JANUARY
Lieber Society Military Prize
Deadline: January 2, 2010.
Eligibility: Members, active or retired, of the regular or reserve armed forces of any nation.
Topic: Any topic significantly enhancing the understanding and implementation of the law of war.
Length: Not over 70 pages.
Prize: $500.
Sponsor: Lieber Society, an interest group of the American Society of International Law.
Entertainment Law Initiative (GRAMMY) Writing Contest
Deadline: January 4, 2010 (annually during the first week of January).
Topic: Issues confronting the music industry.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 4 runners-up each receive $1,500. All winners receive expenses to attend the GRAMMY Awards and present their papers at an ABA luncheon.
Length: Not over 3,000 words.
Sponsors: Grammy Foundation & ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries.
Mendes Hershman Student Writing Contest
Deadline: January 9, 2010. Papers must be nominated through the dean of the law school.
Topic: Aspects of business law.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500. All winners receive expenses to attend the ABA Section of Business Law Spring Meeting.
Length: 20-30 pages preferred; not over 100 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Business Law.
Bioethics Student Writing Competition (formerly the Hoffman Bioethics Competition)
Deadline: January 11, 2010.
Topic: Bioethics (ethical issues arising specifically within the health care arena). Examples include ethical implications of death and dying, reproductive rights, bioterrorism, organ donation and allocation, and biomedical research.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + expenses to present paper at annual meeting; 2nd place $500; 3rd place $250.
Sponsor: American College of Legal Medicine.
Letourneau Award for Writing in Legal Medicine
Deadline: January 11, 2010.
Topic: Legal medicine, including medical licensure and regulation, business aspects of practice, physician liability, managed care, and public health law.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Prize: $1,000.
Sponsor: American College of Legal Medicine.
Ladas Memorial Award in Trademark Law
Deadline: January 15, 2010.
Topic: Trademark law or a matter that directly relates to or affects trademarks.
Prize: $2,000 + web and journal publication.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: International Trademark Association and Ladas & Parry LLP.
Rona R. Mears Student Writing Competition & Scholarship
Deadline: January 15, 2010.
Topic: An assigned international law topic; 2010 topic is "The Scope and Application of Universal Jurisdiction."
Prize: 1st and 2nd places: $1,000 + publication + expenses to spring meeting of the ABA Section of International Law.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of International Law.
National Security Forum Writing Competition and Call for Papers
Deadline: January 15, 2010.
Topic: Any legal topic related to national security.
Length: Not over 15,000 words.
Prize: Publication.
Sponsor: William Mitchell Law Review and William Mitchell National Security Forum.
Southeast/Southwest People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference Writing Competition
Deadline: January 15, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: A cutting-edge legal issue related to the conference theme of "Equality and Justice in the Obama era."
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + expenses to attend the People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Southeast/Southwest People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference.
Louis Jackson National Student Writing Competition
Deadline: January 19, 2010.
Topic: Workplace law, including employment law, labor law, employee benefits, and employment discrimination.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + web publication; 2 runners-up receive $1,000 + web publication.
Sponsor: Jackson Lewis LLP and the Institute for Law and the Workplace at Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Health Care and Life Sciences Law Writing Competition
Deadline: January 22, 2010.
Topic: Current topics in health care and life sciences law. Papers may address traditional areas of the law as applied to health care (e.g., antitrust, tax, corporate) or areas of law unique to health care (e.g., fraud and abuse, managed care, Medicare/Medicaid, clinical trials.)
Length: Not specified.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $2,000; 3rd place $500. The top 20% of entries will be considered for publication in Loyola University Chicago's Annals of Health Law.
Sponsor: Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Roscoe Hogan Environmental Law Essay Contest
Deadline: January 29, 2010 for intent-to-enter form; March 31, 2010 for essay.
Topic: "Can Coal Be Clean? Litigation Remedies for Coal Contamination from Mining to Combustion to Sequestration."
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Prize: $5,000 + publication.
Sponsor: Public Justice.
ABA Antitrust Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: January 30, 2010.
Topic: Antitrust issues, including topics relating to civil and criminal antitrust law, competition policy, consumer protection, and international competition. The article must be published in and nominated by a law review or legal journal sponsored by an ABA-accredited law school.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend the Section's Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Length: 20-30 pages preferred; not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Antitrust Law.
Larry M. Simonsmeier Award
Deadline: January 30, 2010.
Topic: Pharmacy law, food & drug law, drug policy, or related areas. Papers must have been published, or accepted for publication, in the previous two calendar years.
Prize: Honorarium + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Pharmacy Law.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: American Society for Pharmacy Law.
EASL Law Student Initiative
Deadline: Articles may be submitted at any time.
Topic: Entertainment, arts, or sports law.
Prize: No limit to winning submissions: all will be published, and all winners will receive complimentary membership in EASL Section of NY State Bar Association for the following year.
Length: No length requirement.
Sponsor: Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
Dr. Joseph Rossman Memorial Award / JPTOS Call for Papers
Deadline: Articles may be submitted at any time. All articles submitted to the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society are annually entered to compete for the Rossman Award. JPTOS solicits submissions from both students and faculty.
Topic: Topics in intellectual property, patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Prize: $1,500.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Center for Global Trade & Development Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: January 20, 2008.
Topic: Varies annually.
Prize: $1,500.
