this fulfilling opportunity for years to come.

Behind the Girl: Jillian Royal

Jillian Royal was initially influenced to pursue a law career through opportunities that she was given as a high school student at Academics at Englewood in New Jersey. The classes that she has taken to give her the proper head start she needs include Introduction to Law, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, and Issues in Law and Public Safety. She was able to complete these classes due to the fact that, in her eighth grade year at Englewood, she applied to the Law and Public Safety Academy, a running program at her school. The academy program gave her the outstanding opportunity to go on trips to the state capital and various court systems seen throughout the area. It gave her experience inside courtrooms, speaking with lawyers, judges, and other law enforcement agents.

There are many extracurricular activities that have given Jillian the experience she wanted to receive before furthering her education in a college setting. For instance, she held an Internship for 8 hours a week at the Superior Court of New Jersey of Bergen County. At this internship, she became able to get an inside view of what the legal court system is truly like in the United States firsthand. She was able to review motions filed by litigants and orders that were signed by judges of the court. She also held service at the Juvenile Conference Committee, where she sat on a panel to hear the cases of minors who have committed minor offenses and provide solutions to how the juvenile can be reprimanded for their actions. Her time spent at the Interact Club earned her the title of Co-President, where she holds charge in facilitating and participating in community service projects locally or internationally. This includes Thanksgiving Day baskets, packing food on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, or organizing annual Senior Citizen’s Prom.

Because of Jillian’s opportunities, she has made the final decision that she wants to become a lawyer and plans to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree at Montclair State University in Justice Studies with a concentration in International Justice. She believes this will help her better understand the international justice system and, not only will this knowledge help her assist those in the United States, but also those in third world countries. She believes that community service and being involved with the community is very important, to which we agree! Jillian plans to perform so well during her undergraduate years that she will be able to attend a top tier law school and begin practicing as soon as she can.

When Jillian was chosen for the scholarship, she mentioned, “It is an honor, and I am humbled to be the recipient of the MDL Educational Scholarship award. I hope to live up to the three passions of the attorneys at Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, love of the law, education, and support of the community, as I continue on my career path to becoming a lawyer.” She has the passion of a century.

Jillian’s outstanding achievements really stood out to our law firm and showed us that many high school age teenagers are involved with the community and looking to work toward a better place for us all. At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, we are rooting for your success in where furthering your education and your dedication takes you. We cannot wait to meet you in person at the Senior Award Ceremony and appreciate the strength and time you put into your goals. Giving your time and passion to the community has shown in your hard work.