Our Mission
The mission of the David A. Paige Foundation is to support students pursuing legal education and training in Arizona. The David A. Paige Foundation provides paid clerkships and scholarships to law students who excel in their studies and believe in using their law degrees to better their community.
Southern Arizona Legal Aid
Southern Arizona Legal Aid’s mission is to provide quality legal services to people who would not otherwise have equal access to justice, in ways which affirm their individual and collective dignity, integrity, and power. Since 1951, SALA has provided free, civil legal aid to low-income individuals and families in 9 of Arizona’s 15 counties and in 11 of Arizona’s 21 Native American Communities. David A. Paige believed in this mission and served on SALA’s Advisory Board in the 1980’s.
The David A. Paige Foundation funded full-time paid summer clerkships in 2021 and 2022 for University of Arizona law students at Southern Arizona Legal Aid. By serving clients in SALA’s Immigration and Domestic Relations Unit, these students helped support clients to receive more stable immigration status in cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or other crimes. The Foundation has committed to funding a full-time summer paid clerkship at SALA in 2023.
University of Arizona - College of Law
Scholarships
David – UA Law School Graduation 1975
David A. Paige graduated from the University of Arizona’s College of Law in 1975. He was a member of the Arizona Law Review and Note Editor in 1974-75. A trial practice class during David’s third year sparked his interest in litigation, and his trial tactics during that class helped land him his first job as an attorney.
In 2021, the David A. Paige Foundation awarded its inaugural scholarship to a 2nd year University of Arizona law student who served as the Student Bar Association’s 2021-2022 President. Since then, the Foundation has provided scholarships each semester to law students. The Foundation will continue to support students pursuing legal education and training in Arizona by providing scholarships to those who excel in their studies and believe in using their law degrees to better their community.
Child and Family Law Clinic
In the 1990’s, David voluntarily represented a family whose niece was involved in the foster care system. The case lasted over eight years. David’s work was instrumental in setting a legal precedent for family law in the state of Arizona. Because of his efforts, lawyers representing families were allowed to participate in court proceedings.
The Child and Family Law Clinic is a working law office in which law students, working in multi-disciplinary teams, represent children in child protection proceedings and adult victims of domestic violence. The clinic provides a quality, supervised, multi-disciplinary learning environment for law students and is dedicated to representing, with integrity, the interests of children and adult victims involved with the justice system.
In 2022, the David A. Paige Foundation funded its inaugural Child and Family Law Clinic fellowship. Throughout their final year, a third-year law student will conduct research and develop tools to be used by law students and attorneys. Their work will directly contribute to improving the capacity of Arizona’s legal system to support youth in the foster care system. This student will also assume a mentorship role for younger law students in the Child and Family Law Clinic.
Pima County Superior Court
Throughout his career, David mentored dozens of attorneys. As a young lawyer, David was greatly influenced by his mentors and in turn was intentional about his role in guiding young lawyers. Those who David mentored valued the legal training he provided, and several went on to become judges in Tucson.
In 2022, The Foundation funded its first full-time summer externship with a Pima County Superior Court judge on the Civil Bench that David Paige mentored over thirty years ago. As a rising third-year law student, the inaugural recipient worked full-time as a judicial clerk to help improve his research and writing skills.
Board of Directors
Charles A. Paige
President and Treasurer
Educator and Youth Advocate – Tucson, Arizona
After my dad died, I met with several attorneys and judges that he mentored when they first began their legal careers. I learned how important his teaching and dedication were to their development as attorneys. My family established this foundation to continue his legacy.
Hon. Charles “Chuck” Harrington (Ret.)
Vice President
Tucson, Arizona
David was an excellent mentor who insisted on integrity, fairness and professionalism. David had almost a reverence for the law which he communicated to me and which became a part of my world view. His teachings were a great help to me as an attorney and later as a Superior Court Judge.
Dawn Brewer
Secretary
Attorney – Marina Del Rey, California
David practiced law with purpose and humility. David taught me about the gifts and challenges of the profession. His insight remains important to my practice even today. I am grateful for the time I spent with him and humbled to be part of the foundation’s work in his name.