An Indian-origin masters-in-law student Suby Valluri, at Cornell University, was awarded the inaugural scholarship named after one of its highly respected professors.
On December 19, 2025, Cornell Tech announced it had launched the Michael Mills Memorial LegalTech Scholarship, honoring an influential figure in legal technology, an news article in the University news site said. The scholarship marked a milestone for the campus’s Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship program.
The Scholarship is unique in that it is created by a network of more than 50 donors to celebrate Mills’s legacy. It will support Valluri and future recipients who are pursuing careers at the intersection of law and technology through the Cornell Tech LL.M. program.
Valluri has a Ph.D. in quantitative economics and an M.A. in law. He is the co-founder and CEO of FinMont, a travel payments startup. His work combines law, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology, the article said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Receiving the Michael Mills Memorial LegalTech Scholarship marks a profoundly meaningful step in my professional journey,” Valluri is quoted saying, adding, “Beyond its financial value, the award reflects Michael Mills’s legacy of mentorship, creativity, and his lifelong effort to reshape how law and technology intersect.”
Using the Scholarship endowment, Valluri expects to develop “smart agreements” or contracts that combine traditional legal language with computer code.
“My broader aim is to make cross-border transactions more transparent, affordable, and secure,” Valluri said. “This scholarship gives me the space and confidence to deepen my research, test new prototypes, and participate more actively in Cornell Tech’s LegalTech community. Most importantly, it connects me with a network of thinkers and builders who share a common purpose: making legal systems more transparent, equitable, and adaptable through technology.”
Mills co-founded Neota, which made it possible for lawyers to develop legal software applications without writing code. He was also the co-founder of Central Park Conservancy and Pro Bono Net, and set up innovation awards in the College of Law Practice Management mentoring professionals going into technology.