Samantha Downey Is Awarded the Fitch Law Firm Sexual Abuse Survivor Scholarship

    COLUMBUS, OH, October 19, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- After dreaming of becoming a lawyer for years, Samantha Downey enlisted in the Army as a Combat Medic at the age of 18. Then, in 2015, the unthinkable happened: Downey was sexually assaulted by her direct supervisor in a field training exercise. Ever resilient, she pursued legal action through a court martial, and her assailant was sent to prison in 2016.

The story is a tragedy, but Samantha Downey has (and continues to) overcome the traumatic experience. In the essay that recently won her the Fitch Law Firm Sexual Abuse Survivor Scholarship, Downey writes that she "was able to find the silver lining by being inspired by the legal prosecution." Her prosecution team, made up of women, aggressively sought justice while being a calming influence and inspiring Downey to pursue her lifelong dream of a legal career.

Now, in her post-military life, Downey is flourishing. She held a consistent 4.0 GPA at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, became an advocate for the rights of sexual assault victims across the country, volunteered, took a position as a legal intern, and has been accepted into the Notre Dame Law School. She accomplished all this in addition to the ever-present responsibilities of being a wife and mother during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Samantha Downey is not one to rest on her laurels or accomplishments, though. Even as she starts her law school journey, she has big plans for the future. "With my Juris Doctorate I plan to not only improve my own life by becoming an attorney," she writes. "I also want serve my community as a pro bono legal liaison for victims of sexual assault and other violent crimes."

The Fitch Law Firm is proud to award this substantial $2,500 scholarship to someone as driven, accomplished, and service-minded as Samatha Downey.

An experienced and respected personal injury law firm in Ohio, the Fitch Law Firm serves clients across the state in cases like medical malpractice, premises liability, sexual abuse, car accidents, and more. As part of its desire to increase awareness, lower the rates of serious injury and abuse, and help those who have been harmed by others, the firm created the Sexual Abuse Survivor Scholarship. The Fitch Law Firm has more than 30 years of experience helping community members after traumatic events, and it is excited to keep an eye on Samantha Downey's strong future as a fellow attorney.

# # #