Marshall Diel & Myers has announced Samantha Saunders is its 2013 Legal Scholarship award recipient while Stephen Edwards is the 2013 Legal Bursary recipient.Miss Saunders is the recipient of this inaugural award and has received $15,000 to continue her legal studies.A recent graduate of the University of London Law School, she will complete her legal studies at BPP University College where she will be pursuing both her Masters of Law and Legal Practice Certificate. Samantha plans to return to Bermuda to begin her pupillage in 2014.“The Student Committee was impressed not only by Samantha’s academic achievements and community involvement, but also her diligence in pursuing a wide variety of summer internships in some of Bermuda’s top law firms and international companies,” the firm said.“Samantha has been an active member of the Law Student Association of Bermuda acting as its Executive Secretary and she has also volunteered with the Women’s Resource Centre. Samantha has chosen to challenge herself by enrolling in a programme at BPP where she will acquire both her Masters of Law and Legal Practice Certificate at the end of 12 months. This pursuit typifies her drive and determination.”Miss Saunders said: “I am extremely excited and grateful. The MA/LPC qualification serves to transition students into the working life of a lawyer, and it is therefore a great relief to know that I can pursue this next stage without the heavy financial burden. I hope to gain the essential skills that will make me a valuable asset to any firm and look forward to proving to MDM that I am deserving of this award.”“In addition to her strong academic performance, Samantha impressed us with her strong work ethic, leadership qualities and community involvement,” said Rachael Barritt, chair of the Student Committee.“We were impressed by Samantha’s interview where she proved herself as a bright, driven and personable young law student who is on the path to becoming a solid contributor to the legal fraternity in Bermuda.”Stephen Edwards knows the importance of hard work and perseverance.While he has encountered challenges, both big and small, he has refused to give up his dream of attending university and more particularly, pursuing his law degree.“Stephen’s application materials instantly grabbed the attention of the Student Committee, and he was so inspiring and impressive during his interview that the Committee decided to expand its mandate for 2013 and offer Stephen a bursary of $3,000 to assist him in his endeavours,” the firm said.“Stephen stood out as he demonstrated such a strong commitment to becoming a lawyer and returning to Bermuda to pursue his career. Marshall Diel & Myers Limited looks forward to helping him achieve that goal not only with financial support but mentoring support as he moves forward with his studies,” said Kevin Taylor, managing director.He recently graduated from Berkeley Institute where he consistently made the honour roll, interned with two reinsurance companies and was selected to travel abroad with the Youth Leadership Programme.“His leadership qualities are epitomised by his selection as the captain of the Bermuda National Under-19 seven-a-side rugby team when he was only 16 years old,” the firm said.“Marshall Diel & Myers Limited finds itself fortunate to be able to assist this young man as he pursues his academic dreams and we look forward to supporting Stephen as he begins this next chapter of his studies.”The award provides financial support up to a maximum $15,000 to a Bermudian law student who intends to return to Bermuda to practice law. More details on the award and the application process can be found at www.law.bm.