Length: Not over 30 pages.
Sponsor: Center for Global Trade and Development of Chapman University School of Law.
For more information: Contact Dr. John A. Hall at jhall@chapman.edu.
Dukeminier Award
Most Recent Deadline: January 3, 2009.
Topic: Legal issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender communities.
Prize: Monetary prize (unspecified) + publication.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: Charles R. Williams Project on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law.
Energy and the Environment Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 3, 2009.
Topic: Topics addressing the intersection between energy and environmental policy.
Length: Not specified.
Prize: 1st place $500; up to 2 honorable mentions of $250.
Sponsor: Hofstra Law School, Wright Risk Management, and Congdon, Flaherty, O'Callaghan, Reid, Donlon, Travis & Fishlinger.
Federal Bar Association Section on Taxation Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: January 15, 2009.
Topic: Federal income taxation.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + expenses to attend the FBA’s Annual Tax Law Conference; 2nd place $750.
Sponsor: Federal Bar Association Section of Taxation.
LatCrit Student Scholar Program
Most Recent Deadline: January 7, 2008.
Topic: Race, ethnicity, and the law.
Length: Not over 10,000 words.
Prize: Expenses to attend LatCrit Annual Conference + publication.
Sponsor: LatCrit, Inc.
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FEBRUARY
American Indian Law Writing Competition
Deadline: February 1, 2010.
Topic: American Indian Law.
Length: 20–50 pages.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication, 2nd place $500, 3rd place $250. Top three authors will also receive Felix S. Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law.
Sponsor: American Indian Law Review.
Intellectual Property Law Section Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on February 1.
Topic: Topics relating to intellectual property law, such as copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, privacy, and right of publicity.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + publication + expenses to attend Intellectual Property Section's Annual Meeting; 2nd place $3,000; honorable mention $2,000.
Eligibility: Law students either attending law school in California, or who are domiciled in California.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of California.
Trandafir International Business Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on February 1.
Topic: International business or economic issues with a legal nexus.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Journal of Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems and the University of Iowa College of Law.
Law and Society Association Graduate Student Paper Prize
Deadline: February 1, 2010.
Topic: Outstanding research on law and society.
Prize: Up to $500 to cover travel costs to attend the annual meeting of the Law and Society Association.
Eligibility: Graduate students and law students. Joint papers are accepted. Papers must be nominated by a non-student member of the Law and Society Association.
Length: Not over 18,000 words.
Sponsor: Law and Society Association.
Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition
Deadline: February 12, 2010.
Topic: Topics related to regulatory or administrative law, broadly construed.
Prize: Lawyer and student categories: 1st place in each is $1,500.
Length: Not over 25,000 words; shorter submissions are strongly encouraged.
Sponsor: American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
American Constitution Society National Student Writing Competition
Deadline: February 19, 2010.
Eligibility: All entrants must be members of the American Constitution Society as of the day of submission.
Topic: Varying topics on furthering and promoting a progressive vision of the Constitution, law, and public policy: entrants are encouraged to view the topic broadly.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + publication; 2 runners-up receive $1,000.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Sponsor: American Constitution Society for Law and Policy.
Bert W. Levit Essay Contest
Deadline: February 19, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 hypothetical relates to pleading and proof burdens, in a legal malpractice case, on the issue of collectibility of damages in the underlying case.
Prize: $5,000 + expenses to attend National Legal Malpractice Conference.
Length: Not over 3,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability and Long & Levit, LLP.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Attorney-CPA Foundation Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: February 27, 2009.
Topic: Varies each year. 2009 topic: "Compare and contrast the client privileges with respect to communications with an attorney and with a CPA under federal tax law, in your state, and in one other state from among NY, FL, CA, or Texas."
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd and 4th places $500; 4 regional prizes of $250.
Length: around 20 pages.
Sponsor: Attorney-CPA Foundation.
Berkeley Technology Law Journal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: February 28, 2009.
Topic: Law and technology topics, including intellectual property, antitrust, First Amendment, entertainment and new media, telecommunications, biotechnology, internet, and cybercrime.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication; 2nd place $750, 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Berkeley Technology Law Journal.
Criminal Law Section Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: February 28, 2009.
Topic: Contemporary issues in criminal law or criminal procedure of concern in California.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 3 honorable mention prizes of $150 + publication.
Length: 1,500-4,000 words.
Sponsor: Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of California.
PIPLA Intellectual Property Law Writing Award
Most Recent Deadline: February 15, 2009.
Topic: Intellectual property.
Prize: $1,000.
Eligibility: Law students either attending law school in Pittsburgh area, or who have been domiciled in Pittsburgh area within the past ten years. Joint papers are eligible.
Length: 10-25 pages.
Sponsor: Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Law Association.
Richmond Journal of Law & Technology Writing Competition
Deadline: February. Contest offered in even-numbered years.
Topic: Law and technology topics, including but not limited to biotechnology, intellectual property, patents and trademark, and the Internet.
Prize: 1st place $1,200 + publication; 2nd place $600; 3rd place $100.
Length: 20-35 pages.
Sponsor: Richmond Journal of Law & Technology.
John T. Stewart, Jr. Scholarship Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: February 8, 2008.
Topic: Any topic relating to transportation or transportation security law.
Prize: $2,500 + possible publication.
Length: Not over 30 pages.
