Best Best & Krieger LLP, in partnership with the Association of California Water Agencies, has selected Santa Clarita high school senior Shelby Negosian as the inaugural recipient of the Arthur L. Littleworth Best Best & Krieger Diversity Scholarship.

The scholarship serves as a tribute to the late Arthur L. Littleworth, who practiced in BB&K’s Riverside, California office for nearly 70 years. BB&K Special Districts Partner and Recruiting Committee Chair Lutfi Kharuf presented the scholarship to Negosian at ACWA’s Spring Conference on May 4.

“Art will forever be remembered for the ways in which he shaped BB&K, the community, and water law and policy in California. BB&K is thrilled to have this opportunity to honor him in such a meaningful way, and our inaugural recipient is truly worthy of everything this scholarship represents,” said Kharuf.

Negosian is currently salutatorian of her Saugus High School class. She is a member of the National Honors Society, California Scholarship Federation, Mu Alpha Theta and Science National Honors Society. In her junior year, she founded Eco and Friendly, a student-led organization that promotes sustainability through education and projects that drive change.

Through this scholarship program, BB&K and ACWA will annually award one $10,000 scholarship, disbursed evenly over a four-year period, to a qualified undergraduate student of diverse or underrepresented background who, by demonstrating a passion for and career trajectory in water law, and commitment to diversity and inclusion, will bolster public administration in California.

“We were so pleased to learn that a local student had been selected for this prestigious scholarship,” said Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Board President Gary Martin. “Congratulations to Shelby on this hard-earned recognition! We look forward to cheering Shelby on as she advances in her education and career as a local representative in the next generation of leaders in water.”

During Littleworth’s career, he participated in all aspects of water law and was respected for his impact on California’s water law and policy. He co-authored the widely read Solano Press book “California Water” with BB&K Managing Partner Eric Garner in 1995, and published updated versions in 2007 and 2019. He was listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Energy, Environmental, Natural Resources & Water Law for 27 consecutive years and named one of the Daily Journal‘s Top 100 Lawyers in California. In addition to his legal practice, in his role as Riverside school board president, he played a pivotal part in the 1965 desegregation of Riverside city schools.