H. Maurice Mitchell Leaders in Law Scholarships Awarded to Law Students Madison Adkins and Joel Gaffney
July 17, 2025
(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) – Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. is pleased to announce that law students Madison Adkins and Joel Gaffney have been awarded the H. Maurice Mitchell Leaders in Law scholarship. The H. Maurice Mitchell Leaders in Law scholarships are awarded annually to the law students named as the Moot Court Board Chair at the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and as Chair of the Board of Advocates at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Each student will receive a scholarship in the amount of $2,000.00.
Adkins is a third-year law student at the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and will serve as the 2025-26 Moot Court Board Chair. As Moot Court Board Chair, she will preside over all Moot Court activities and meetings and is responsible for organizing training for interschool and intramural competitions.
Adkins competed in the National Tax Moot Court Competition and earned the Top Paper Award for Moot Court Competition. She is secretary of the Student Veterans Organization and served as treasurer of the Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers student chapter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in history, with honors, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science graduating summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee where she participated in an intercultural classroom and study abroad experience as part of the Normandy Scholars Program.
Gaffney is a third-year law student at the University of Arkansas School of Law where he will serve as the 2025-26 Board of Advocates Chair. As chair of the Board of Advocates, he will be responsible for all operations for the board including oversight of all intra- and inter- school competitions as well as public relations with Arkansas alumni and the legal community.
Gaffney will serve as the Note & Comment editor for the Arkansas Law Review and as a temporary 3L representative on the Student Conduct Council. He earned First Place and Best Brief in the 2025 Ben J. Altheimer Moot Court Competition and was awarded Overall Best Oral Argument in Legal Research & Writing II. Gaffney holds a Bachelor of Science in finance with a minor in business management from Arkansas State University where he served as president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
“The H. Maurice Mitchell Leaders in Law scholarship program was established in honor of our founder Maurice Mitchell, who shaped our firm's culture of leadership and service. We are committed to supporting the students who serve in leadership roles at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law and the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville," said Jeff Thomas, managing director of Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. "We congratulate Madison and Joel and wish them much success this year and in their future legal careers.”
About Mitchell Williams
Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C. is a full-service law firm with Arkansas roots and national reach. For more than 70 years, the firm has delivered sophisticated legal counsel to corporations, entities and individuals on day-to-day business needs to the most complex corporate matters. From offices in Little Rock, Rogers and Jonesboro, Arkansas and Austin, Texas, Mitchell Williams leverages strategy and experience to deliver exceptional service to our valued clients. Learn more information, visit MitchellWilliamsLaw.com.