Sponsor: Transportation & Transportation Security Law Section of the Federal Bar Association and the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association.
UCLA JOLT Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: February 20, 2009.
Topic: Law and technology.
Length: 15–20 pages.
Prize: $1,000.
Sponsor: UCLA Journal of Law and Technology.
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MARCH
ABA Science and Technology Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: Annually on March 1.
Topic: Varies annually.
Prize: Expenses to attend the ABA Annual Convention + possible publication.
Length: Not over 2,500 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Science and Technology Law.
Sarah Weddington Writing Prize in Reproductive Rights Law
Deadline: March 1, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: Reproductive rights as human rights.
Prize: 1st place $750 + online publication; 2nd place $500 + online publication; 3rd place $250 + online publication.
Length: Not under 20 pages.
Sponsor: Law Students for Reproductive Justice.
TTIPS Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: First Monday in March (For 2010, March 1).
Eligibility: At the time of essay submission, must be a member of the ABA Law Student Division.
Topic: Topics in a areas covered by the Section’s substantive law committees including admiralty, appellate advocacy, automobile law, aviation law, business torts, civil procedure, commercial transportation litigation, consumer law, defamation, employee benefits, environmental law, evidence, government liability, insurance law, international law, maritime law, medicine and law, privacy rights, products liability, reinsurance, space law, suretyship, toxic torts, trial techniques, and workers' compensation law.
Prize: $1,500 + expenses to attend ABA annual meeting; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
Embryo Donation and Adoption Law Writing Competition
Deadline: March 8, 2010. Note: $500 additional award if a winner submits paper by February 1, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic presents a specific problem regarding embryo donation and adoption.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Nightlight Christian Adoptions.
Prize in International Insolvency Studies
Deadline: March 15, 2010.
Topic: Topics on international insolvency and restructuring issues.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + expenses to present paper at the Institute's Annual Contest; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000; up to 3 finalist prizes of $500.
Length: Not over 40,000 words.
Sponsor: International Insolvency Institute.
Gellhorn-Sargentich Law Student Essay Competition
Deadline: March 31, 2010.
Topic: Varies annually. 2010 topic: A problem or issue relating to presidential control of agency rulemaking.
Prize: $500 + expenses to attend the Section's Fall Conference in Washington, D.C.
Length: Not over 12 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Affordable Housing and Community Development Law Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 2, 2009.
Topic: Affordable housing and/or community development law issues.
Prize: $1,000 + possible publication + expenses to attend the Forum’s annual conference.
Length: 25-50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Forum on Affordable Housing & Community Development Law.
ASPL Legal Research Award
Most Recent Deadline: March 21, 2008.
Topic: Pharmacy law, health law, health policy, drug policy, or similar topics.
Prize: Honorarium + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Pharmacy Law.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: American Society for Pharmacy Law.
Canadian Law Student Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: March 15, 2009.
Eligibility: Students at Canadian law schools + Canadian graduate students studying for graduate law degrees abroad.
Topic: For 2009, "Accommodating Freedom of Religion in a Multi-Cultural Society."
Prize: 1st place $10,000; 2nd place $5,000.
Length: Approximately 5,000 words, in either English or French.
Sponsor: American College of Trial Lawyers.
Hon. William C. Conner Intellectual Property Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 18, 2009.
Topic: Patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair trade practices, or antitrust.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + possible publication; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: New York Intellectual Property Law Association.
Chief Justice John B. Doolin Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 30, 2009.
Topic: Issues relating to Native Americans or other indigenous peoples.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 2nd place $300 + possible publication; 3rd place $200 + possible publication.
Length: 30-50 pages.
Sponsor: Supreme Court of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission, Oklahoma Arts Council, and Sovereignty Symposium Inc.
Family Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 16, 2009.
Topic: Any area of family law. Topics which focus on international or interdisciplinary issues of family law are encouraged.
Prize: 1st place $500 + possible publication; honorable mention $250.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Hofstra Law School and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
James Baker Hughes Prize
Most Recent Deadline: March 9, 2009.
Topic: International economic law, from private business matters to international trade conflicts.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Houston Journal of International Law.
Elliot A. Spoon Business Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: March 14, 2009.
Topic: Current topic in business or securities law.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: None specified.
Sponsor: Journal of Business & Securities Law.
William Trickel, Jr., Memorial Writing Award
Most Recent Deadline: March 1, 2007.
Topic: Any subject in the area of federal or Florida health law.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Health Law Section of the Florida Bar.
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APRIL
Holland & Hart Natural Resources/Environmental Law Writing Contest
Deadline: Annually on April 1.
Topic: Natural resources or environmental law and policy.
Eligibility: Fulltime students at the University of Idaho College of Law.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Holland & Hart, LLP.
For more information: Contact Professors Barbara Cosens, Jerry Long, or Dale Goble.
Endangered Environmental Laws Student Writing Competition
Deadline: April 12, 2010.
Topic: Recent developments or trends in U.S. environmental law that have a constitutional law or "federalism" element. See sample topics at website.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Environmental Law Institute and the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.
William Pew Religious Freedom Scholarship Writing Competition
Deadline: April 15, 2010.
Topic: Issues in the areas of religious liberty, sanctity of life, and/or family values. Paper must advocate a legal position consistent with that of the Alliance Defense Fund.
