Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, LLP, granted the 2018 Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet scholarship to four high school seniors, Michael Gao, Destiny Areli Ayala, Nicole Jaramillo Meza, and Sarah Michelle Cardenas. The Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet was established in 1977 with a mission to prepare students for careers in law, government and law enforcement. Recipients must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university for the upcoming academic year, have a minimum grade point average of 3.3, and demonstrate outstanding leadership potential and an intent to pursue a career in the legal field.

The Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet has received the Texas Education Agency's "Exemplary” rating for each of the past four years, and was nominated as a High Performing National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Barefoot Sanders is a legendary figure in the history of Dallas education, having presided over the Tasby v. Estes case, which resulted in the successful desegregation of Dallas schools. Judge Sanders implemented a fair and practical desegregation plan that won the approval of first the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and, finally, the school board of the Dallas Independent School District. While overseeing the desegregation process, Judge Sanders also shepherded the development of Dallas's various magnet schools, which he hoped would provide a viable alternative to busing.

The scholarship will be administered by the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet. Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability, or national origin, and scholarships will be awarded for full-time study at an accredited institution of the students' choice.