Cole Schotz P.C. is pleased to announce that Alena Panova has been named the recipient of the firm’s 2026 Community Impact Scholarship.
Each year, Cole Schotz recognizes the achievements of a rising second-year, full-time law student by presenting a one-time scholarship of $10,000. Recipients are chosen based on their academic achievement, involvement in community service, social justice activities and demonstrated leadership abilities.
Ms. Panova, now a student at the University of Houston Law Center, ranked in the top 10% of the class as a first-year law student at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She is an active member of her campus and community, including as a Student Ambassador, a member of the Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, and participation in extracurriculars such as Mock Trial, the Houston Bar Association, Model UN, and the Phi Theta Kappa Society.
“Ms. Panova has a true understanding of the impact compassionate and community-driven legal service can have on others,” said James A. Lewis, V, Chief of Community Engagement and Belonging at Cole Schotz. “Her commitment to the legal profession is matched by her passion for serving others and being an advocate for her community and the individuals in it.”
Ms. Panova graduated Cum Laude from the University of Houston Downtown with a B.S. in Political Science.