Prize: $2,500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Alliance Defense Fund.
William W. Greenhalgh Writing Competition
Deadline: April 23, 2010.
Topic: Any timely and important issue of American criminal constitutional procedure of interest to practitioners of criminal law.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend Section's annual meeting + possible publication. All entrants receive one year's free membership in the ABA Section of Criminal Justice.
Length: Not over 3,500 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Criminal Justice.
Roundtable Symposium Law Journal Call for Papers
Deadline: To maximize chance of acceptance, submit by April 1. Absolute deadline is June 15.
Topic: Varies annually.
2010 topic: Terrorism and the Law
Prize: None. This is a call for papers only
Length: Not over 25,000 words.
Sponsor: Southern New England Roundtable Symposium Law Journal.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Morris L. Cohen Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 15, 2009.
Topic: Any topic related to legal history, rare law books, or legal archives.
Prize: $500, + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the AALS in July 2009 in Washington, D.C.
Sponsor: Legal History and Rare Books Section of the American Association of Law Libraries.
IABA Law Student Best Paper Award
Most Recent Deadline: April 20, 2009.
Topic: Varies by year.
Prize: 1st place $800; 2nd place $600; 3rd place $400.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor: Inter-American Bar Association.
IDEA Student Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 10, 2009.
Topic: Intellectual property.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication; 2nd place $200.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: IDEA Intellectual Property Law Review.
NACCT Consumer Bankruptcy Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 30, 2009.
Topic: Any topic concerning Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.
Prize: Publication + free registration for the NACTT annual seminar.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees.
NACDL Law Student Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: April 14, 2009.
Topic: Varies. 2009 topic: "The Role of Diversity in the Criminal Justice System."
Prize: 1st place $200 + publication; 2nd place $100.
Length: 600-1200 words.
Sponsor: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: April 3, 2009.
Topic: Family law subjects of national interest.
Prize: Possible publication + complimentary membership in ABA Section of Family Law.
Length: 5,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Section on Family Law.
Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 30, 2009.
Topic: Women’s rights or the status of women in the law.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: National Association of Women Lawyers.
Smith-Doheny Legal Ethics Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: April 25, 2008.
Topic: Legal ethics.
Prize: $1,000.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: Notre Dame Law School.
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MAY
Nonsmokers' Rights Legal Research and Writing Competition
Deadline for proposal: May 1, 2010 (earlier submissions have a better chance of receiving travel grants).
Topic: Ideas for using legal action to advance nonsmokers’ rights.
Length: Initial proposal of not over 1,000 words. Thirty finalists will be invited to make oral presentations.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $3,000; 3rd place $1,000. Thirty finalists will receive a $1,000 travel grants to attend the June 2010 World Conference on Nonsmokers Rights, present their proposals, and have web publication of their proposals.
Sponsor: National Center for Nonsmokers Rights.
Sir John M. Templeton Fellowships Essay Contest (formerly the Olive W. Garvey Fellowship)
Deadline: May 3, 2010.
Eligibility: Student applicants must be 35 or younger.
Topic: Varies annually. Topic for 2010: What ideas or reforms could be developed that would make people better aware that government wants to live at their expense?
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: 1,500-5,000 words.
Sponsor: The Independent Institute.
College of Labor & Employment Lawyers Writing Competition
Deadline: May 14, 2010.
Topic: Any aspect of public or private labor or employment law.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + publication; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: 10–20 pages.
Sponsor: College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Judge John R. Brown Award
Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2009.
Papers must be submitted with a letter of recommendation from a law school faculty member or legal professional. See rules for details.
Topic: Any writing on a legal subject.
Prize: $10,000.
Length: No page limit.
Sponsor: Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation.
Domestic Violence and the Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2009.
Topic: Submissions must further the legal needs of domestic violence victims and their children, or advance efforts to address the incidence, causes, and effects of intimate partner violence.
Prize: 1st place publication + honorarium; 2nd place honorarium; 3rd place honorarium.
Length: Not over 7500 words.
Sponsor: ABA Commission on Domestic Violence.
Employee Benefits Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2009.
Topic: Any legal topic involving employee benefits law, including but not limited to health or pension benefits, 401(k) plans, severance, executive compensation, spousal and domestic partner benefits, and fiduciary obligations.
Prize: $1,500.
Length Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: American College of Employee Benefits Counsel.
Foley & Lardner LLP Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2009.
Eligibility: 1Ls and 2Ls.
Topic: Intellectual property topics such as patents, copyrights, domain names, trademarks, computer law, and trade secret law.
Prize: Two $5,000 prizes.
Length: 10–30 pages. Candidates may submit multiple entries.
Sponsor: Foley & Lardner LLP.
IADC Legal Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2009.
Topic: Tort law, insurance law, civil procedure, evidence, or other areas of the law of practical concern to lawyers engaged in the defense or management or the defense of civil litigation.
Prize: 1st place $2,000; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: Suggested limit of 12,000 words.
Sponsor: International Association of Defense Counsel.
Paralyzed Veterans' Legal Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2009.
Eligibility: Law students, law professors, and law school graduates. Joint entries are permitted.
Topic: Varies by year. 2009 topic: "After two decades of judicial review, has the veterans benefits adjudication system improved?"
Prize: $3,000 each in student division and professional division.
Length: 15-30 pages.
Sponsor: Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Program for Judicial Awareness Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2009.
