The El Segundo family lawyers at Skarin Law Group have awarded the firm's 2026 Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship to Ava Tyler, a student at California Northern School of Law. The $1,000 scholarship honors students who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to helping families in need, and Tyler's selection highlights the growing importance of advocacy for domestic violence survivors within the legal profession.
Tyler's path to law school was shaped by personal experience. In her winning essay, she described teaching herself family law as a self-represented parent protecting her children, an effort that ultimately led to a formal complaint with the Judicial Conduct Board. That experience propelled her into fifteen years of grassroots work, during which she has helped other survivors start businesses and achieve financial independence at no cost to them. She also completed the 40-Hour Domestic Violence Advocate Training Program through Rainbow Services, further solidifying her credentials as a community advocate.
The implications of Tyler's recognition extend beyond a single award. According to the firm, the scholarship was created to support students who show leadership and a commitment to helping families in need. By honoring a recipient who has already dedicated more than a decade to survivor advocacy, Skarin Law Group is drawing attention to the critical role that knowledgeable advocates play in family law. Tyler recently purchased a home that she plans to convert into a shelter where survivors and their children can rebuild their lives, and after law school she hopes to return to the Los Angeles or San Diego area to continue that work.
Matthew K. Skarin, founder of Skarin Law Group, emphasized the significance of Tyler's achievements in announcing the award. "Teaching yourself family law as a pro se litigant, seeing that fight through to a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Board, and then spending the next fifteen years helping other survivors get on their feet is exactly the kind of leadership this scholarship was created to recognize," Skarin wrote to Tyler. "As a family law attorney, I see every day how much a knowledgeable advocate matters to families in crisis."
The firm's announcement also serves as a reminder of the resources available to families navigating legal challenges. Students interested in applying for the Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship in future years, as well as families facing divorce or custody matters, are encouraged to reach out with questions. Skarin Law Group handles divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, paternity, parental rights, and premarital agreements throughout Los Angeles County, and founder Matthew K. Skarin is a Certified Family Law Specialist and Certified Public Accountant who brings financial insight to every case.
Tyler's award underscores a broader shift in family law, where lived experience and community advocacy are increasingly valued alongside traditional legal training. Her plans to open a shelter and return to the Los Angeles or San Diego area suggest that the scholarship's impact will extend well beyond the classroom, directly benefiting survivors and their children in the years to come.
