Penn Law Student Wins Scholarship for Essay on Non-Traditional Legal Hero

The Law Place Law School Scholarship has awarded $2,500 to Abigail So, a first-year student at Penn Carey Law, for her essay about how a research mentor outside traditional legal practice inspired her career ambitions. The scholarship recognizes students who celebrate the influence of legal heroes, living or dead, on their future goals.

So's essay revealed that her legal hero is Dr. Bermant, a psychology researcher with whom she worked during undergraduate studies. While So intends to become a transactional attorney after graduation, she credits Dr. Bermant with inspiring her to attend law school through year-long research exploring connections between psychology and legal practice.

"I came to this original research opportunity somewhat reluctantly, but then flourished as Dr. Bermant pushed me to find a subject I was truly passionate about," So wrote in her scholarship essay. Her research focused on false admissions of guilt, leading her to examine landmark cases, psychological studies, interrogation transcripts, and wrongful conviction stories.

So described the subject as "chilling and addictive—this deeply human, deeply legal issue" and learned that false confessions often result from "long, high-pressure interrogations paired with human vulnerability." Her conversations with Dr. Bermant raised questions about fair interrogation practices and whether psychologists should participate in legal reform efforts.

The most significant question Dr. Bermant asked, according to So, was what she intended to do with the knowledge gained through her studies. "His questions became my calling," So wrote. "He lit the flame and kept it burning with every conversation…Dr. Bermant became more than a mentor—he became my hero. Not because he stood in a courtroom or wrote landmark opinions, but because he showed me that the law isn't just about rules."

So emphasized that Dr. Bermant demonstrated how law involves "people, psychology, power, vulnerability, and truth" and involves "asking the questions no one else thinks to ask." The Law Place, which offers the scholarship through its team of Sarasota personal injury lawyers, stated that So represents the next generation of legal professionals who will bring new perspectives to the industry.

The scholarship announcement highlights how legal inspiration can come from unexpected sources beyond traditional courtroom settings. So's experience suggests that interdisciplinary approaches combining psychology and law may influence future legal education and practice. Her focus on false confessions touches on ongoing criminal justice reform discussions about interrogation methods and wrongful convictions.

The Law Place Law School Scholarship promises $2,500 annually to a student who writes about a legal hero's influence on their ambitions. The firm's attorneys consistently update their knowledge of Florida laws to reflect the state's newest rulings, as detailed on their website at https://www.thelawplace.com. So plans to use the scholarship funds toward her continuing legal education at Penn Carey Law.