Topic: Specified public policy topics. The 2009 topics are on takings, environmental policy, and use of racial categories in admissions. Note: Packets of background research materials are compiled and available upon request. There is also a blog associated with this contest.
Prize: 1st place $3,000; runner-up $1,500.
Length: 8,000-14,000 words.
Sponsor: Pacific Legal Foundation.
Ibrahim Shihata Prize
Most Recent Deadline: May 7, 2008. Papers must be published to be eligible.
Topic: Islamic jurisprudence and related legal developments in the Muslim world.
Prize: $2,500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Washington Foreign Law Society.
Texas International Law Section Law Student Legal Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: May 31, 2009.
Topic: Any area of international law, including international antitrust, arbitration, business transactions, conflicts of law, criminal law, immigration, intellectual property, litigation, multinational enterprises, public law, and trade law.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500.
Length: 3-10 pages.
Sponsor: International Law Section, State Bar of Texas.
Andrew P. Vance Memorial Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 15, 2009.
Topic: Customs and international trade law.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + possible publication; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: The Customs and International Trade Bar Association and Brooklyn Law School.
Virginia State Bar Intellectual Property Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: May 30, 2009.
Topic: Intellectual property law issues or practice.
Prize: $4,000 + publication.
Eligibility: Entrants must be Virginia residents attending any law school or students at Virginia law schools.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Section of the Virginia State Bar.
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JUNE
Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition
Deadline: Annually on June 1. Each law school must certify its winners to ASCAP no later than June 30.
Topic: Copyright law.
Prize: At each participating law school, 1st place $600 + possible publication; 2nd place $250 + possible publication. Prizes awarded at the discretion of each law school dean.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
For more information: Contact UI’s Office of Academic Support, or contact ASCAP at 212-621-6280 or NBMC@ascap.com.
K. William Kolbe Student Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on June 1.
Topic: Issues pertaining to Section's legal areas, including the communications, cable, internet, electricity, gas, oil, aviation, motor carriers, railroad, and water industries.
Prize: $2,500 + expenses to attend Section's Fall Council Group Meeting + online publication.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Public Utility, Communications and Transportation Law.
Robert C. Watson Award (formerly AIPLA Fellows Award)
Deadline: June 30, 2010.
Topic: Intellectual property law.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend the AIPLA's annual meeting in October.
Length: 30-40 pages.
Sponsor: American Intellectual Property Law Association.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Admiralty and Maritime Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Topics relating to admiralty and maritime law, especially topics of national rather than state interest.
Prize: $500, + up to $500 in expenses to attend the ABA Annual Meeting.
Length: Up to 30 pages.
Sponsor; Admiralty & Maritime Law Committee of the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section.
AEF Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Topics of relevance to racial and ethnic minorities and the law in general; scholarship on issues of importance to the Asian Pacific American legal community are encouraged.
Prize: $1,500 + publication.
Length: Not over 10,000 words.
Sponsor: Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund.
American Judges Association Law Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Topics vary annually. The 2009 topic is "The Admissibility of Evidence in Civil and Criminal Proceedings Obtained from Remote Electronic Devices." The devices envisioned for this topic are red light cameras, speed cameras, black boxes, and similar devices.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + possible publication; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: 10-25 pages.
Sponsor: American Judges Association and American Judges Foundation with the support of the National Court Reporters Association.
Animals and the Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 15, 2009.
Topic: Any area of animal law.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: New York State Bar Association Committee on Animals and the Law.
H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Long Paper Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 12, 2009.
Topic: Current legal issues relevant to the regulation of foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, or biologics.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: 41-100 pages.
Sponsor: The Food and Drug Law Institute.
H. Thomas Austern Memorial Writing Short Paper Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 12, 2009.
Topic: Current legal issues relevant to the regulation of foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, or biologics.
Prize: 1st place $4,000; 2nd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: The Food and Drug Law Institute.
James Boskey ADR Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 15, 2009.
Topic: Dispute resolution practice, theory, or research.
Prize: $1,000 + online publication.
Length: 15-25 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Dispute Resolution and the Institute for Arbitration Law and Practice, Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
Warren E. Burger Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 15, 2009.
Eligibility: Law students and lawyers. Joint entries are eligible.
Topic: Aspects of legal excellence, civility, ethics, or professionalism of contemporary significance.
Prize: $5,000 + publication.
Length: 10,000–25,000 words.
Sponsor: American Inns of Court.
California Supreme Court Historical Society Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 30, 2009.
Topic: Any aspect of California legal history from 1846 to the present, ranging from the California Supreme Court, its justices and decisions, to local events of legal historical importance, including biography, significant cases, independent state interpretation, the California Constitution, reorganization of the court system, and areas of law such as criminal law, civil rights, family law, tort liability, environmental law, and taxation.
Prize: $2,500 + publication. 2nd and 3rd place winners may also be chosen.
Length: Not over 6,000 words.
Sponsor: California Supreme Court Historical Society.
Cultural Heritage Preservation Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 12, 2009.
Topic: Cultural property, including archeological and historic resources, art, indigenous and ethnological items, commemorative works, and intangible cultural heritage. Papers must be nominated by law school faculty.
Prize: 1st place $1,000; 2nd place $500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation.
Elder Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Legal issues affecting seniors or persons with disabilities.
