Craig Goldenfarb, Esq., founder and CEO of GOLDLAW in West Palm Beach, Florida, is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Emanuel McMiller Scholarship for Higher Education (EMSHE), which is awarded to seniors and alumni of The Gerald A. Williams Center for Pre-Law at Palm Beach Lakes Community High School as they apply and matriculate to college and/or law school.
An awards ceremony occurred at GOLDLAW in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday, May 31 at 2 p.m., where Emanuel McMiller was in attendance to make the award presentations.
This year’s $10,000 award, donated by GOLDLAW, will be split between three outstanding alumni of the Center for Pre-Law:
Ijahala Pottinger (awarded $5,000) is currently a 1L at Columbia Law School, where she anticipates graduating in 2026 with a Juris Doctor degree. Pottinger is a graduate (Class of 2020) of Brown University and an alumnus (Class of 2016) of the Center for Pre-Law. Pottinger was very active in the Center for Pre-Law, serving as a mock trial team member, Law Honor Society President, and Lead Prosecuting Youth Court Attorney. Pottinger is also a 2023 EMSHE Award Recipient.
Andre’Anna Hodges (awarded $4,000) is a Senior (Class of 2024) at Palm Beach Lakes and will be attending Florida Atlantic University this Fall where she anticipates graduating in 2028 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Hodges is very active in the Center for Pre-Law, serving as a mock trial team member, Law Club member, and Youth Court Attorney.
Miriam Vidaurre-Zarate (awarded $1,000) is currently a junior at Florida International University where she anticipates graduating in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Vidaurre-Zarate is an alumnus (Class of 2021) of the Center for Pre-Law. Vidaurre-Zarate was very active in the Center for Pre-Law, serving as mock trial captain, moot court attorney, Law Club President, Law Honor Society President, and a Youth Court attorney. She is also a 2022 and 2023 EMSHE Award Recipient.
The scholarship is named for Emanuel McMiller, a former employee of Goldenfarb’s law firm, and an alumnus (Class of 2010) of the Center for Pre-Law at Palm Beach Lakes Community High School. Emanuel earned his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 2019 and is now a business litigation associate at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana. Emanuel, a first-generation lawyer, credits the faculty, staff, and supporters of the Center for Pre-Law for giving him a head-start in developing the critical skills necessary to achieve success in law school and the legal profession. “This young man is just such a fantastic person, and it’s really an honor that he has allowed me to be a part of his journey,” says Goldenfarb. “Emanuel has inspired me in so many ways, including my decision to make this scholarship commitment that will benefit students just like him for years to come.”
The primary goals of EMSHE are: (1) to strengthen the diversity pipeline to the legal profession (and help unsupported and/or under-resourced students to be more competitive); and (2) to help recipients establish a support system to guide them on their journey to the legal profession.
To learn more information about the scholarship and this year’s recipients, please visit the EMSHE website at https://www.emshe.org.
Background Information:
Craig Goldenfarb is the CEO and Founder of GOLDLAW – Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A., a personal injury law firm located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The firm was established by Goldenfarb in 2002 and has since helped thousands of people recover more than $2 billion in compensation for victims of accidents or negligence. GOLDLAW and Goldenfarb are active in their community, supporting programs and organizations that benefit the less fortunate in the areas of sports, education, and disease affliction. Some of the various organizations GOLDLAW directly supports include Urban Youth Impact, Wounded Warrior Project/Wounded Warriors of South Florida, American Heart Association, TOPsoccer, RDK Foundation, MS Society, and the Food Bank of Palm Beach County, among others.
The Gerald A. Williams Center for Pre-Law at Palm Beach Lakes Community High School is the first and only magnet program of its kind in Palm Beach County. The program’s objectives are: (1) to provide students with an in-depth understanding of how our legal system impacts every aspect of our society; (2) to provide school-to-work pathways in law-related careers; and (3) to provide leadership opportunities throughout the school and community. For more information about the program, please contact Tera Hands at tera.hands@palmbeachschools.org.