Prize: 1st place $1,500 + expenses to attend the Fall NAELA Institute; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500. The top eight articles will be published.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
Environmental Law Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: June 30, 2009.
Topic: Environmental law topics of current interest to Michigan practitioners.
Prize: 1st place $2,000; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Length: 8–20 pages.
Sponsor: Environmental Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Issues confronting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex communities.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 scholarship + publication; 2nd place $2,000 scholarship; 3rd place $1,000 scholarship. All winners receive expenses to attend the National LGBT Career Fair and Conference.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: National LGBT Bar Association.
George Hutchinson Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 26, 2009.
Topic: Topics within the substance, procedure, or scope of the jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes patent and trademark decisions, government contract claims, International Trade Commission, Merit System appeals, and Veterans' appeals.
Prize: $3,000.
Length: 20-50 pages.
Sponsor: Federal Circuit Bar Association.
Edward F. Langs Writing Award
Most Recent Deadline: June 30, 2009.
Topic: Information technology law.
Prize: Up to three awards; a total of $1,500 to be divided between the authors of the winning essays.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: Information Technology Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
Adam A. Milani Disability Law Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Disability law, theory, or practice, or issues arising under any of the following statutes: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, or any statute statutes or municipal ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Prize: $300-$1,000 + publication + online posting.
Length: 20 pages. Submissions should be trial-level or appellate briefs.
Sponsor: Mercer University School of Law.
James William Moore Federal Practice Award
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009. Articles must be nominated by a student publication.
Topic: Federal civil practice and procedure, including federal courts management, federal appellate procedure, and appropriate dispute resolution.
Prize: $2,000 + Moore's Federal Rules Pamphlet (4-volume set). In addition, the law review submitting the winning article receives $1,000.
Sponsor: LexisNexis.
NACC Law Student Essay Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Legal interests of children.
Prize: $1,000 + scholarship to attend NACC conference + publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: National Association of Counsel for Children.
NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Law Student Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Second Amendment rights.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $3,000; 3rd place $2,000; 4th place $1,000.
Length: Not over 30 pages.
Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund.
NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Third Year Law Student Scholarship Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009; however, must be law students at the time of submission, so persons graduating before June 1 must submit articles before they graduate.
Eligibility: 3Ls.
Topic: Second Amendment rights.
Prize: 1st place $12,500; 2nd place $5,000; 3rd place $2,500.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund.
Alice Paul Feminist Jurisprudence Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Eligibility: Co-authored essays are eligible as well as those by a single author.
Topic: Feminist jurisprudence.
Prize: $1,000.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: American University Washington College of Law.
RPTE Section Student Writing Contest, aka Jacques T. Schlenges Contest, aka Quarles & Brady Contest.
Most Recent Deadline: June 19, 2009.
Topic: Current topics in real property, trust and estate law.
Prize: 1st place $2,500 + expenses to attend the Section’s Fall Council Meeting + possible publication; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Real Property, Trust & Estate Law.
Smith-Babcock-Williams Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 8, 2009.
Topic: Planning or areas of law germane to planning, such as land use, local government, or environmental law.
Prize: 1st place $2,500 + publication in The Urban Lawyer; 2nd place $1,000; up to 2 honorable mentions of $250.
Length: Not over 45 pages.
Sponsor: American Planning Association.
Robert C. Watson Award
Most Recent Deadline: June 30, 2009.
Eligibility: Single-authored and co-authored papers are eligible. Paper must have been written or published during the previous 12 months.
Topic: Protection of intellectual property.
Prize: $2,000 + expenses to attend the AIPLA’s Annual Meeting.
Length: 30–40 pages.
Sponsor: American Intellectual Property Law Association.
Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: June 1, 2009.
Topic: Trusts and estates and related taxation.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + publication; 2nd place $3,000 + online publication; 3rd place $1,000 + online publication.
Length: 20-30 pages.
Sponsor: American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
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JULY
Holocaust Remembrance Essay Award
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Topic: The relationship between law, human rights, and the Holocaust.
Prize: $500 Canadian.
Length: 7,500-10,000 words.
Sponsor: University of Alberta Faculty of Law.
Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize
Deadline: Annually on July 1.
Topic: Tension between civil liberties and national security in contemporary American society.
Eligibility: Law students and scholars.
Prize: $10,000.
Length: Article of any length, or book.
Sponsor: Chicago-Kent College of Law.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Shannon Bybee Scholarship Award
Most Recent Deadline: July 20, 2009.
Topic: Gaming law.
Prize: Two awards of $2,500.
Length: 3,000-5,000 words preferred.
Sponsor: International Association of Gaming Advisors.
For more information: Contact Bob Faiss at 702-383-8839 or rfaiss@lionelsawyer.com.
Eisenberg Prize
Most Recent Deadline: July 10, 2009.
Topic: Appellate practice and procedure. Articles must have been published in the 12 months preceding the deadline.
Prize: $2,000.
Length: Immaterial.
Sponsor: American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
IAHA Law Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: July 1, 2009.
Topic: Federal or Illinois health law; must address Illinois law in some manner.
Prize: 1st place $2,500; 2nd place $1,500; 3rd place $500.
Eligibility: Current Illinois residents attending any U.S. law school, and law students attending law schools in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, or Wisconsin.
Length: Not over 15 pages.
Sponsor: Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys.
Tannenwald Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: July 1, 2009.
Topic: Federal or state tax.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + possible publication; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,500.
Eligibility: Any law student. Each paper must be sponsored by a law professor.
Length: 25–50 pages.
Sponsor: Theodore Tannenwald, Jr., Foundation for Excellence in Tax Scholarship and American College of Tax Counsel.
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AUGUST
Labor Lawyer Student Writing Contest
Deadline: Annually on August 31.
Topic: Labor and employment law.
Prize: $500.
Length: Not over 40 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Labor & Employment Law Section.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
James E. Beckley Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 17, 2009.
Topic: Any aspect of securities law, securities arbitration, the Federal Arbitration Act, or FINRA Code of Arbitration.
Prize: 1st place $1,000 + publication; 2nd place $750; 3rd place $500.
Length: Not over 20 pages.
Sponsor: Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.
Hamilton Project Policy Innovation Prize Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 1, 2008.
Topic: Innovative economic policy proposals. Proposals in the fields of education, health care, social insurance, science and technology, tax, energy, and saving policy are especially encouraged, but proposals on any economic policy topic are welcomed.
Prize: $10,000 for the graduate-level competition. An additional $10,000 in prize money will be shared among graduate-level and undergraduate runners-up.
Length: Not over 5,000 words.
Sponsor: Hamilton Project of the Brookings Institution.
National Security Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: August 15, 2009.
Topic: "Redefining Liberty in the 21st Century."
Prize: Cash prize + publication + expenses to attend the Annual Review of the Field of National Security Law Conference (attendance at conference is mandatory).
Length: Not over 4,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Law and National Security.
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SEPTEMBER
Victoria Fisher Memorial Prize Essay
Deadline: Annually on September 30.
Topic: Women and the law.
Prize: £250.
Length: Not over 10,000 words.
Sponsor: University of Leicester (U.K.) Law Faculty.
ABA/ Public Contract Law Journal Writing Competition
Deadline: September 30, 2009.
Topic: Topical issues in public contract or grant law. (PCLJ maintains a list of suggested topics.)
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: ABA Section of Public Contract Law.
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OCTOBER
Washington College of Law Writing Competition
Deadline: October 1, 2009.
Topic: The intersection between immigration and violence against women.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: 20-30 pages.
Sponsor: Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Washington College of Law.
Air & Space Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: October 2, 2009.
Topic: Any topic relevant to the aerospace industry: suggested topics are available on website.
Prize: 1st place $3,000 + expenses to attend conference; 2nd place $2,000.
Length: Not over 4,000 words.
Sponsor: ABA Forum on Air & Space Law.
CPR Original Student Article Award
Deadline: October 30, 2009.
Topic: Varies annually. 2009 focus: Processes, techniques, systems, commitment, and scholarship which address the resolution, prevention, or creative management of major disputes involving public or business institutions, such as those between corporations, between government and corporations, or among multiple parties.
Prize: Nominal.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Akiyu Hatano Student Writing Award
Most Recent Deadline: October 15, 2008.
Topic: Legal issues that impact the Asian Pacific American community.
Prize: Unspecified cash prize + publication.
Length: Not less than 20 pages.
Sponsor: Asian American Law Journal.
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NOVEMBER
ASECA Securities Law Writing Competition
Deadline: November 13, 2009.
Topic: Securities law.
Prize: 1st place $5,000 + expenses to attend the ASECA Annual Dinner; 2nd place $3,000; 3rd place $2,000.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni.
California State Bar International Law Section Writing Competition
Deadline: November 14, 2009.
Topic: Any subject, public or private, in international law.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication + expenses to attend the Section's Annual Meeting; 2nd place $750 + publication; 3rd place $250 + publication.
Length: 5,000-20,000 pages.
Sponsor: International Law Section of the State Bar of California.
International Ombudsman Association Student Writing Competition
Deadline: November 15, 2009.
Topic: Varies annually. 2009 topic: Argue for a statutory privilege protecting the confidentiality of communications of organizational ombudsmen with their visitors.
Prize: $2,500 + expenses to attend the IOA Annual Meeting.
Length: Under 5,000 words.
Sponsor: International Ombudsmen Association.
Alcohol Policy Essay Contest
Deadline: November 18, 2009.
Topic: Any aspect of state alcohol regulation, including but not limited to legal analysis, law enforcement, tax collection, and public health.
Prize: 1st place $5,000; 2nd place $2,500; 3rd place $1,000.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Center for Alcohol Policy.
American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on November 30.
Topic: Consumer financial services law.
Prize: $1,000 for the best student case note or comment + expenses to attend the annual meeting of the ACCFSL.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers.
Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review Call for Submissions
Deadline: None: rolling admissions.
Topic: Chicana/o Latina/o legal topics of interest.
Length: Not over 25,000 words.
Prize: Publication.
Sponsor: Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review.
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DECEMBER
ABA Health Law Section Annual Writing Competition
Deadline: Annually on the first Friday of December. (In 2009, December 4.)
Topic: General health care topics.
Prize: 1st place $500 + publication + expenses to attended the ABA Health Law Section conference; 2nd place publication.
Length: 25–50 pages.
Sponsor: ABA Health Law Section.
Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice Writing Award
Deadline: December 1, 2009.
Topic: Topics dealing with under-represented women, especially those examining the intersection of gender with axes of subordination including race, class, sexual orientation, and disability.
Prize: $500 + publication.
Length: Unspecified.
Sponsor: Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice.
Albert S. Pergam International Law Writing Competition
Deadline: December 4, 2009.
Topic: Any area of public or private international law.
Prize: $2,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: New York State Bar Association International Law and Practice Section.
New York State Bar Intellectual Property Law Section Law Student Writing Competition
Deadline: December 7, 2009.
Topic: Protection of intellectual property.
Prize: 1st place $2,000; 2nd place $1,000.
Eligibility: Students in New York law schools, or out-of-state students who are members of the New York State Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section.
Length: Not over 35 pages.
Sponsor: Intellectual Property Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.
The deadline has passed for the following annual contests, or we have not received a current announcement. It is likely these annual contests will continue: contact the sponsor directly for more information.
Futuristic Persons Paper Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 10, 2008.
Topic: The legal rights and obligations of futuristic persons.
Prize: $1,000 + expenses to attend the Annual Colloquium on the Law of Futuristic Persons.
Length: 6,000-10,000 words.
Sponsor: Terasem Movement.
Futuristic Persons Appellate Brief Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 10, 2008.
Topic: As assigned.
Prize: $1,000 + expenses to attend the Annual Colloquium on the Law of Futuristic Persons.
Length: 4,000-6,000 words.
Sponsor: Terasem Movement.
Note: The Terasem Movement also has a standing call for submissions for its two online journals, the Journal of Geoethical Nanotechnology and the Journal of Personal Cyberconsciousness.
Midwest BLSA Law Journal Call for Submissions
Most Recent Deadline: December 15, 2008. To maximize your chance of acceptance, submit by early November.
Topic: Any topic, but check website for this year's theme.
Prize: Publication.
Length: Up to 15,000 words for Notes; up to 3,500 words for Comments.
Sponsor: Midwest BLSA Law Journal.
Beverly C. Moore, Jr., Memorial Student Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 1, 2008.
Topic: Current issues relevant to class action law.
Prize: Publication in Class Action Reports.
Length: Not over 25 pages.
Sponsor: Thomson-West.
National Native American Law Students Association Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 19, 2008.
Topic: Broadly, federal Indian law. 2008 topic: "Advanced topics in tribal, Indian, or indigenous law or policy."
Length: 25-50 pages.
Prize: 1st place $2,000 + publication; 2nd place $1,000; 3rd place $500.
Sponsor: National Native American Law Students Association.
NYU Law Environmental Law Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 19, 2008.
Topic: Environmental law issues of national or international significance.
Length: Not specified.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Sponsor: New York University Center for Environmental and Land Use Law.
William J. Pierce Writing Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 31, 2008.
Topic: Uniform or model acts, or issues arising from a uniform or model act.
Prize: $1,000 + publication.
Length: Not specified.
Sponsor: National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.
Ross Essay Contest
Most Recent Deadline: December 15, 2008. No contest in 2010.
Topic: Varies annually.
Prize: $5,000 + publication.
Length: Not over 600 words.
Sponsor: ABA Journal.
William E. Swope (Jones Day) Antitrust Writing Competition
Most Recent Deadline: December 31, 2008.
Topic: Antitrust.
Prize: 1st place $10,000; 2 honorable mentions $1,500.
Length: Not over 15,000 words
Sponsor: Jones Day.
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Several law student writing competitions restrict eligibility such that law students in many states or at many law schools, including the University of Idaho College of Law, are not eligible to compete. This is true of most (but not all) contests sponsored by state bar associations. Following is a list of other annual competitions with restricted eligibility.
Joan Fullam Irick Memorial Writing Contest
Sponsor: Indiana Civil Litigation Review
Justice Robert H. Jackson Award
Sponsor: Washington Foreign Law Society
Prize Essay Contest
Sponsor: Southern Trial Lawyers Association
The following law student writing competitions frequently appear in writing competition lists and web searches; however, they do not seem to have offered a competition for several years.
American Business Law Journal Student Writing Competition
Sponsor: Academy of Legal Studies in Business
Animal Law Writing Competition
Sponsor: Animal Law Review
Aviation Law Writing Competition
Sponsor: Lawyer Pilots Bar Association
Favil D. Berns Memorial Jewish Legal Writing Competition
Sponsor: Decalogue Society of Lawyers
Building Block CLE Intellectual Property Writing Competition
Sponsor: Building Block CLE
Edward L. Dubroff Legal Writing Competition
Sponsor: American Immigration Law Foundation
Essay Contest on Judicial Independence
Sponsor: American College of Trial Lawyers
Fiction Writing Contest
Sponsor: New York Law Journal
Mark Gordon Memorial Technology Law Writing Competition
Sponsor: International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
Legal Affairs Writing Contest
Sponsor: Marbury Institute of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
Legal Assistance (LAMP) Essay Contest
Sponsor: ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel
Judge John M. Manos Writing Competition in Evidence
Sponsor: Cleveland State Law Review
PATH Writing Competition
Sponsor: People Advocating Therapeutic Homes
Diane R. Royal Administrative Law Essay Contest
Sponsor: Administrative Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan
Santa Clara Computer & High Technology Law Journal Comment Contest
Sponsor: Santa Clara Computer & High Technology Law Journal
STLR Writing Competition
Sponsor: Stanford Technology Law Review
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Last updated 2009-11-12
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